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============================================================
The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper
============================================================
User Supported Version 4.15
(C)1990 by Leonard Hyre and Michael J. Himowitz
Distributed by Federal Hill Software
8134 Scotts Level Road
P.O. Box 15001
Baltimore, Md. 21208
_______
____|__ | (tm)
--| | |-------------------
| ____|__ | Association of
| | |_| Shareware
|__| o | Professionals
-----| | |---------------------
|___|___| MEMBER
Thoroughbred Handicapper 4
Contents
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1 What's New In This Version . . . . . . 1
1.2 About the Program and User-Supported
Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.3 System Requirements . . . . . . . . . 3
1.4 The Files on this Disk . . . . . . . . 3
1.5 Running the Program . . . . . . . . . . 4
2 About Handicapping Systems . . . . . . . . 4
2.1 The LAST RACE Theory . . . . . . . . . 5
2.2 The Information You Need And Where to Get
It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3 Handicapping Principles . . . . . . . . . . 8
3.1 When to Bet on a Race . . . . . . . . 8
3.2 Eliminate Bad Horses . . . . . . . . . 9
4 Using the Program . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
4.1 Handicap a Horse . . . . . . . . . . 10
5 Now What Do I Do? . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
5.1 How to Bet . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
6 Set Monitor Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
7 Program Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
8 The Enhanced Thoroughbred Handicapper 4 . 16
9 New Version 5 with Database . . . . . . . 17
10 How to Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
10.1 On-Line Registration Form . . . . . 18
10.2 Printed Registration Form . . . . . 19
i
The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper
User Supported Version 4.15
(C)1990 By Leonard Hyre and Michael J. Himowitz
Distributed by Federal Hill Software
8134 Scotts Level Road
P.O. Box 15001
Baltimore, Md. 21208
1 Introduction
The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper is a powerful,
sophisticated tool that will allow you to handicap thoroughbred
horses quickly and easily. It's not a magic, get-rich-quick
scheme. But if you follow these instructions, impose some
discipline and use the handicapper wisely, you should be able to
improve your performance at the track and make money in the
process.
The Cambridge Handicapper is easy to use. All the
information you need is available in the Racing Form, although
you may want to check your local newspaper for late scratches and
jockey changes. With a little practice, you'll be able to
handicap a race in a few minutes and a whole card in less than an
hour.
1.1 What's New In This Version
This is Version 4.15 (September, 1990) of the Cambridge
Thoroughbred Handicapper. If you've used the earlier version,
you'll know how to use this one. We have, however, added three
important factors to the handicapping caluclations in this
version: Speed Rating, Track Variant and Gender.
In addition, we've improved our formulas to work better with
longer races and weed out horses who show early speed but fade at
longer distances.
We have also compiled this program with different software.
This should eliminate some video incompatibilities experienced by
users in Version 3.
1.2 About the Program and User-Supported Software
This is a proven handicapper. Federal Hill Software has been
marketing Thoroughbred, Harness and Greyhound programs
commercially for a variety of computers since 1983. You may have
seen our advertisements in magazines such as Compute!, Compute's
Page 2 The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper
Gazette, Computer Shopper, RUN, PCResource, Rainbow, PCM and
others.
We have sold thousands of copies. The problem is that
advertising rates--the largest single cost of doing business--
have skyrocketed in the last few years. Eventually we decided
that it was just too expensive to market special interest
programs such as handicappers in general-interest computer
magazines.
So we did two things.
First, we rewrote the handicappers from top to bottom,
making them more attractive, quicker and even easier to use with
full-screen data entry, on-line help, and revised rating formulas
that reflect our most recent research.
Second, we decided to put working versions of the IBM
handicappers directly in the hands of the people who want them.
This is known as user-supported software. If you like the program
and use it, we ask that you send us a $30 registration fee for
Version 4 or a $50 registration fee for Version 5.
For your money you'll get an Enhanced version of the program
with additional features that will make your handicapping even
easier and more exciting--including the WAGERMASTER betting
analysis program. We'll talk more about the enhanced version at
the end of these instructions.
