Class Handicapping

[blackthroatedwind]

Since I brought it up....

Basically, making money by evaluating horses using speed figures has obviously become very difficult due to the proliferation of viable numbers. So, while obviously part of the " secret " lies in understanding how a number was earned, either positively or negatively, you have to have a broader understanding of the game these days in order to have any real success. Now, while clearly effective trip handicapping is a major help, and this is all part of understanding how numbers are earned, you also need as broad an understanding of the relative talents of the horses as possible and one way to do this is through the umbrella of " class " handicapping or evaluating. I would say this is more useful in turf racing ( as opposed to dirt....I don't do much synthetic handicapping so I can't really have an opinion on this ) because speed figures are final time based and thus likely to be more applicable for dirt racing. Simply put, an accurate understanding of the relative talents of the different fields the competitors in a given race have faced will help you evaluate the relative chances of today's entrants. I suppose this would, in some way, be considered " class " handicapping.

It came up today in a discussion of the 8th at Aqueduct, where the first two finishers had basically been facing more hardened foes than, specifically, the 2 horse, who had just broken his maiden in his second start versus $35K maiden claimers at Gulfstream. However, to be fair, using speed figures also showed those two horses to be superior....though not significantly.

Overall I would say it is all part of having as well rounded a game as possible. The more you know, or understand, and use effectively, the better your results.

[the_fat_man]

I'm as big a critic of pace/speed figures as there is. However, I don't think that class handicapping, either individually or in combination with numbers, offers an advantage over numbers alone. This is not about whether class handicapping can result in more winners but, rather, about the extra time invested in producing those winners. A combined approach would pretty much limit one to a single circuit, as there are just so many hours in a day. On the other hand, a well developed (and thus automated) numbers system would allow one to play multiple tracks, allow one to pick out horses with clear advantages, and thus result in not significantly more plays but more plays where one has an advantage. This results in more plays, less chasing of plays where one doesn't have a strong advantage, and makes it easier to overcome tough beats (given the increased number of plays). It's about mismatches today: the more the better.

[randallscott35]

Originally Posted by the_fat_man

I'm as big a critic of pace/speed figures as there is. However, I don't think that class handicapping, either individually or in combination with numbers, offers an advantage over numbers alone. This is not about whether class handicapping can result in more winners but, rather, about the extra time invested in producing those winners. A combined approach would pretty much limit one to a single circuit, as there are just so many hours in a day. On the other hand, a well developed (and thus automated) numbers system would allow one to play multiple tracks, allow one to pick out horses with clear advantages, and thus result in not significantly more plays but more plays where one has an advantage. This results in more plays, less chasing of plays where one doesn't have a strong advantage, and makes it easier to overcome tough beats (given the increased number of plays). It's about mismatches today: the more the better.

Disagree. The only way is to pick your spots. Every race is not bettable. More races is a way to lose.

[zippyneedsawin]

Originally Posted by randallscott35

Disagree. The only way is to pick your spots. Every race is not bettable. More races is a way to lose.

It's taken me years to figure this out.. and even longer to actually practice it. If others can fire away at track after track and race after race with success.. more power to them.. it doesn't usually work out well for me though.

[booner]

Originally Posted by zippyneedsawin

It's taken me years to figure this out.. and even longer to actually practice it. If others can fire away at track after track and race after race with success.. more power to them.. it doesn't usually work out well for me though.

Since I have focused more on turf races, I have been able to look at several tracks durning one day with minor success. But no way can I play 2,3 or 4 tracks at once. I turn out losing the majority of the time.

I do look at backclass when handicapping turf races, but don't always make it my top priority for finding winners. It is difficult to separate shippers from different tracks and comparing them, but sometimes it falls into place. I would rather strenghten my pedigree recognition skills then focus on class.

[philcski]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Since I brought it up....

Basically, making money by evaluating horses using speed figures has obviously become very difficult due to the proliferation of viable numbers. So, while obviously part of the " secret " lies in understanding how a number was earned, either positively or negatively, you have to have a broader understanding of the game these days in order to have any real success. Now, while clearly effective trip handicapping is a major help, and this is all part of understanding how numbers are earned, you also need as broad an understanding of the relative talents of the horses as possible and one way to do this is through the umbrella of " class " handicapping or evaluating. I would say this is more useful in turf racing ( as opposed to dirt....I don't do much synthetic handicapping so I can't really have an opinion on this ) because speed figures are final time based and thus likely to be more applicable for dirt racing. Simply put, an accurate understanding of the relative talents of the different fields the competitors in a given race have faced will help you evaluate the relative chances of today's entrants. I suppose this would, in some way, be considered " class " handicapping.

It came up today in a discussion of the 8th at Aqueduct, where the first two finishers had basically been facing more hardened foes than, specifically, the 2 horse, who had just broken his maiden in his second start versus $35K maiden claimers at Gulfstream. However, to be fair, using speed figures also showed those two horses to be superior....though not significantly.

Overall I would say it is all part of having as well rounded a game as possible. The more you know, or understand, and use effectively, the better your results.

Class seems to be much more important on synthetic than real dirt... which makes sense given the correlation to turf performance.