My day at the Races (8.27 saratoga)

[bernard]

what a day i had. with the help of RDSS and the forums I had my best day ever.

41318

this is coming from a guy that nearly threw his computer out the window after 3 days of using rdss. I just didn't get it. I still don't understand rdss but i've learned more than i believed I was capable of. I envy you guys that have been using this for years.

I used to think that if I had handicapped a race I had to bet it. Today I'm betting fewer races but the results continue to get better.

I've got to give mick credit for my sticking with it. He listened to all of my whining at the start. He finally told me that I could get a refund. I remember thinking "no way, I'm not a quitter, I'll go broke before I give up". I think that was the motivation I needed to keep going.

[mick]

I can't tell you how happy I am about this. You CRUSHED it!

We have been friends for so long and have so many stories and so many memories. You are such a damn good handicapper anyway and now with this great program, you are going to be deadly!

Good on you, pal. :D

mick

[Lt1]

Congrats a very nice day indeed.
Tim

[Ted Craven]

Congratulations on that day at Saratoga! And on the mental/psychological effort to 'allow' learning to gradually set in. And for reaching our for help (i.e. to Mick - he is a treasure). Most of us who have been around for a while would likely tell stories which were variations on precisely that.

FWIW re Travers Day at Saratoga, both that race and the Woodford, and a few other good races were eminently gettable by some of our readouts - you just had to believe and accept them (cough :o ). Of course, Flintshire's win in the Sword Dancer was just plain viewing pleasure!!

Keep us posted on how it's going - keep asking questions. At some point, when you read someone asking a question or expressing a frustration you yourself have faced, surmounted and benefited from - that's your cue (some might say 'that's the price of admission here' ;) ) to share your story or hard-won learning with them. Such perspectives are different than someone merely chiming in from a hypothetical point of view. Feels more real.

Take care -continued good Luck / good Skill!

Ted

[bernard]

Sadly, I didn't bet the Travers. I texted Mick after the race, beating myself up a bit. I think he was kicking the walls down...he bet 2 & 14.

[Ted Craven]

Sadly, those 2 (Gun Runner and American Freedom) were my 2 win bets, but the winner Arrogate and Exaggerate rounded out my Top 4. Others have showed me their reports (and wagers), cashing nicely on those horses.

Lots of opportunities (missed, and forthcoming ...)

Ted

[bernard]

The "forthcoming" comment made me laugh.

[CEW]

Bernard.....good hits on Saturday! Keep handicapping and even more breakthroughs will happen for you. Over the years, I have been close to getting out of racing and when I felt that way, I gave it a break till my curiosity brought me back.

The Sartin Method is really amazing. Saturday I was up there at Saratoga, played the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and the 7th through the 13th. 10 races. I cashed 5, losing 5. Mutuels were $6.50, $22.00, $8.80, $25.40, and $57.50. I more than doubled my bank dutching two or more horses to win every race. That's the key to getting the high mutuels.

The Travers winner, Arrogate, was in the top two in 2nd and 3rd fraction (hidden & late) at 11-1. And he was on the lead. My other top horse was the show horse Gun Runner at 9-1. A two horse win play on these is a combined net of 9/2. So a correct split on these two jumps your bankroll 45% in one play.

On the losers, I played the closers in the 6.5 furlong 3rd race. They finished last and second to last! Same for the 11F inner turf race. I passed the 6th with Cavorting because I couldn't get my 2 horses dutched at a good enough price and I couldn't single one with confidence. On the A.P Indian race - he had all the figures and somehow I played against him due to the odds of some of my other contenders. His $4.20 win mutuel and $3.50 place price turned out to be good in my mind in hindsight. I lightly played against Flintshire in case he fell down. And I lost the 13th flat out, even though my top 4 horses made up the superfecta. I had the 14-1 winner in the 2nd and 3rd slots on both my exacta and trifecta tickets. Too many Coronas by that time!

So continued good luck to you and everyone else!

Chuck