The User-Supported version you have here is in no way
crippled. Some shareware companies do this as a come-on, but we
don't think that's fair. This User-Supported version uses exactly
the same handicapping forumlas as our enhanced version and
produces the same results. You may use it and distribute it to
anyone. Give it away, post it on your local computer bulletin
boards, or put in in your user-group library. There are only a
few conditions. They are:
1. The Cambridge Handicappers are copyrighted by the authors
and remain their intellectual property, protected by U.S.
and international copyright laws.
2. You may not distribute a modified version of the User-
Supported program or any version of the Enhanced program.
3. When you distribute the User Supported version, you must
include ALL the files on this disk (or in the group of
The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper Page 3
files which you un-ARCed). The program won't work properly
unless they're all there.
Enough of that. Let's get on with the program itself.
1.3 System Requirements
The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper will run on any IBM-
compatible computer with 256K of memory and a video display
adapter that emulates the IBM Color Graphics Adapter, IBM
Monochrome Graphics Adapter or the Hercules Monochrome Graphics
Adapter. That means just about everything on the market today,
including all models of the Tandy 1000, 1200, 3000 and 4000 with
sufficient memory.
There are a few computers with which the program is not
compatible. They include the Tandy 2000, Sanyo 550 series, IBM
PCjr, IBM Convertible and the TI Professional (We know it's hard
to believe that IBM made some non-IBM compatible computers, but
the Jr. and Convertible use a slightly different video system).
If you have one of these computers, we do have an earlier version
of the program which will run on them. Contact us for
information.
1.4 The Files on this Disk
The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper is composed of seven
files. All of the files marked with asterisks must be on the disk
from which the program is launched or the hard disk directory
from which the program is launched. They are as follows:
THORO.BAT* The batch file that starts the program.
NTHO4SW.EXE* The handicapper program.
NTHO4SW.PAK* The screen files used by the program.
SPEEDSCR.COM* A memory resident screen driver.
THORO4SW.DOC Instructions for the use of the program.
PRINTME.BAT A batch file to print the instructions.
CAP.CFG* Information about your monitor.
If these files are on a floppy disk, that's all you'll need
to run the program. If you want to use a hard disk, set up a
directory for the program and use the DOS "Copy" command to
transfer all the files on this disk to the directory you have set
up for it.
Page 4 The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper
1.5 Running the Program
To run The Cambridge Thoroughbred handicapper, put the disk
with the program in Drive A or use the "CHDIR" command to switch
to the hard disk directory in which the programs are stored.
Type THORO and hit the RETURN key. This will load the
program.
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO LAUNCH THORO4SW.EXE directly. Use the
THORO.BAT file to do it. Here's why:
THORO.BAT first loads SPEEDSCR.COM, a memory resident
program which manages the screens used by the Cambridge
Thoroughbred Handicapper. Without SPEEDSCR, the program will
not work. The THORO.BAT file also removes SPEEDSCR from
memory when you terminate the handicapper program. While
SPEEDSCR probably won't cause difficulties if left in memory
after you exit from the handicapper, it can, under some
circumstances, produce some unusual if harmless results. So
always start the program by typing THORO and hitting the
RETURN key.
When you type THORO and hit RETURN, your disk drive will
whir for a few seconds. Then you'll see a title screen. Strike
any key and the MAIN MENU will appear. Before you start
handicapping, however, please read the following sections that
describe handicapping systems and the information you'll need to
use the Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper.
2 About Handicapping Systems
A handicapping system does two things.
1. It attempts to predict a horse's peformance in an upcoming
race by analyzing past performances in a consistent,
scientific manner.
2. It provides you with a strategy for betting on races given
the outcome of your handicapping analysis.
As strange as it sounds, the true purpose of a handicapping
system is not to pick winners. The purpose of a handicapping
system is to give you a tool that will help you make money at the
track. Knowing how and when to bet is just as important as
analyzing the horses.
