It's eclectic not dictatorial

[tompkins]

When one reviews the early work in the methodology in the book (Pace Makes the Race) or the Follow Up one is struck by the fact that it progresses as a GROUP effort of discoveries and feedback. I follow Pizzolla's advice often as he says on page 76 of PMtR: "Thoroughbred handicapping is much too sublte and complex to be reduced to simple rules. The chess master does not have ONE set of opening moves that he uses mechanically against each challenger, the champion golfer does not hit the same shot on each hole... the master of any endeavor adapts his approach to fit the circumstances wheich he faces using special tools in special situations. STEP 1: Abandon the search for mechanical rules.....Steering you clear of a mechanical approach will assure that you stay with the METHOD.

Then on p. 158 Again, there are no rules, but there are some things which you can do to move along. To those who must have a mechanical approach, I can only tell you that you are sentencing yourself to mere competence at best. One of my favorite quotes is from the Tao Te Ching: ..."When the great Way is lost, there arise codes of conduct and behavior."

You do what works, each one of us. You make things up as they prove they work FOR YOU.

[JimG]

I think for the most part I agree with what you are stating here Tompkins. For me, mechanical approaches to playing the races has not been real successful. I do better with "pattern recognition" and repetition in knowing what works at the tracks I play with the software I am using.

While reading and learning the Sartin Methodology late in my handicapping life, I have grown a great respect for many of the ideas espoused in the Follow-ups. Many concepts I read about from the 80's and 90's still work pretty darn well today. Obviously, there were/are many talented cappers at the forefront of the Sartin methods. When I read things, like don't use any paceline over 7.5 furlongs, I do not really take it as an absolute, but as a guideline to most players that if you choose a paceline out of that realm, use extreme caution.

I think most people would like a rigid set of rules, follow them, and be able to just walk up to the collection window. Tompkins, I think your stating that it doesn't work that way, and for the most part, I agree.

Jim

[socantra]

[QUOTE=JimG;17626] When I read things, like don't use any paceline over 7.5 furlongs, I do not really take it as an absolute, but as a guideline to most players that if you choose a paceline out of that realm, use extreme caution.

/QUOTE]

Bingo,

I've been known to use an occasional line beaten over 7.5 myself, but I try to do it with a great deal of caution AND an awareness that the Sartin energy programs will have tendency to make a horse beaten badly in the final fraction look better than it actually ran.

There is consideraable difference in a horse who stayed with the pace through the second cll or even the stretch and then tailed off and one who was beaten ny many lengths throughout the race, especially if that horse was showing signs of improvment from previous races.

I think "Extreme Caution" is a great replacement for "Rule"

Dick