Handicapping Style: What Would You Do?

[Zman179]

Ok, I need some ideas from you guys. Here's the thing, when it comes to handicapping, I like to write on the Racing Form. You know, underline certain trouble lines, circle positive trainer/jockey changes, note rises in class, etc. I've done it like this for over 25 years and I enjoy handicapping.

So what's the problem? Well, I was injured at work on Monday and severely strained a tendon in my right arm which has made writing a painful experience (even holding the pen is a chore.) Yesterday I tried to handicap and I had to stop. I tried writing with my left hand and it looked like I was writing in Mandarin Chinese. The doctor said that I'll need physical therapy for three months (it's worker's comp so I don't have to worry about getting paid...whew.)

Question: what would you do if you were in the same situation? How would you try to handicap if you can't really write?

[Overlay]

You apparently can still work a keyboard. Maybe you could devise a system of typewritten notes/shorthand that could substitute for (and possibly even improve upon) your current handwritten notations. (Or are you more concerned about making notes in real time while at the track or OTB?)

[pktruckdriver]

Sorry to here about your injury, but..


How bout an assisitant, or Grandkid.


Now would be a great time to teach them, time to pass it on.


25 Years is a lontime, maybe just reading and then remembering smaller win bets or such, until you can dawdle again.



I wish you the best


Patrick

[hbeck]

Hire someone on the extra board to do your handwriting for you.

[twindouble]

I never marked up my form, unless it was a telephone number. Habits are hard to break. I would suggest a high lighter, just mark what you think is important in your handicapping process, when you look at it I'm sure you'll know what it means. Other notes, as said have someone type them out before hand.
I knew a guy that had a full box of different markers, when he was done you would swear it was modern art.

Good luck,

T.D.

[Hajck Hillstrom]

...requires 3 colored highlighting pens, red/yellow/green.

I use red for negative factors, green for positive, and yellow for handicapping factors I should be cautious of.

No writing, just slashing....right handed or left handed should do. In your case I would start off with the red pen highlighting negative factors through the entire card, and then go backwards with the positive green, and finally going back through using the cautionary yellow.

You'll be amazed by how the horses will stand out. All the best!

[riskman]

Personally, I do not handicapp with the DRF and do not know if you can download the PP's as a PDF document. If you can, you might want to look into this nifty PDF reader.

http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/rd_intro.php

Your injury may present an opportunity to work in a new manner. In any event it is free and you can practice with it to determine if it will help you.

As an example, you could develop your own "Glossary"-see here http://www.contenderswins.com/glossary.html ALL OTHER REPORTS EXPLANATION
( I do not use contender wins) This may give you some ideas for symbols.

Hope this helps.

[Cholly]

Write less...think more.

[Donnie]

...learn Mandarin Chinese?

(sorry....couldn't help myself. Someone took my margarita and put this damned keyboard in my hands again!!)

[BUD]

Originally Posted by Hajck Hillstrom

...requires 3 colored highlighting pens, red/yellow/green.

I use red for negative factors, green for positive, and yellow for handicapping factors I should be cautious of.

No writing, just slashing....right handed or left handed should do. In your case I would start off with the red pen highlighting negative factors through the entire card, and then go backwards with the positive green, and finally going back through using the cautionary yellow.

You'll be amazed by how the horses will stand out. All the best!

Happened to me---several factors--pain--tremors when I least expect them----I use my voice activated software---ITS still learning and so Am I..

I walked into MR Hillstoms idea on accident---it was a tremendous help-----


Anybody from the DRF wanna offer me a position in helping market and create products to our own Handicapped handicappers? .....Small % but they have 3 things---Time some money---and a tremendous amount of time to get thru doing something positive..

There are other good ideas here--Hope and pray you get better---

BUD

[Donnie]

On a serious note (and obviously another day) I use Microsoft Access to process all of my data. With conditional formatting, where data is color coded when it meats your parameters and which can also be done in Excel, I adhere to Hajck's methodology as well. You save a lot of time letting the computer do the markup. Amazing what you will "see" when the colors "come together". You begin to realize how tough it is for the mind's eye to see the diferences in horses if your focus is on one animal at a time.
Best of Luck in your recovery!!

[ddog]

I will add this, I don't even think you need to mark the factors in the form.

I just have a screen printed for each race from the software with the 4-5 details I want to see on the race.

At that point(i don't use the drf) i just glance through a couple of screens in the software based on the type of race and what questions pop into my head for that race.

On the sheet as I see positives from the screen I just make a _ under each horse.

Once done, I play the most _ if I can get the odds I think I need.

I started this many years ago and it really helped.
I guess you could think of it as a kind of soft focus method?

People look at me like I am nuts if doing it in an OTB somewhere.

maybe their right!


P.s. - on the form markup angle, I used to see a guy at an OTB several years back and he carried a box of markers that must have numbered in the dozens.
I swear the form when he was done with must have been 10 pounds over weight.

One of them should be on display in the Smithsonian or stored in a time capsule.

[salty]

I can see it being tough. I useualy mark up the races with all kinds of symbols and sometimes some funny pictures. Sometimes I see a horse in a race and I can't see any possible reason for this horse to be here other than to lose to the rest of the feild. So I make a big F next to it, If i make it really bold then that horse useualy wins, but if I put an F next to more than one horse or i don't bolden it then I am right and that horse comes in dead last. So somewhere in my head at 1 in the morning when i'm handicapping these important decisions are made. It was rough when I first started but now I realize that the big bold F is really an A+.

The problem with handicapping and making notations on the computer is that you can't imediately write down whatever thought is in your head.

[dav4463]

Originally Posted by Hajck Hillstrom

...requires 3 colored highlighting pens, red/yellow/green.

I use red for negative factors, green for positive, and yellow for handicapping factors I should be cautious of.

No writing, just slashing....right handed or left handed should do. In your case I would start off with the red pen highlighting negative factors through the entire card, and then go backwards with the positive green, and finally going back through using the cautionary yellow.

You'll be amazed by how the horses will stand out. All the best!

I like this! I am going to try out the colored pens.

[NY BRED]

[

Question: what would you do if you were in the same situation? How would you try to handicap if you can't really write?[/QUOTE]


I just recovered from a bad virus. and was home for several days

I had TVG on for several days, and while flying high on cough syrup,
listened quite intently to the moderators selections, and used every
other logical horse at reasonable odds(5-1 or better) at the Big A.

Actually had one of my more profitable days..

seriously though, I would hold off betting as a clear mind is genrally
needed to properly handicap.