The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper Page 5
There are as many handicapping systems as there are
handicappers. Some are quite good, others are worthless. Some
require hours or days of effort, some require only a few minutes
of preparation.
You don't really need a computer to handicap a race. There
are plenty of manual handicapping systems around, and some are
excellent. Unfortunately, they're often tedious and time-
consuming. A computer handicapping system takes the handicapper's
knowledge, sets up handicapping tables and rules internally, and
then makes calculations instantly.
We designed the Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper to
provide a blend of sophistication and ease of use for the race
fan who enjoys the sport but doesn't have hours and hours to
devote to handicapping. If you've never tried to handicap a race
before, you'll find this quite easy to use. If you're an
experienced handicapper, the information the system requires you
to collect will be just as useful as the ratings themselves. The
program will sharpen your own thinking and handicapping analysis.
2.1 The LAST RACE Theory
The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper relies heavily on
information from a horse's LAST RACE on a fast or sloppy track.
Now you may ask, "Why only one race? Wouldn't it be better to
average performances over half a dozen races, or a whole year?"
The answer is no. It's a fact that a horse's performance
today is most likely to mirror his performance last time out.
Remember, a handicapper is interested in how a horse is going to
perform RIGHT NOW, not how the horse performed a month or two
ago. The horse that ran six weeks ago may have been in much
better or worse shape than he is today.
While it is possible to develop a system that uses an
average of past performances, our research shows that such
systems at best yield only marginally better results than a "last
race" system. And they take so long and require so much data that
most people are unwilling or unable to spend the time necessary
to make them work.
The disadvantage of a "last race" system is that it may
downgrade a good horse who happened to post a bad performance
last time, or upgrade a horse who ran way over his head last time
out. But this doesn't happen very often. And the advantages of a
"last race" system--speed and ease of use--mean you'll be able to
Page 6 The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper
do more handicapping and have a better chance of making money
over the long run.
2.2 The Information You Need And Where to Get It
To use The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper, you must be
familiar with the information available to you in The Racing
Form. The Form is available on most newsstands on the day of a
race and usually the day before. In addition, you'll want to
consult the track program or your local newspaper for information
on last-minute scratches or jockey changes that occured after The
Racing Form went to press.
The Racing Form contains three different pieces of
information you'll need. First, there's a summary of each race,
showing the horse's name, post position and jockey. Second,
there's the "condition line," a table of of information about the
past performances of each horse in a race. Finally, there is a
listing of the "Top 10" jockeys at each track.
Here is the information you'll need about each horse:
1. The horse's post position. This is usually available in
the summary listings for each track at the beginning of
that day's card in The Racing Form. Sometimes, however,
these are not accurate because of late scratches, and the
best source is the morning line from your local newspaper.
2. The jockey's name. This is usually in the summary listing
for each race, too. But sometimes no jockey has been
assigned by the Racing Form's press time and the entry
will say "No Rider." In this case, consult your local
paper or the trace track program.
3. The jockey's record. We're interested in whether a jockey
wins 10 percent or more of his races. If you look at the
"Top 10" jockeys for each track in the Racing Form, you'll
usually find all the 10 percent winners. If you're not
sure, consult a recent race track program or inquire at
the track itself.
4. The date of the horse's last race on a fast ("ft") or
sloppy ("sy") track. We will use sloppy tracks for rating
purposes, since they don't seem to affect horses' times,
but it's not a good idea to bet on races being run on a
sloppy track.
The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper Page 7
5. The purses and/or claiming prices for the horse's previous
races. This is necessary to determine whether the horse is
moving up or down in class.
6. The leader's time at the half-mile point of the horse's
last race on a fast or sloppy track. If the horse's last
race was on a slower track ("good" or "muddy"), go back
and find the last performance on a fast or sloppy track.
7. The final time of the winner of the horse's last race on a
fast or sloppy track.
8. The number of lengths behind the winner the horse finished
in his last race on a fast or sloppy track. If the horse
won last time out, this number will, of course, be zero.
