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MISTERGEE 10-07-2009 02:20 PM
Book Reviews?
 
Admit I am sucker for reading books about handicapping. I am sure most on here know all the famous good ones by Beyer, Davidowitz, etc.. But, how about some sleepers of good books youve read on the subject, or some real losers. I will start off with to me a loser, "How To Win The Pick 6" by Steven Kolb. This book has mostly rave reviews on Amazon.Com so it could just be me but it is the worst horse handicapping book I have ever read. I am starting to wonder about those reviews on Amazon. Are they shills? Anyway though this could be a good way we could all find about about some good reads or avoid some bad ones.

GenuineRisk 10-07-2009 03:43 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by MISTERGEE
Admit I am sucker for reading books about handicapping. I am sure most on here know all the famous good ones by Beyer, Davidowitz, etc.. But, how about some sleepers of good books youve read on the subject, or some real losers. I will start off with to me a loser, "How To Win The Pick 6" by Steven Kolb. This book has mostly rave reviews on Amazon.Com so it could just be me but it is the worst horse handicapping book I have ever read. I am starting to wonder about those reviews on Amazon. Are they shills? Anyway though this could be a good way we could all find about about some good reads or avoid some bad ones.
I think "How to Win" in the title of any book about handicapping is an indication it's not good. I would feel much better about a book entitled "How to Lose Less Than You Might Otherwise."

I liked "Exotic Betting." I'm sure it's basic for most of the seasoned handicappers here, but for a novice like me it was great at explaining how exotic bets are structured. And I liked the anecdotes.

richard burch 10-07-2009 07:27 PM
i have read three racing books over the past year. (non about handicapping)

the perfect ride by gary stevens 3 stars
(just a good all around horse racing book)

against the odds by jerry baily 2 stars
(this book is 50% racing and 50% why you shouldn't be an alcoholic)

ruffian. 2 stars.
(the writing is a little too descriptive for my liking but i got through it because this is one of my all time favorite horses.)

reading beyer on speed now.

hockey2315 10-07-2009 07:41 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by MISTERGEE
Admit I am sucker for reading books about handicapping. I am sure most on here know all the famous good ones by Beyer, Davidowitz, etc.. But, how about some sleepers of good books youve read on the subject, or some real losers. I will start off with to me a loser, "How To Win The Pick 6" by Steven Kolb. This book has mostly rave reviews on Amazon.Com so it could just be me but it is the worst horse handicapping book I have ever read. I am starting to wonder about those reviews on Amazon. Are they shills? Anyway though this could be a good way we could all find about about some good reads or avoid some bad ones.
Mostly.

MaTH716 10-07-2009 08:40 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by richard burch
i have read three racing books over the past year. (non about handicapping)

the perfect ride by gary stevens 3 stars
(just a good all around horse racing book)

against the odds by jerry baily 2 stars
(this book is 50% racing and 50% why you shouldn't be an alcoholic)

ruffian. 2 stars.
(the writing is a little too descriptive for my liking but i got through it because this is one of my all time favorite horses.)

reading beyer on speed now.
I am actually in the middle of Ruffian right now and think it's one of the best books I have ever read. The writing really makes you feel like you are right there in the middle of it all. I'm really enjoying it.

richard burch 10-07-2009 09:34 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by MaTH716
I am actually in the middle of Ruffian right now and think it's one of the best books I have ever read. The writing really makes you feel like you are right there in the middle of it all. I'm really enjoying it.

...most likely because of my own comprehension level.

Thunder Gulch 10-08-2009 09:12 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by MaTH716
I am actually in the middle of Ruffian right now and think it's one of the best books I have ever read. The writing really makes you feel like you are right there in the middle of it all. I'm really enjoying it.
There are two Ruffian books. One by Jane Schwartz "Ruffian, Burning from the Start" that is a fantastic book I'd give 4+ stars. The folks who wanted to do a movie about her were unable to reach a deal, so William Nack was hired to write a Ruffian book that I didn't read. Nack wrote the definitive Secretariat bio (fantastic), but I heard the Ruffian book wasn't nearly as good.

pgiaco 10-08-2009 09:20 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thunder Gulch
There are two Ruffian books. One by Jane Schwartz "Ruffian, Burning from the Start" that is a fantastic book I'd give 4+ stars. The folks who wanted to do a movie about her were unable to reach a deal, so William Nack was hired to write a Ruffian book that I didn't read. Nack wrote the definitive Secretariat bio (fantastic), but I heard the Ruffian book wasn't nearly as good.


