First, Andy Beyer, who somehow has snagged a rep as one of the great gurus of modern horse handicapping. The books he grinds out - like that of the other fake, Steve Crist - seem to sell. Which proves only that PT Barnum seriously underestimated the birth rate of suckers.
His "numbers," which many horse players think of as gold, are grossly overrated. If you rely on them you will lose. A better bet is to copper them, go against them. At least then you'll have a chance. (The European Timeform ratings, I'm told by those who like numbers, are much superior to the "Beyers.")
Beyer's first book was how he made "$50000 a Year" betting the horses. It turns out that he was smart enough to detect, years ago, a pronounced rail speed bias at a Maryland track to accomplish that feat. And also smart enough not to quit his day job. (Racing columnist for the Wash Post)
Andy had one winner in the BC races: the 7-5 Ouija Board, the lowest price winner all day. Of his three deep picks only Invasor (picked 2nd) won. But a 'capper must be judged mainly by the horse he puts on top.
In the stands at any major track in the land are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people who can handicap as well or better than the Beyers, and the rest of the brethren in the scribble fraternity.
Another imposter is Daily Racing Form publisher Steve Crist. He had zero winners off his top picks in the eight races; he had Ouija Board (of course) second, Invasor second, and Round Pond third.
Sure, there were a lot of longshots coming home on top. But these gurus are supposed to find one now and then.
When it comes to the Ky Derby Crist has become a kind of industry inside joke. This guy couldn't pick a Derby winner,or place or show, if the horse came up and shit money into his hat. A few years back he contemptuously dismissed the chances of Smarty Jones. And followed up by dissing him in the Preakness, which Smarty also won.
Steve used that old favorite, nepotism, to get his first racing job, columnist for the NY Times. (Know any horseplayers who buy the NY Times for the handicap?) His mother, coincidentally, was the longtime and well-known movie critic for the Times. ("Hey, mom, can you get me a job at the paper?")
Crist has also protected the Form's print monopoly, charging players far too much for what they want, past performances. Not to read a bunch of long-winded columnists (who write stuff mainly of interest only to industry folk) and opinion-mongers.
For a few years the Sports Eye people in Long Island put out an exact duplicate of the Form - anyone can buy pps, from Equibase. But as he had no columnists he was able to charge only $3.00 for his Form, which I think was called Racing Advance. It had a wide circulation in the Northeast and in Vegas. (Where of course one can usually get, in the books, a Form gratis or at reduced price.)
Sports Eye also publlished a few mostly useless sports handicpping papers, like College and Pro Football Newsweekly. Well, Steve decided he didn't want the competition for the Form, and early this year paid the owner an undisclosed but likely huge sum. And Racing Advance was closed down. (Tho the sports tout sheets are still being published.)
If anyone out there has experience publishing a paper, and in distributing it, and can ride a loss for a year or two, buy the PPs from Equibase, put out a cheap PP paper in competition with the Form, and eventually Steve will approach with mega-millions to buy you out. Easy money.
His "numbers," which many horse players think of as gold, are grossly overrated. If you rely on them you will lose. A better bet is to copper them, go against them. At least then you'll have a chance. (The European Timeform ratings, I'm told by those who like numbers, are much superior to the "Beyers.")
Beyer's first book was how he made "$50000 a Year" betting the horses. It turns out that he was smart enough to detect, years ago, a pronounced rail speed bias at a Maryland track to accomplish that feat. And also smart enough not to quit his day job. (Racing columnist for the Wash Post)
Andy had one winner in the BC races: the 7-5 Ouija Board, the lowest price winner all day. Of his three deep picks only Invasor (picked 2nd) won. But a 'capper must be judged mainly by the horse he puts on top.
In the stands at any major track in the land are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people who can handicap as well or better than the Beyers, and the rest of the brethren in the scribble fraternity.
Another imposter is Daily Racing Form publisher Steve Crist. He had zero winners off his top picks in the eight races; he had Ouija Board (of course) second, Invasor second, and Round Pond third.
Sure, there were a lot of longshots coming home on top. But these gurus are supposed to find one now and then.
When it comes to the Ky Derby Crist has become a kind of industry inside joke. This guy couldn't pick a Derby winner,or place or show, if the horse came up and shit money into his hat. A few years back he contemptuously dismissed the chances of Smarty Jones. And followed up by dissing him in the Preakness, which Smarty also won.
Steve used that old favorite, nepotism, to get his first racing job, columnist for the NY Times. (Know any horseplayers who buy the NY Times for the handicap?) His mother, coincidentally, was the longtime and well-known movie critic for the Times. ("Hey, mom, can you get me a job at the paper?")
Crist has also protected the Form's print monopoly, charging players far too much for what they want, past performances. Not to read a bunch of long-winded columnists (who write stuff mainly of interest only to industry folk) and opinion-mongers.
For a few years the Sports Eye people in Long Island put out an exact duplicate of the Form - anyone can buy pps, from Equibase. But as he had no columnists he was able to charge only $3.00 for his Form, which I think was called Racing Advance. It had a wide circulation in the Northeast and in Vegas. (Where of course one can usually get, in the books, a Form gratis or at reduced price.)
Sports Eye also publlished a few mostly useless sports handicpping papers, like College and Pro Football Newsweekly. Well, Steve decided he didn't want the competition for the Form, and early this year paid the owner an undisclosed but likely huge sum. And Racing Advance was closed down. (Tho the sports tout sheets are still being published.)
If anyone out there has experience publishing a paper, and in distributing it, and can ride a loss for a year or two, buy the PPs from Equibase, put out a cheap PP paper in competition with the Form, and eventually Steve will approach with mega-millions to buy you out. Easy money.
