drbillym Wrote:
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> I\'m rooting for you, Rick, so you can update that
> 8 year old, \"It\'s Simple, Really\" banner!

That was always meant as a tongue-in-cheek teaser, but it
has become an albatross, in a back-door way.

The next one for me has to be, \"C\'mon, *of course* it\'s
TG -- we know the guy who won, and his son had to keep
him from eating from the paste jar.

Hi Dennis,

It\'s not like it was a few years ago. No mass \"shipment\", too costly.

Contact TGAB and he will flip a few switches so you can download for free
for the three days of the contest through your already established TG account.

Paper copy is available but you have to pay for the shipping.

See you tomorrow or Thursday.

Regards,
Rick

Tough 1st contest day: only 4 tracks and all skimpy on entries
except Oaklawn.

Good weather everywhere, though.

Don\'t forget to get setup for complimentary TG\'s with TGAB.

Good Luck to all!

Once again, Jerry Brown has graciously agreed to supply Horseplayers
World Series contestants with free TG Sheets for the upcoming 3 days of the
tournament.

You must set up an account if you don\'t already have one, and send a note
to TGAB asking for free electronic download for Thursday to Saturday product.

(If you want hard copy, you have to pay for the shipping. JMHO, don\'t do this...
easier for the guys to flip switches than box up and ship tons of paper.)

Alan is in and out for the next few days so you might want to send your
request soon.

$175 value, courtesy of Thoro Graph. Very nice!

The Santa Ysabel?

OMG I thought, as I tried to open the ROTW:

TG has *really* lost their minds -- they are going to
try to beat Songbird!!

Not true, as it turned out, with my blood pressure
returning to somewhat normal -- TG was quite complimentary
of Songbird and her achievements so far, and they have her
as the legit fave.

Well, someone has to be goofy around here, so I will
make my \"Show ALL\" bet in the Santa Ysabel:


\"Show ALL\"

$2 to show on every horse in the SA race 6 EXCEPT Songbird.

$18 play.

If Songbird hits the board, I will lose about $12.

If Songbird is off the board, I might get $300 - $500 total.

(This bet assumes a giant show pool, $300000 or more with
about 95% of the show money on Songbird.)

miff Wrote:
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> Told me he 7 of 12 winners but did not qualify

Not to start a quibble, but I read something like
this and say: lots of short prices, not impressed.

Didn\'t get any...

miff Wrote:
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> Hi Rick,
>
> On record as feeling contest format is garbage and
> promotes clueless blind stabs at cap horses for
> the most part.
>
> Question as a non contest follower. Is it possible
> to win a qualifier/contest if a cap horse hits and
> you do not have it?
>
> Thanks
> Mike

In my experience it is highly unlikely for someone to
win a contest without hitting a cap horse or two.

A few years back fellow Chicagoan Paul Yaffee won a WP
format contest at the Gold Coast by hitting a ton of
logical winners at fat (but not cap) prices. This is
the one exception I can think of, more are out there I suppose.

IMO, some part of how people feel about this topic is derived
from their everyday play; \"Old School\" guys that scour the Form
looking for today\'s clever $8.00 horse couldn\'t bet a 20-1 shot
by accident, and tend to look down their noses at these contests.

And that\'s fine: some guys can make money on $8 horses.

If I didn\'t think I could find at least one $20 horse today I
wouldn\'t even bother to look at the Form. That is everyday, so
contests are a natural for me. YMMV.

Hi Bill,

You are right, maybe. Even a relic like me uses the
PC for organizing and presenting handicapping information.

That is Decision Support work, though. Letting your computer
program decide *what* to bet is Selection Mode, and I
question how many sharp guys are now just blindly following
their computer program selections.

Regards,
Rick

cruzm73 Wrote:
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> I\'m a paper player and go thru a lot of hot
> and cold periods - wondering if I should/
> shouldn\'t test the high-tech waters.

I might suggest that you invest more time and
effort refining your current methods.

When you are \"hot\", do you know why? Can you
sustain these runs even longer...or do you
get bored and push the envelope?

When you are cold, are you beating yourself?
Chasing? Playing too many races?

Going to the HPWS? Look me up. I can outline
my approach -- I\'m a \"paper player\", but much
of my paper has TG data on them, and I\'ll take
on ANY computer program with TG on my side.

FrankD. Wrote:
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> I have to say the board is quite lame for a big
> race day especially when the ROW is trying to beat
> the probable favorite or 2nd choice on the first
> Saturday in May.
>
> Frank D.

Maybe a few who might otherwise post about this are
biting their tongues and once again wondering how an
otherwise legit fave loses simply due to being \"overbet\".

One of the nicest sheets I\'ve ever seen for a young horse,
so of course Mohaymen is a bet against. St. Jude, send help.

(Anyone here ever hear of a \"watcher\"? This FOY is a prime example.)

atakante Wrote:
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> Can anybody recommend a good live seminar/course
> to attend for a beginner/intermediate person to
> take his game to the next level?  

> Simply put, how does one get his game
> past a current wall he\'s bumping into?

You are already in the right spot, A. There are
many sharp handicappers here that have always
helped me when I\'ve asked for assistance.

Ask away, and be patient of course. Good luck.

Look at the TG Sheet of the winner in Race 9. Very playable.

(Not redboarding. I used it in my Horse Tourneys contest.)

atakante Wrote:
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> Thanks for the links.  Looks like Golden Gate is
> not especially bettor friendly according to these
> figures.

Tend to agree, but betting situations arise at many
\"lesser\" tracks, so why not just observe and pounce?

I asked my very good friend and harness racing mentor
Frank C. the same sort of question: which track is your
favorite?

His answer: \"Anywhere I can cash a f*cking ticket.\"

And that was 25 years ago!

> I doubt I can get comfortable enough to play this
> race but good luck to those that do!

I agree with tossing San Onofre so that makes the
bets line up pretty easily:

Tri:
10 units key 6 w 2,5,3
04 units key 2,3,5 w 6 w 2,3,5
01 units box 2,3,5,6

Ex:
10 units key 6 with 2,3,5
04 units 2,3,5 with 6
02 units box 2,3,5

Good luck everybody.