The Secretariat book is fabulous. Get it in the hard cover version if possible.

Thunder Gulch 10-08-2009 09:23 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by MISTERGEE
Admit I am sucker for reading books about handicapping. I am sure most on here know all the famous good ones by Beyer, Davidowitz, etc.. But, how about some sleepers of good books youve read on the subject, or some real losers. I will start off with to me a loser, "How To Win The Pick 6" by Steven Kolb. This book has mostly rave reviews on Amazon.Com so it could just be me but it is the worst horse handicapping book I have ever read. I am starting to wonder about those reviews on Amazon. Are they shills? Anyway though this could be a good way we could all find about about some good reads or avoid some bad ones.
I wrote a lot of Amazon reviews on handicapping books, and have read 25 or 30. In general, Quinn's works are solid in fundamentals and certainly worthy of reading. The pace material by Brohammer, Pizzola, and Hambleton is all solid and worth a read. My favorite author is Marc Cramer because he takes a contrarian approach to most everyone else. He wrote several that will have you thinking more about finding value after you go through the fundamental nuts and bolts process of picking winners.

Losers: Pedigree Handicaping by Stich wasn't good...Helm's pedigree book was much better. Go for the Green by Heller was written for somebody who never picked up a racing form....Ragozin's book offered almost nothing from a handicapping perspective.

Holland Hacker 10-08-2009 11:44 AM
I have read a number of books going back to Tom Ainsle's almost 25 years ago.

Some Books I really liked:

Ruffian - Burning from the Start - Jane Schwartz

Exotic Betting - Steven Crist

Handicapping 101 - Brad Free

Man O'War - Dorothy Ours

and some not so much:

The Training Game - Karen Johnson, decent read will not help you handicapping much.

Secretariat the Horse that God Built - Rather dissapointing story about Big Red.

I know I'm personally waiting to get a copy of The Serling Way - A Real Horse Players Insights into the Game.

pgiaco 10-08-2009 11:51 AM
"A Wild Ride" by I think it's Anne Hagedorn was a great read. Tells the story of the rise and very hard fall of Calumet Farm.

MaTH716 10-08-2009 12:06 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thunder Gulch
There are two Ruffian books. One by Jane Schwartz "Ruffian, Burning from the Start" that is a fantastic book I'd give 4+ stars. The folks who wanted to do a movie about her were unable to reach a deal, so William Nack was hired to write a Ruffian book that I didn't read. Nack wrote the definitive Secretariat bio (fantastic), but I heard the Ruffian book wasn't nearly as good.
I'm reading the Jane Schwartz version. Which like I said, I am enjoying very much. I'm glad I didn't know about the Nack version because I would have probably opted for that one, since the Secretariat book he wrote was so good.

I recently read Not by A Longshot by T.D. Thorton, which I think is a must read. It was very good and had me laughing at times. Also I read Stud, I forgot who wrote it. But I though it was mediocre at best. At times it was tough to follow.

Thunder Gulch 10-08-2009 01:11 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by pgiaco
"A Wild Ride" by I think it's Anne Hagedorn was a great read. Tells the story of the rise and very hard fall of Calumet Farm.
Agree. Couldn't put the book down even though we all know how it ends.

Thunder Gulch 10-08-2009 01:21 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by cmfhb411
I liked Handicapping Magic by Pizzola.

didn't buy into the PBS numbers at all, because I used to handicap and
come up with pace and final figs using similar theories behind the PBS #s.
Otherwise excellent imo, especially Chapters 4, 6, and 7.

Bet With The Best 2 was good.

Six Secrets of Successful Bettors is a must for anyone considering getting
real serious about handicapping for profit, just to make some extra dough
outside your job ( if you still have one )...............
and I think borderline-mandatory if your crazy enough to take the plunge.

This read will let you know that interpretting PPs, result charts, and replays
better than everyone you know in your tiny circle of family and friends
simply won't be enough to make it as a true full-timer.
Pizzola's book was good and his theories are intriguing, though admittedly I don't follow his method. Most selection oriented writings point to early speed while this one points you to value oriented closers who can compete in certain pace scenarios.