9. Was the horse a beaten favorite? This detmines whether the
horse was the favorite last time out on a fast or sloppy
track and whether or not he won the race. If the horse was
the favorite, an asterisk (*) will appear next to the
dollar odds on the horse in the line containing the
information for the horse's last race. This is important
because a favorite who was beaten last time out will often
win this time around.
10. WEIGHT--The weight the horse will carry this time out and
the weight he carried last time out on a fast or sloppy
track.
11. DISTANCES--The distance of this race and the distance of
the horse's last race on a fast or sloppy track.
12. This is the hardest factor to determine. It is important
to know whether a horse is racing today against tougher,
easier or the same level of horses he raced against last
time. Here are basic guidelines:
* Generally, if the purse or claiming price of the
horses in this race is higher than the purse or
claiming price of the horse's last race, the horse
is moving UP in class. That means he's running
against tougher competition than he did last time.
* If a horse is racing for a lower purse or in a race
with a lower claiming price than his last race, the
horse is moving DOWN in class. That means he's
running against easier competition than he did last
time.
Page 8 The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper
* If the purse or claming price is about the same (a
few hundred dollars doesn't matter) in this race as
it was for the horse's last race, then he's staying
in the SAME class.
13. The speed rating for the horse's last race on a fast or
sloppy track. The speed rating is a calculation made by
the Racing Form indicating how fast the horse ran compared
to the track record at that distance prior to the current
meeting. A speed rating below 100 indicates the horse ran
slower than the track record. A rating above 100 means the
horse ran faster than the previous meeting's track record.
This factor is particularly useful in trying to handicap
races with shippers.
14. The track variant for the horse's last race on a fast or
sloppy track. The track variant is an attempt to determine
how all the horses were running on the day of that race.
This reflects on the quality of the competition and/or the
track condition. A lower track variant means better
competition and/or a faster track. This factor,
conjunction with the speed rating, is useful in trying to
handicap races with shippers.
3 Handicapping Principles
A computer can help you with handicapping calculations, but
there's no substitute for a little human judgment in the process.
The key to handicapping is knowing which races to bet (not every
race can be properly handicapped) and which horses to eliminate
from contention before you start handicapping.
3.1 When to Bet on a Race
For any handicapping system to work, there must be a good
probability that the past performances of the horses involved
will be reflected in their performance in the race you're
handicapping. Unfortunately, this isn't the case in every race.
At the very best tracks, such as Santa Anita or Aqueduct, almost
every non-maiden race may be handicappable. At tracks with
lower-class horses, you may only find five or six races on a card
that lend themselves to analysis. Here are the guidelines we use:
* Don't bother going to the track and using this program if
the track condition is not "fast." An off track--good,
muddy, or sloppy--should be avoided. There's a good reason
for this. Horses usually run on fast tracks. They train on
fast tracks. While some horses may be good "mudders,"
The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper Page 9
there's no real way of knowing how they'll respond to bad
track conditions. Some horses may love soft footing,
others may hate it. The problem is that there's no way to
tell for sure. So stay away from off tracks.
* DON'T BET ON MAIDEN RACES. These are unproven or just
plain bad horses, and most handicapping techniques are
useless when they're running.
* Don't bet on races featuring the cheapest horses on the
grounds. These are old, bad or tired horses who are
unpredictale. They may run well one week and terribly the
next. If you can't count on a horse's past performance to
be indicative of his performance today, you can't handicap
the horse. These horses usually show up in the first and
last races of a card, particularly at tracks where the
overall quality of horses is not high. At the very best
tracks, this rule may not apply, since even the cheapest
horses could be feature race material at lesser tracks.
* Don't bet on races with a high proportion of "shippers." A
shipper is a horse running at a track for the first time.
You have no way of knowing how a horse will respond to a
new surface. If you run across a race in which a shipper
looks like a real contender, our advice is to pass it up.
