Beyer's Picking Winners

[showhimthewhip]

Thoughts are welcome. I started reading it. It's very interesting so far. Those of you who have read it, is it still valid in today's handicapping world? What, if anything did you incorporate into your game after reading it?

[songofthesword]

my handicapping methods don't use any numbers or figures in the least bit so i don 't use anything but it's a very good book for a novice. great read.

[hogoffate]

It's a very good book.  Love the stories.  "The Winning Horseplayer" by him is also a good book.  Very good about charting a horse's trip, wagering, and how a horse's figure was earned.

read them both every year over Christmas holidays to get ready for the new year at OP

[HawgWild]

Both Byer's books are good and guided me in my early handicapping days. I also read his My $50,000 Year at the Races and Beyer on Speed. I got him to autograph the latter when I was out at Santa Anita for the 1993 Breeder's Cup.  I'd also recommend Steven Davidowitz's Betting Thoroughbreds.

Beyer helped me understand speed handicapping, track biases, and class. This was back in the day before the Racing Form included a Beyer number for the horses. I calculated par times for each racing category - age, sex, claiming price, allowance catergory, stakes, etc. Then, I'd go over each race in the charts and assign a variant for that day. I would refer to these charts and assign a speed figure for the horses the next time they ran. This really was an edge in betting because, like Beyer says, you got to make a commitment to do this and I did.

Davidowitz helped me identify key races. Key races are ones where multiple horse come out of a race and win the next race. You pay attention to other horses from that race on their next start as they were in with a tough crowd and their 4th may have been a better race than another horses 2nd in a different race.

But alas, times changed. Now you can buy the same info that took me hours to prepare. 

[showhimthewhip]

Track Variants seem to easy on the handicapper.  Do you guys use them or research yourself?