I thought the "Bet with the Best" books were ok, but would strongly recommend Quinn's "Best of Thoroughbred Handicapping" over those. The idea of all 3 is to introduce ideas from other handicapping books, but Quinn does a better job of organizing the work as well as introducing some lesser known (and better) authors.

Travis Stone 10-08-2009 01:23 PM
Reading handicapping books is just like reading poker books... some thoughts/ideologies you'll agree with, while others you will not. But it's good to have perspective from all angles as you never know what little tidbit here or there will pan-out a being useful with how you approach and play the game.

That said, in my opinion, Andy Beyer has the most entertaining books with good info while Steve Davidowitz's Betting T-Breds is the single best book out there to kick-start one's handicapping endeavours.

MISTERGEE 10-08-2009 02:07 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thunder Gulch
I wrote a lot of Amazon reviews on handicapping books, and have read 25 or 30. In general, Quinn's works are solid in fundamentals and certainly worthy of reading. The pace material by Brohammer, Pizzola, and Hambleton is all solid and worth a read. My favorite author is Marc Cramer because he takes a contrarian approach to most everyone else. He wrote several that will have you thinking more about finding value after you go through the fundamental nuts and bolts process of picking winners.

Losers: Pedigree Handicaping by Stich wasn't good...Helm's pedigree book was much better. Go for the Green by Heller was written for somebody who never picked up a racing form....Ragozin's book offered almost nothing from a handicapping perspective.
Seems like most of the reviews on Amazon are by relatives of the author most likely. The ones like yours giving honest opinions few and far between hence the idea for this thread. I really enjoyed anything by Quinn and Quirin, havent seen anything by either lately. I did read Pizzola. Lots of valid points but he comes across as too much of a marketer trying to sell other services it seemed. I am currently reading "Tropical Downs" the novel by Cramer and have read his contrarian books on handicapping. He seemd to be one of the first "value" handicappers. I used to get Helms pedigree ratings every year but since he retired I switched to "Sire Stats" by Thoroughbred Sports Network which come out each year

MISTERGEE 10-08-2009 02:12 PM
has anyone read "Extreme Pace Handicapping" by Randy Giles and also are you applying his methods?

MISTERGEE 10-08-2009 02:28 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by cmfhb411
I haven't read this. Did you ?
Yes I have. Just wanted to compare notes with others who have. Are you interested reading it?

MISTERGEE 10-08-2009 02:33 PM
Basic premise is when to bet speed or closers based on speed point method

Thunder Gulch 10-08-2009 02:37 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by MISTERGEE
has anyone read "Extreme Pace Handicapping" by Randy Giles and also are you applying his methods?
Thought about it, but haven't yet. After Brohammer, Pizzola, Fotias, and Helm, I'm twisted up enough on pace approaches.

MISTERGEE 10-08-2009 03:08 PM
any actual pace ratings you like the best? I never really looked at Moss #s. I used to do my own Beyer pace #s. Now anyway most say it doesnt matter which horses have the best speed just how many like to go to the front no matter the rating.

Thunder Gulch 10-08-2009 04:03 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by MISTERGEE
any actual pace ratings you like the best? I never really looked at Moss #s. I used to do my own Beyer pace #s. Now anyway most say it doesnt matter which horses have the best speed just how many like to go to the front no matter the rating.
I use BRIS and have found them to work well for my purposes, plus I am comfortable with their whole product now. Maybe there is too much information there, but after using them, the DRF looks rudimentary.

I have also used Equiform's Xtras (Cary Fotias) from time to time. I can see how their stuff can really put you on some nice prices. Basically a combination of pace figures and sheets.

JohnGalt1 10-08-2009 08:11 PM
I use methods in these three books.

"Total Victory at the Track" by William L. Scott. His Performance Class Ratings (PCR) are a good way to compare the class of the field. If you have difficulty with All Weather tracks, PCR ratings are valuable. I don't use the second call in creating my PCR numbers and I don't like the way he makes his pace figures, especially sprinters stretching out.

"Pace Makes the Race" by Sartin, Schmidt, Hambleton, and Pizzola. I separate the running styles with their E, EP, P, and S designations--that's why I don't use the second call for the PCR rating. I use their EPR, FFR, and TPR for pace ratings.