This takes some discipline, but you'll be better off for
it. Also, any race with three or more shippers is probably
a bad bet. We realize that this will eliminate many stakes
races with high purses. While these are fun to watch,
they're not usually good handicapping propositions. You
can take consolation in the fact that the other races on
the same card with a high-purse stakes race are likely to
be good ones.
3.2 Eliminate Bad Horses
Once you have decided whether to bet a race, you can easily
eliminate certain horses from contention. These will usually be
eliminated by the computer, but occasionally a really bad horse
will score highly. Take a few seconds to eliminate these first
and the system will work much better. Only at the very best
tracks will you have to handicap more than a half-dozen horses in
a race.
* Eliminate any horse which has not raced in the last three
weeks. You have no way of knowing why this horse has been
on vacation, but if an animal is running well, the trainer
will race him regularly. Time off is usually a bad sign.
Page 10 The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper
This may not apply to the absolutely best-quality stakes
horses, who race less frequently, but stakes races are bad
bets anyway.
* Eliminate any horse who did not show a strong performance
last time out. By this we mean a win, place or show, a
strong run on the leader in the stretch, or setting the
early pace as the leader in fairly quick time. If a horse
showed none of these, forget him.
* Eliminate "shippers." These are horses running at a track
for the first time. Once again, this may not be possible
in big stakes races, but we think these are difficult to
handicap anyway and should be avoided.
4 Using the Program
When you run the Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper, you'll
see a menu with five choices. The first will be highlighted. The
choices are:
1. Handicap a Horse
2. Set Monitor Type
3. About the Enhanced Handicapper
4. Registration Form
5. Quit the Program
To select any choice, use the cursor keys to move the
highlight bar and hit RETURN. Or just type the number opposite
that choice. We'll discuss handicapping first.
4.1 Handicap a Horse
When you choose this item, you'll be presented with a
handicapping form with blank, highlighted fields for the
information the program needs to analyze the horse. This is just
like filling in a paper form.
When you're through entering information in any field, just
press the RETURN or ENTER key to go onto the next field. Some
fields require single keystroke entries (Such as a "Y" for yes or
"N" for no). In this case, just typing the appropriate letter
will send you to the next field.
You can correct information in any field by using the right
and left cursor keys and typing over the previously entered
information. The BACKSPACE key will move the cursor one character
The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper Page 11
to the left without deleting. To delete material, use the DEL
key.
You can move backwards and forwards from field to field
throughout the form by using the UP and DOWN cursor keys. When
you reach the bottom field, the DOWN cursor key will cycle you
back to the first field.
Most fields in the form are checked for errors. If you have
typed inappropriate information in a field, the program will
return your cursor to the field with the bad information and
display an error message at the bottom of the screen telling you
what the problem is.
As you go from field to field, the program will display a
"Help" message in the box at the lower left hand side of the form
telling you exactly what information is required for that field.
When you have finished entering all the information in a
form, you can exit from the form and get your handicapping
calculations by hitting the ESC key.
Here's the information required for each field:
1. Horse No. and Name: Type the horse's betting number,
followed by a space and his name. Then hit RETURN.
2. Distance Last Race: Look at the help area of the screen.
You will see a table of distances displayed. Each distance
is numbered. Type the number opposite the distance of the
horse's last race on a fast or sloppy track. For example,
if the last race was one mile, type "7", which is the
number opposite the one-mile distance in the table
displayed in the help area.
3. Distance This Race: Look at the help area of the screen.
You will see a table of distances displayed. Each distance
is numbered. Type the number opposite the distance of this
race. For example, if the distance of this race is one
mile, type "7", which is the number opposite the one-mile
distance in the table displayed in the help area. Hit
RETURN when you're through.
4. Speed rating: This is the first of two numbers, separated
by a hyphen, located just to the left of the order of
finish in the condition line. Type the speed rating and
hit RETURN.
Page 12 The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper
5. Track variant: This is the second of two numbers,
separated by a hyphen, located just to the left of the
order of finish in the condition line. Type the track
variant and hit RETURN.
