Book Reviews?

[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.

[Thunder Gulch]

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]

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]

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]

'Tarnished Crown' by Carol Flake is a pretty nice read dealing with the story of Chief's Crown.

[MISTERGEE]

for those who like fiction revolving around horse racing (this may be obvious to most) anything by William Murray is great

[VOL JACK]

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]

Yeah - but together ... you can kill two birds with one stone.

[-BT-]

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]

"Betting On Myself" by Steven Crist is a great read if you're looking for a good story on racing.

[Arletta]

2010 National Book Award winner.


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

[MISTERGEE]

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]

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]

Has anyone read Shedrow?

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

[pweizer]

Originally Posted by hockey2315

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

[Sightseek]

Has anyone read Belmont Park: The Championship Track?


http://www.amazon.com/Belmont-Park-C.../dp/1609497538

[Merlinsky]

Since this thread's been revived, I'll take a second to ask if anybody's read the new book by Dorothy Ours called "Battleship"? She'd really appreciate reviews on Amazon. He's a US and English Grand National-winning (the only horse to do both) son of Man O' War owned by Mrs. Marion duPont Scott. The book's thorough about the connections as well as the horse, which is really how Seabiscuit was handled by Laura Hillenbrand.

[jballscalls]

Total shameless self plug here, but I just signed a publishing deal for a novel based on my own gambling degeneracy. It'll be December when it's published, but will be available through all avenues.

here's the website I had to set up that has some info about it.

http://jasonbeem.com/

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by jballscalls

Total shameless self plug here, but I just signed a publishing deal for a novel based on my own gambling degeneracy. It'll be December when it's published, but will be available through all avenues.

here's the website I had to set up that has some info about it.

http://jasonbeem.com/

cool!! congrats

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by jballscalls

Total shameless self plug here, but I just signed a publishing deal for a novel based on my own gambling degeneracy. It'll be December when it's published, but will be available through all avenues.

here's the website I had to set up that has some info about it.

http://jasonbeem.com/

"...gripping to the one familiar thing in their life."



Whether it be gambling or a host of other things -- excellent and very real theme. Please let us know when it is released.