I'm in no way suggesting there is no validity to what you are saying, and certainly specific instances you give can be helpful, but in order for it to be at all helpful you have to know how good the opinions are that you are getting.

As DrugS pointed out earlier, the connections you describe are too close to their horses, and their opinions are stilted. A good handicapper, while he may not have specific information, knows how to make reasonable judgements, at least generally, about the information you are referring to. And, as he will have an even and unbiased view of the ENTIRE field, he can weigh everything together. Will he make mistakes? Of course, but over time he will have a far fairer and more balanced judgement of the races.

Believe me, I have had MANY people of the categories you describe give me poor and inaccurate insights. I have been successful trusting my judgement in the past and I will continue to do so. I will be wrong more often than I am right....but it seems to work out in the end.

I bet Hopes and Dreams in that race. She won back next out at Calder and did OK in a subsequent Gulfstream race. I believe the Amy Tarrant horse came back to run poorly at Gulfstream. She ran like it was more than any rail placement was helping her that day at Belmont.

I will have to ask some people smarter than me about this. Won't be hard to find them.

Let me add that for much of the meet so far the rails have been out at Gulfstream and it wasn't until the turf got really hard that speed was particularly holding and there were a number of very deep closers that won.

To me turf racing is very fair and for the most part pace is not nearly the factor it is in dirt racing. That is the reason sound handicapping holds up better. For me, extensive trip handicapping is the most important thing someone can do to be successful betting turf races.

I thought the Sunshine Millions race was on the inside rail...as was the Canadian. I can't really remember any other days but the rail has been pretty far out.

You are correct...and I was wrong about the Sunshine Millions race also.

Perhaps the rails have always been up. I will try to find out. I guess they will move inside for the second half of the meeting.

Fair enough. But I'm afraid that what I'm saying is being misinterpreted as "bet every horse you hear something about".. And that's not what I'm saying. I'm just making the point that if you take someone who handicaps the race versus someone who personally KNOWS connections in the race AND handicaps the race.. I think the latter has the former beaten far more often than not.

It may be being misinterpreted by some but I know what you're saying.

No doubt reliable information can be helpful, especially if you get it after you have fully handicapped the race, as then it won't affect your judgement. I have just never had the inclination to seek out information. To me, these people work their butts off and I think it is unfair of me to even ask them. They go to work when I go to bed for God's sake.

When I do the shows in Saratoga I basically beg people not to give me info prior to the shows as I feel obligated to repeat anything I know or heard.

As logical as what you are saying may sound on the surface.....I totally disagree with it.

As an example, I often repeated DrugS's brilliant insights on the shows...giving him credit of course.

I guess I just figured out why there was so much more hatred directed towards me at Saratoga last summer.

I believe he reffered to me as "the lunatic living in the appartment above me."

And....that is honestly not accurate at all. I'm a soft spoken, humble, level-headed, 100% normal in all ways, Western Pennsylvania boy.

Shockingly, the soft spoken part is actually true.

GP Turf rail settings
 

For anyone curious as to the settings of the turf rail at Gulfstream this meet here they are:

Week 1: Rail at 84 ft.

Week 2: Rail at 60 ft.

Week 3 Rail at 36 ft.

Week 4: Rail was down

Exception was on Sunshine Millions day 1/27 for the Filly and Mare Turf only the rail was set at 72 ft.

Week 5: Rail at 72 Ft. (Including the Canadian this past Sat.)

Tomorrow starts week 6 and the turf rail is set at 48 ft. for the 3 turf races carded.

Hope this helps for anyone that was curious about the settings.

Thanks.

I'm sure some people who really study it can make money...I think it could be done. Me personally, I never could and have no desire to take the time to study it, which is why I don't bet.

It's your cat like moves and chiseled good looks, Andy.