6. 1/2-Mile: This is the leader's time at the 1/2-mile point
of the horse's last race on a fast or sloppy track. Be
careful here. In some listings of shorter races, quarter-
mile times are included as well as half-mile times.
Generally the half-mile time will be in the 40-50 second
range. Type the number in seconds and fifths of seconds.
There is no need to type a colon. The program takes care
of that. For example, if the half-mile time of the horse's
last race was 48:2, all you have to type is 482.
7. Final: This is the winner's final time in the horse's last
outing on a fast track. Once again, there is no need to
type a colon. If the final time of the last race was
1:48:2, all you have to type is 1482. The program will
format the time properly.
8. Sex of Horse: Type "M" for male or "F" for female. This is
primarily for races in which horses of both sexes are
running. If you want to disregard the gender factor, type
"N" in this field.
9. Winner last time? (Y/N): If the horse won last time out,
type "Y". If the horse was not the winner, type "N".
10. Lengths behind winner: If the horse did not win, type the
number of lengths behind the winner he finished. This is
available in the portion of the listing showing the
horse's position at various points in the race. It will
appear as a superscript number next to the horse's
position as he crossed the finish line. If the horse won
last time out, type "0" and hit the return key. NOTE: The
program will check for consistency between the "Winner
last time" and "Lenghts Behind" fields. If you indicate
that the horse won but also enter a number larger than
zero in the "Lengths behind" field, the program will
display an error message and return the cursor to the
"Winner Last Time" field.
11. Jockey Weight: There are two blanks here. In the first,
type the weight the horse carried LAST time out on a fast
or sloppy track and hit RETURN. In the second field, enter
the weight the horse will carry in THIS race and hit
RETURN.
The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper Page 13
12. Jockey Record: There are also two blanks here. If the
jockey in the horse's LAST race has won 10% or more of his
races, type a "Y" in the "Last race" field. If the jockey
in THIS race has won 10% or more of his races, type a "Y"
in the field labled "This race."
13. Post position today: Type the number of the horse's post
position in today's race and hit RETURN.
14. Beaten favorite last time?: If the horse was the favorite
last time out on a fast or sloppy track but did NOT win
the race, type "Y" here. You can tell if a horse was the
favorite because there will usually be an asterisk (*)
next to the column showing the dollar odds on the horse
for that race.
15. Class: If a horse is moving up, type "U" in this blank. If
the horse is moving down, type "D". If the horse is
staying in the same class, type "S". For guidelines to
determine whether the horse is moving up or down in class,
see the discussion of CLASS in the section titled "Where
to get the Information You need."
Once you have entered all the information in the form (It
takes longer to read about it than to do it), and you're sure
it's correct, hit the ESC key.
The program will ask you, "Are you through with this horse
(Y/N)." If the information is correct, type "Y". If it isn't
correct, type "N" and you will be returnd to the form, where you
can correct the bad entry or entries.
Once you have indicated that the information is correct, the
numeric scores of the horse will be displayed in the "Help
window." The scores consist of two numbers separated by a hyphen.
The first number is the horse's score with the speed rating
and track variant included in the caculations.
The second number is the horse's score WITHOUT the speed
rating and track variant included. This is essentially the
way the previous versions of the Handicapper calculated the
score. We've done it both ways because some users prefer not
to use the speed rating and track variant.
The scores will generally be numbers between 70 and 300,
although the best or worst horses could go higher or lower.
Page 14 The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper
The program will then ask, "Do you want to handicap another
horse? (Y/N)." If you want to handicap another horse, type "Y"
and a new handicapping screen will be displayed. If you're
finished handicapping, type "N" and you'll be returned to the
Main Menu.
5 Now What Do I Do?
To analyze a race, handicap each horse. When you're through
with each horse, write down the horse's name, number and score
(The Enhanced version takes care of all this for you). When
you're through, you'll have a list of horses and numeric scores.
* THE HIGHER A HORSE'S SCORE COMPARED TO THE OTHERS IN THE
RACE, THE MORE LIKELY THAT HORSE IS TO WIN THE RACE.
