[wilbur porter]

I would like to contribute my own observations to the recent resurgence of interest in the Match Up. I am in no way an expert and remain very much a novice. I have some 5 years of experience in using RDSS and learning the use of the Match Up. It is still an ongoing process.
My own learning process has been long and laborious. I thought that I would be able to learn how to use RDSS and master the Match Up within a few months time. Boy, I had a lot to learn! It is only recently after constant practice that I feel that I have made real progress. My own steps to learning included the following:
1) I purchased the Match Up and Match Up 2 books on E Bay and read them repeatedly
2) I went through the forum manually and read all threads and posts about the Match Up going back to 2006
3) I read and re-read the manuals that Ted supplies that deal with the Match Up and other Sartin subjects. Ted recently placed the Match Up compilation in the library. It's very difficult but is certainly worthwhile reading over and over again.
4) I listened to the audios that featured Jim Bradshaw that Ted supplies in the Sartin Methodology Library
5) I have constantly practiced an re-practiced utilizing the Match Up on the thousands of old RDSS race file downloads that I have collected off and on for the last 5 years. I handicap the races via the Match Up, look up the results via Equibase or Brisnet, and/or watch the race replays on Twinspires
6) I practice predicting each call as suggested by Gary Owens in the 1991 Las Vegas audio, Tape 4 no. 3 - particularly the 2nd call within 2/10ths to 3/10s of a second. After handicapping each race in that way, I immediately check the call times in the results.
7 It seems that practice and humility are necessary tools for learning the Match Up. I would get frustrated that I couldn't pick out winners just like "That" like Mr Bradshaw
8) I went through just about every post by Rich that I could find...not just the threads. He not only tells you how to use the Match Up, but how to bet it.

It does seem, that with practice, I can more easily reduce the number of true contenders to three or four in most races - and yes, I prefer to look at those races with 9 or more entries. It seems increasingly amazing that someone like me, who has absolutely no experience in handicapping, can pick contenders in this way.
The results are that I have picked up my hit rate on exactas, trifectas and superfectas. Simply picking Winners doesn't make a lot of sense to me these days. I look for OTE's. The only negatives at this time are my very limited bank roll and the very small fields and payoffs at most tracks these days. If I play, it's only for a price.
My suggestion for others who might want to learn more about the Match Up would be to follow some of the steps above, and also to invest in unlimited Trackmaster files for RDSS for a few months and learning through practice and repetition.