At The Races software
 

Has anyone had any experience with software called "At The Races Pro" ? It displays toteboard info from various tracks with a lot of flexibility. It supposedly also provides a download version for inclusion in other software.

Why yes I have, for many years :)

Among MANY other analyses, it does download raw pool data to CSV or tab-separated text files (mainly from TwinSpires) - WPS, Exacta, Quinella, Double pools.

You can try it for 30 days for free, then $99/year. Good documentation.

It's what I always wanted RDSS' Tote module to be, and less (but more). Someday ...

http://htr2.com/atr/at_the_races.htm

Ted

I also use it. Finding that some tracks delay somehow in releasing the data. For example WRD the other day was watching the Show payouts on a few races. When the race was going off, certain payouts on the favorites was in the neighborhood of $3 to $3.10. During the race the figures dropped to $2.30. Found that very interesting. Then looking at GS all seemed normal up to and during the race.

As said, it is a tool. Use with discretion.

I have not used it but some of the better players I know recommend it. (Dave Schwartz and Ken Massa both coded their programs to incorporate ATRPro.) My reluctance to try it is due to a concern of adding to the information overload. I fear that if I add any more to the maelstrom, my brain will just lock up. :cool:

Regardless, it might be interesting/helpful to watch the syndicate money pouring into the win pools. Recently I bet a horse that loaded at 9-2 and crossed the finish line at 9-5. If ATRPro provided tote information faster than what appears on my ADW's website or on its live video feed, thus keeping me out of those bets, I really would be interested.

Hi Mick:

I first saw it mentioned on Dave Schwartz's Facebook page. I tend to watch the exacta payouts also and sometimes those give hints to what may happen to the win odds as win money normally trails exacta money.

Charlie

That's a good insight, Charlie. Thank you for sharing. I promise not to bet so much it will ruin your action. :-)

I was at the Red Mile once and there was so little money bet that I could watch my bet post to the toteboard

Charlie,

One of my favorite racing stories is about the Red Mile. I was living in Kentucky at the time and my brother Ricky came for a visit. He had never seen a race horse in the flesh and his head was on a swivel, trying to take it all in.

For the first race, I took him to a betting window and told him my pick, so he bet $2 on my horse. I also bet the daily double with one horse in the first leg and two in the second. None were favorites.

My horse won that first race by a head and my brother's $2 turned into $20. I remember the grin on his face when the cashier swapped his winning ticket for a crisp Andy Jackson. While we were standing there, I gave him my two horses in the second race and he bet those.

We grabbed a beer and a sandwich and watched one my horses win the second leg. This time Ricky got back more than $20 and he was grinning again. Then he watched in astonishment as the cashier counted out a stack of $20s for my winning daily double ticket.

At first he was angry. "Why didn't you tell me to bet like that?" I told him it was a low-percentage play and I got lucky. Then he said, "Why are you working? You could be doing this all the time!"

Yeah, right.

It was a long time ago and he hasn't watched another race live since then. But he still talks about it. What a great experience to share with my brother.

I really enjoyed the story. As we get older our memories are what can make us happy, what a great memory.