For example, suppose these were the horses and scores:
No. Name Score
4 Paula's Dream 232
2 Big Bad Ike 228
5 BennyBear 212
7 Mom's Mink 201
8 Bag o' Bones 175
6 Glue Factory 103
In this case, the handicapper indicates that Paula's Dream is
most likely to win the race, although Big Bad Ike is quite close.
5.1 How to Bet
OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO BET THE HIGHEST RATED HORSE (the one
with the highest score) TO WIN AND PLACE. This is the safest
wager and the one most likely to put money in your pocket over
the long run.
As usual, there are exceptions to this rule. For example, in
the race above, suppose Paula's Dream is going off at less than
even money, but Big Bad Ike is going off at 4-1. You're not going
to make much if you bet on Paula's Dream, but Big Bad Ike is so
close in the scoring that he becomes a better bet.
IF THE TOP TWO HORSES ARE ONLY A FEW POINTS APART AND THE
SECOND RATED HORSE IS GOING OFF AT MUCH BETTER ODDS, YOU MAY
WANT TO BET THE SECOND-RANKED HORSE.
The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper Page 15
This is one of the Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper's
major strengths. Because it rates horses without regard to local
betting habits or prejudices, it will often spot undervalued
horses that make sound wagers.
Finally, at some tracks our customers have reported better
results by betting both the first and second-rated horses to win.
This is particularly true if the handicapper ranks them closely,
neither is a strong favorite and the odds on both are relatively
good.
Determining how all of this works at your track takes some
trial and error. Before you plunk down your money for the first
time, handicap a couple of cards and see how the program works at
your track. Wagering patterns vary greatly from locality to
locality. Knowing when and how to bet is just as important as
selecting the right horse. It can make the difference between
winning and losing money at the track.
You'll notice we haven't mentioned exotic wagers, such as
exactas, perfectas, triples and trifectas. That's because we
don't believe in them as a sound wagering strategy. Without going
into long explanations, just remember that it's tough enough to
pick a winner in a race, let alone a winner and two particular
losers. Tracks make a lot of their money from exotic wagers
because the return to the bettors is much lower than it is on
straight bets. We can virtually guarantee that you'll lose money
on any strategy that involves exotic bets. Stay away from them.
That's all you really need to know to get started. Obviously,
familiarity with your track conditions will help. But even if
you're new to horse racing, the Cambridge Thoroughbred
Handicapper will make race analysis easier and more accurate.
Remember that the most important factor in any handicapping
system is discipline and consistency. If you choose your races
wisely, apply the rules we've laid down and overcome the fan's
natural tendency to put down money on every contest, you'll be
able to turn a profit on your hobby.
6 Set Monitor Type
The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper comes configured for
a monochrome monitor. But you can change the display to color by
selecting Choice No. 2 from the Main Menu.
You'll be asked if you have a color or monochrome monitor.
If you have a color monitor, type "C"; if you have a monochrome
monoitor, type "M". The display will switch to the mode you have
Page 16 The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper
just chosen and the information will be stored in the CAP.CFG
file on your disk. The next time you run the program, it will
automatically display in the chosen mode. You can switch from
color to monochrome and back again at any time by Selecting
Choice No. 2.
7 Program Notes
The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper was written and
compiled using Microsoft QuickBasic 4.5. The data entry screens
were created using the Screen Sculptor (TM) and SpeedScreen (TM)
utilities from the Software Bottling Company of New York. The
SPEEDSCR.COM file distributed with this program is licensed from
and copyrighted by The Software Bottling Co. and may not be used
with any other program.
Copies of The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper supplied by
Federal Hill Software are guaranteed to load and run as indicated
in the accompanying instructions. No other warranties of any kind
are made or implied, and Federal Hill Software will not be
responsible for any damage or loss resulting from the use of any
of its programs. In particular, Federal Hill Software is not
liable for replacement of defective disks supplied by third
parties such as user group libraries or shareware companies.
