*RDSS Pricing*

[Ted Craven]

I have finalized an agreement with TrackMaster and Equibase for RDSS data, and decided on pricing for ongoing use of the software.

RDSS will use TrackMaster data, exclusively. TrackMaster will provide for RDSS both a Past Performance data file and a Results Chart data file. RDSS users can sign up with TrackMaster for either the PP file by itself (as currently) or for a Bundle consisting of both the PP and Results files. If you sign up for the Bundle, RDSS will download Result Charts the following day for Past Performances purchased and store them in the database for model and record keeping. For example, you can 'drill-down' from a horse’s Past Performance line to study the underlying Result Chart. In addition, if you subscribe to Results and are connected to the Internet, RDSS will fetch the Mutuel results of a race on a real-time basis, shortly after it is official. This will feed into RDSS record keeping and wager sizing tools.

You can buy Past Performance files alone, or the PP + Chart Bundle, by the single card, by the 20-pack per month, or unlimited by the month, quarter, etc. These data feeds will likely come online and be ready for testing by the end of April.

The Result Chart data is the same data currently available from TrackMaster, as described here: www.trackmaster.com/track/demos/tchsamp.htm. The new, customized-for-RDSS Past Performance data file is an enhancement of the current TMPP file used by Validator and Speculator. In addition to what we get now, we will also get the actual up-to-date Equibase Inter Track Variant (ITV) number for 3 points of call during the race. To the extent that the previous ITV number has been useful all these years to Val and Spec in effectively comparing pacelines from disparate tracks, surfaces and distances (very useful, in my opinion), the new ITV number(s) will be even more accurate and constantly updated due to never-ending track changes. Comparatively speaking, the formula used now to derive the ITV was fairly accurate in the late 1990’s, but has 'drifted' since then and in some cases badly. After the new Past Performance data file has been tested and debugged, the previous traditional TMPP file will cease to be used by RDSS. RDSS will always, however, export data from this new PP file for use by Spec and Val. (And the existing TMPP file will always be available).

There will be some administrative arrangement with TrackMaster for users with existing unlimited use balances to have unused portions applied to the new RDSS products, if they wish.

Here is the pricing for RDSS data from TrackMaster:



RDSS software will be available by annual subscription of $100, after a 30 day no-charge evaluation period. The software will require activation to continue using it after the initial 30 day period and the activation and subscription fee will be renewed annually (if you choose to continue using the software). The subscription fee covers all updates, all technical support, all bug fixes, online tutorials and examples, etc. If you purchase over $600 per year of RDSS data from TrackMaster, you get a refund of that year’s $100 subscription fee (logistics to be determined). You can activate the software on up to 3 of your own computers.

I make money on this project through a percentage of all data sales, and by the subscription fee. When I was negotiating this deal with TrackMaster, I required that there be a reasonably priced single-card option, as there is now, a mid-tier option, plus an unlimited price for PPs and Results which was reasonably competitive with bulk data vendors such as Handicapper’s Data Warehouse.

Examples of Data Usage

For example, if you use Past Performance data files only, and you purchase less than 15 race cards per month, the single-card price is the best one ($2.00 each). If you purchase between 15 and 92 cards per month, the mid-tier price of 20 cards for $30.00 plus $1.25 for extra cards is best (e.g. for 50 cards/month, the price works out to $1.35/card). If you regularly purchase more than 92 cards per month, the Unlimited pricing is best. With these pricing options, you can try RDSS for very little financial upfront investment. If the software earns its keep for you, you can then get a better deal if you use more data. Conversely, if you aren’t satisfied with RDSS after a period of time, you have not made a large investment to purchase expensive software or accumulate a large database just to get the software to be functional. If you are satisfied with the software and continue to renew it, use it and win over many years, the revenue stream will enable me to continue developing and enhancing it year after year.

The final release of RDSS will come with a database of one week of all Past Performances and Result Charts for all racetracks in North America for you to study, follow along with tutorials and test the software’s effectiveness.

The initial feature set of RDSS is still fluid, as is the initial release date, but whenever that date is (May?) and whatever features Version 1.0 finally includes, I imagine that I’ll just keep on adding things to it for a long, long time.

Speculator purchasers who are due a full or partial credit against RDSS, or those considering purchasing either the Spec160 1 year expiry for $250 or the Spec160 non-expiring version for $500, can either choose to have the annual $100 RDSS subscription fee waived until the Spec160 credit is used up, or after purchase of sufficient RDSS data from TrackMaster (and a share earned by me), I’ll issue a refund.

There is still lots of work to be done to make the software ready for its initial release, but I wanted to let everyone know the financial aspect of things. All comments and questions are welcomed!

Yours,

Ted