what are your Top 3 books?

[JJMartin]

What are your top 3 must have handicapping books?

I'm looking to buy some online, would appreciate some suggestions and the main focus of each book, thanks. Especially anything most recent.

[Magister Ludi]

Originally Posted by JJMartin

What are your top 3 must have handicapping books?

I'm looking to buy some online, would appreciate some suggestions and the main focus of each book, thanks. Especially anything most recent.

I have a sizeable library of handicapping books. I deeply regret wasting precious hours of my life reading them. I can honestly say that I've not incorporated even one idea from any of those books in my trading platform.

By reading handicapping books, you will only "gain" information that is already reflected in the public odds. To be a highly successful investor in the racetrack betting market, you need to learn how to "buy straw hats in the winter and overcoats in the summer" (Russell Sage). You won't learn that by reading what everyone else is reading.

[thaskalos]

1.) Thoroughbred Handicapping: State of the Art ... by William Quirin

IMO...as good a handicapping primer as anyone is ever likely to find.

2.) Pace Makes The Race ...by Dick Schmidt et al.

Pace handicapping may not be everyone's cup of tea...but this one deserves special mention.

3.) See How They Run ...by Thomas McCormick

If only McCormick could write like Dick Schmidt...

[Robert Goren]

Originally Posted by Magister Ludi

I have a sizeable library of handicapping books. I deeply regret wasting precious hours of my life reading them. By reading handicapping books, you will only "gain" information that is already reflected in the public odds. To be a highly successful investor in the racetrack betting market, you need to learn how to "buy straw hats in the winter and overcoats in the summer" (Russell Sage). You won't learn that by reading what everyone else is reading.

That is pretty well my feelings as well. The last useful handicapping book was the first book by Beyer and it is well out of date. I haven't read the Wang book or anything by him, so there might be something useful in there, but I doubt it. One of the " pace handicapping " books might some day be useful if we ever get reliable times. I am holding my breath on that. Most of the books out there were written a long time and the game has changed is continues to change at a rapid rate. They are useless in today's game. Some of them were just flat wrong when they were written as well. Read Delta's post and think long and hard about them. You will learn more than if you read all the books on handicapping ever written. With all due repect to the other posters, He is miles ahead of the curve when it comes handicapping, at least in my opinion.

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by Robert Goren

That is pretty well my feelings as well. The last useful handicapping book was the first book by Beyer and it is well out of date. I haven't read the Wang book or anything by him, so there might be something useful in there, but I doubt it. One of the " pace handicapping " books might some day be useful if we ever get reliable times. I am holding my breath on that. Most of the books out there were written a long time and the game has changed is continues to change at a rapid rate. They are useless in today's game. Some of them were just flat wrong when they were written as well. Read Delta's post and think long and hard about them. You will learn more than if you read all the books on handicapping ever written. With all due repect to the other posters, He is miles ahead of the curve when it comes handicapping, at least in my opinion.

I cannot agree with this way of thinking...simply because the neophyte horseplayer needs to be intoduced to the game's fundamentals somehow. I can't possibly imagine that the beginning player would not be helped substantially by reading a book like Quirin's Thoroughbred Handicapping: State of the Art.

[CincyHorseplayer]

Kant and Wittgenstein had a baby,twins actually,Goren and Ludi.The best way to win is to not read anything about the game at all.I think you guys are full of crap.Theory and loserdom.

[JJMartin]

Originally Posted by Robert Goren

Read Delta's post and think long and hard about them. You will learn more than if you read all the books on handicapping ever written. With all due repect to the other posters, He is miles ahead of the curve when it comes handicapping, at least in my opinion.

Delta who?

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by Magister Ludi

I have a sizeable library of handicapping books. I deeply regret wasting precious hours of my life reading them. I can honestly say that I've not incorporated even one idea from any of those books in my trading platform.

By reading handicapping books, you will only "gain" information that is already reflected in the public odds. To be a highly successful investor in the racetrack betting market, you need to learn how to "buy straw hats in the winter and overcoats in the summer" (Russell Sage). You won't learn that by reading what everyone else is reading.

I don't know what books you've read, my friend...but it is shocking to me that you have not been able to implement even one idea from them.

I don't think there is one serious handicapping book that I haven't read...and I have gotten useful ideas from most of them. Even if an author's idea is of dubious value, the mere fact that he presents it to me often encourages me to try and improve upon it by applying my own twist to it.

I don't need someone to give me the answer; just pointing me to a direction that I would otherwise miss is good enough for me sometimes.

[Overlay]

Originally Posted by JJMartin

Delta who?

DeltaLover

[Robert Goren]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

I cannot agree with this way of thinking...simply because the neophyte horseplayer needs to be intoduced to the game's fundamentals somehow. I can't possibly imagine that the beginning player would not be helped substantially by reading a book like Quirin's Thoroughbred Handicapping: State of the Art.

A very dated book that will cost the new player a lot if he heeds its advice. Remember he has given up betting horses long ago because he could not make money for his backers. I read all 3 of his books and reread them a couple years ago. They aren't worst books ever written about handicapping, but aren't helpful either.

[JJMartin]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

I don't know what books you've read, my friend...but it is shocking to me that you have not been able to implement even one idea from them.

I don't think there is one serious handicapping book that I haven't read...and I have gotten useful ideas from most of them. Even if an author's idea is of dubious value, the mere fact that he presents it to me often encourages me to try and improve upon it by applying my own twist to it.

I don't need someone to give me the answer; just pointing me to a direction that I would otherwise miss is good enough for me sometimes.

I was thinking along similar lines. It may be reasonable to assert that an advanced player may find very little if anything beneficial from books to apply directly to their handicapping technique but something contained within may serve as an inspiration in the development of something new. Hearing various perspectives on anything can definitely contribute to having a revelation that may otherwise escape you had it not been triggered by one source or another.

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by Overlay

DeltaLover

I have gotten to know DeltaLover...and readily testify that he is the "real deal".

An intelligent player who is not afraid to back his opinions with both hands.

Respect!

[Robert Goren]

Originally Posted by JJMartin

Delta who?

Answered correctly by Overlay. DeltaLover

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by Robert Goren

A very dated book that will cost the new player a lot if he heeds its advice. Remember he has given up betting horses long ago because he could not make money for his backers. I read all 3 of his books and reread them a couple years ago. They aren't worst books ever written about handicapping, but aren't helpful either.

Nonsense.

Calling this book "worthless" is as close to blasphemy as you can get in this game.

Tell me something, Robert:

I read where you said that you have made a profit betting horses in 46 out of the last 48 years; did you figure this game out all by yourself?

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by JJMartin

I was thinking along similar lines. It may be reasonable to assert that an advanced player may find very little if anything beneficial from books to apply directly to their handicapping technique but something contained within may serve as an inspiration in the development of something new. Hearing various perspectives on anything can definitely contribute to having a revelation that may otherwise escape you had it not been triggered by one source or another.

I couldn't agree more.