Handicapping Question...

[the_fat_man]

I see quite a few of these posts on the numerous forums I frequent. This is a tough situation to be in: a newbie in a very difficult game overall without a clear path as to how to get started, let alone get better. The problem, as I see it, is that most of the suggestions are coming from the same direction. Reading all the staple authors, IMO, is NOT the way to go. What you get from them is how to handicap ABSTRACTIONS. So you have speed figures and speed points and pace figures and high percentage trainers and 1st time this and third time that, and energy this and velocity that and super duper software this and magic software that etc.

This is ALL BS.

Put all of these MOFO's in a room and I guarantee you that IF you were to seriously apply yourself and just watch races and keep copious notes for 3 months, you'd probably know more about the game itself than they do. The key to getting a clue in the game is understanding races; understanding setups. The game is about the race, after all, not about someone else's interpretation of the race, which is an abstraction.

So, watch races and get your angles from the races. These angles work.
I guarantee you that after a year of doing this you will be laughing at some of the **** the 'experts' are spewing.

Of course, the problem is that this path requires quite a bit of time and effort. So, the other way is probably more appealing to most. ALL IN!!