AS we come to the closing day at Del Mar we get to say goodbye to the synthetic surface — for met that’s a win for everyone.  As for handicapping and why I agreed to submit myself to a constant calculation of my ROI on the selections I make on Race Day Las Vegas,  the answer is simple, “no problem — glad to do it!”   First’ let me differentiate the Power Page from a typical toute sheet. The Power Page is a rating for each horse with a lazer like focus on the more recent races. And no light being shed on other very important handicapping ideas that you can simply get on your own from your favorite Past Performances.

In fact, the Power Page is simply a form of data — not finished handicapping.  But for those who have taken the time to use the Power Page over our 16 plus years – you have learned how powerful this type of analysis actually is — and helpful.  I want everyone who use the Power Page to feel that they can win when they go to play, so it’s perfectly reasonable for me and any other handicapper who “chirps there opinions” in public to be held to a standard of excellence.   I would ask, if I can’t win with the Power Page – why should I expect you to win with the Power Page.

We started keeping score at the beginning of Saratoga and Del Mar.  At this time I have made a total of 75 selections  with 17 winners and 21 placings.  The ROI on winning horses is $1.04 per $1.00 wagered.  Considering how difficult the meets tend to be and considering I seldom use my STAR horses, which are often my best plays (I save them for my paying customers) — I am quite proud of this result both for the consistent hard trying efforts of the horses selected and the ability to get enough value from my winners to push us on to PLUS STREET.

I would also congratulate Jon Lindo who also has taken up this challenge and shown himself to be a true professional (a top flight handicapper with excellent judgment).  Jon’s ROI has been exceptional at a total return of $92.60 at a cost of $66.00 (total plays 33) for a ROI of $1.29 per $1.00 wagered.

It’s also worth mentioning that this type of handicapping has it’s own set of difficulties and — even 75 selections I have made or the 33 that Jon has made — is not a big enough sample to fully illustrate how sharp we are. but the short term result, while dealing with some difficult handicapping terrain, it’s fair to say that we have done well to this point…

Stay tuned in to us on Race Day Las Vegas as we continue to “try to make everyone some money!”

And so the end is here, it’s been a long — long — long summer of some crazy racing.  And we get to say goodbye to  few different aspects of horse racing.  First we get to say goodbye to Tom Durkin.  Goodbye Tom, you’ve made horse racing a great — living — emotional experience.   I will miss your great calls, just the way I miss the great calls of Jack Lamarre (I hope I spelled his name correctly).  Growing up in New York OTB and hearing calls, without being able to see races made me a very good horse player and made horse racing a deeply felt experience for me.   I learned to imagine racing, not see racing.  And by turning on my imagination in the experience of horse racing it also made me a very good player.

My best advise is — when you get a good race caller such as Micheal Wrona (I hope I am spelling his name correctly), close your eyes and listen to the race, here what he is saying and a lightbulb in your brain will turn on…  YOu can always look at a replay later on…

WE get to say goodbye to synthetics at Del Mar.  I wonder if others out there see what I see all the time is horses that don’t have good balance in the middle of the track.   It can’t be a good thing if a horse doesn’t feel stable when he’s asked to run hard…  It seems — inconsistent… and the results sort of prove the point…   I am delighted to see horse racing return to organic dirt surfaces….

Goodbye to Pomona, hello to Los Alamitos.  for the first time in September I will be doing a So Cal track befoer the last week in September when Santa Anita begins…

There are 21 more excellent races to handicap tomorrow, that makes 67 over this weekend. Whew….