"Handicapping Magic" Michael Pizzola. The best advice in the book--for me--is always use the last race for the pace figure, unless you shouldn't. He lists some reasons why the last race may not be used. And for his turf pace line advice.

General handicapping books with excellent advice are, "Betting Thorougbreds", "Kinky Handicapping" and "Six Secrets"

The worthless crap books I've read ( about 15) I gave away to charity. I hope my competitors at the track found them, read them, and bet their advice.

Sightseek 10-08-2009 08:13 PM
If anyone is looking to go book shopping, Border's has a 40% off coupon on their website through Monday and you can get free shipping if you send the book to your closest Borders store instead of your home:

http://www.borders.com/online/store/Home

Gate Dancer 10-09-2009 09:48 AM
'Tarnished Crown' by Carol Flake is a pretty nice read dealing with the story of Chief's Crown.

MISTERGEE 10-09-2009 11:07 AM
for those who like fiction revolving around horse racing (this may be obvious to most) anything by William Murray is great

VOL JACK 10-14-2009 09:37 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS
I've read probably between 25 to 30 books on handicapping ... however, growing up, without a doubt the best way to make yourself a better handicapper and develop skill was with a publication called National Charts Weekly ... which later became and is now called Simulcast Weekly.

I believe that this was the very first ever issue of the SW ...




These things - and the NCW before them - were like sacred possessions to me. If someone else touched one they were in trouble. Now ... the thing can be bought online and all.


Starting around when I was in 1st grade we got all of the races on tv on our cable and we lived by a new OTB.

It was much later, in about the mid 90's when I started VCR taping every race from every track each week. My grandpa went to the track and bet 7 days a week - and he was under some hardcore orders to bring back and save me a DRF every day. It didn't matter if it was a Feb blizzard on a Tuesday .. he was getting chewed out if he didn't get one.

When you have the old forms, the vcr tapes, and the charts/simulcast weekly .. you have some real developmental steroids.

All you need is a spiral notebook .. you put the date on top of the page and you watch every race and do a write up for it. The main focus on which horses are better or worse than they appear... and to be on the lookout for possible situations where form may improve or decline

Some of the books are excellent - but none of them advocate doing things the best way. The best way is viciously time consuming and tedious.



Kinda like finding the best porn on the web??

The Indomitable DrugS 10-14-2009 09:39 AM
Yeah - but together ... you can kill two birds with one stone.

-BT- 10-14-2009 10:08 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by MaTH716
I'm reading the Jane Schwartz version. Which like I said, I am enjoying very much. I'm glad I didn't know about the Nack version because I would have probably opted for that one, since the Secretariat book he wrote was so good.

I recently read Not by A Longshot by T.D. Thorton, which I think is a must read. It was very good and had me laughing at times. Also I read Stud, I forgot who wrote it. But I though it was mediocre at best. At times it was tough to follow.

read that about a year ago, i also thought it was must read (not for ANY handicapping angles, just a good story about racing)

-bt-

Sightseek 10-14-2009 10:10 AM
"Betting On Myself" by Steven Crist is a great read if you're looking for a good story on racing.

Arletta 11-19-2010 07:06 AM
Lord of Misrule
 
2010 National Book Award winner.


http://www.nationalbook.org/nba2010_...on_interv.html

MISTERGEE 11-19-2010 01:00 PM
wow only 13 months between posts on this thread, I think that book was suggested and reviewed by Beyer in the DRF last week

hockey2315 11-19-2010 02:05 PM
http://www.derbytrail.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39630

Nobody seems very interested. . . I've heard it's a very tough read.

I just read "Headless Horsemen" . . . lots of issues with it, but definitely worth a look for those interested in a decent discussion of the current issues in breeding/racing.

Sightseek 12-09-2010 11:44 AM
Has anyone read Shedrow?

http://www.borders.com/online/store/...:SearchResults

pweizer 12-09-2010 04:29 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by hockey2315 (Post 725356)
http://www.derbytrail.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39630

Nobody seems very interested. . . I've heard it's a very tough read.

I just read "Headless Horsemen" . . . lots of issues with it, but definitely worth a look for those interested in a decent discussion of the current issues in breeding/racing.
Headless Horsemen was a great read. I very much recommend.

Paul


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