8 The Enhanced Thoroughbred Handicapper 4
Menu Choice 3 will show you a screen containing information
about the Enhanced Version 4 of this handicapping program, which
will be sent to you when you send in your registration fee. We
think this represents an oustanding buy, and we'll discuss some
of the advanced version's additional features here:
* The WAGERMASTER--This alone could be worth the price of
registration. It will show you anticipated payoffs for a
wide variety of odds and win/place/show bets. It's great
for developing a wagering strategy or just plain
"whatiffing." In addition, The WAGERMASTER will show you
the conbinations and permutations of bets on various
horses for daily double, exacta/perfecta and
triple/trifecta type wagers. (We don't recommend exotic
wagers, but we know you all love them, so we'll at least
make sure you get the combinations right).
* Handicap an entire race at once. You'll be able to input
data for all the horses in a race (up to 16) at one time
and see a screen or printed report, sorted by score from
most likely winner to least-likely winner. The report
The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper Page 17
includes an estimated odds calculation and indicates
horses that are running at unaccustomed distances.
* Keep track of shippers and last race date. While this
doesn't effect the handicapping outcome, it will show you
how many shippers are in a race, how long it has been
since each horse last raced and how many horses have had
layoffs of three weeks or more. Having this information
can help you alter your betting strategy or pass up a bad
race that you might otherwise have wasted money on.
* Data printout for each horse. At your request, the program
will print out the raw data you've entered for each horse.
This makes it easier to look for mistakes or conduct
further analysis.
* Enhanced documentation. The instructions with the enhanced
version contain all the information you see here, plus a
detailed discussion of parimutuel betting and money
management that will eliminate much of the mystery and
hopefully make you a wiser bettor.
9 New Version 5 with Database
We're delighted to announce the release of Thoroughbred 5,
which includes a complete relational database manager. In
addition to rating the horses, Thoroughbred 5 allows you to store
your handicapping data and recall it for correction or future
use. It also keeps track of how the horses performed, how much
you wagered, and how much you won. It's an outstanding value.
Which version you order is up to you. The new Enhanced
Version 5 requires 512K of memory. The registration fee is $50.
If you don't have that much memory or don't need the Database
capabilities, Enhanced Version 4 offers the same great handicap-
ping formulas and runs in 256K. The registration fee is $30.
10 How to Order
If you'd like to order Thoroughbred 5, please fill out the
form at the end of this manual.
If you'd like Thoroughbred 4, you can use the printed from
or use our On-Line Registration form.
If you register Version 4, we'll send you an upgrade form
along with your Enhanced program. It allows you up upgrade to
Page 18 The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper
Version 5 at any time for $20 (the difference in price between
the two versions).
10.1 On-Line Registration Form
This will make it easy to register your program. When you
choose No. 4 from the Main Menu, you'll be presented with a
handicapper registration form. When you're finished filling out
the form, you can print it out on your printer. This form is good
for the Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 4, Greyhound
Handicapper and Harness Handicapper.
Note: Use the on-line registration form only if you're
ordering Thoroughbred 4. If you'd like to register
Throughbred 5, please use the form at the end of this
manual.
You can register one or more programs at the same time. The
registration fees are as follows:
1 Handicapper $30
Any 2 handicappers $50
All 3 handicappers $70
When you mail the form to us with your registration fee (We
also accept VISA and MasterCard), we'll ship you the enhanced
version(s) right away. Here's how to fill out the form:
1. Name and address fields: Type your full name on the first
line and hit RETURN. Type your street address on the
second and third lines (you can skip the third line if you
only have a one-line address). The City, State and Zip
Code go in separate blanks on the fourth line. You can use
the RETURN and CURSOR keys to move from field to field the
same way as you do in the handicapper data entry form.
2. Type of Payment: If you're paying by check or money order,
type a "Y" in the "Check/money order" box. If you're
paying by credit card, type a "Y" in the Credit Card Box.
3. Credit Card information: If you're paying by credit card,
type a "V" or "M" for Visa or MasterCard in the box
labeled "Type of Card." Then type your credit card number
and expiration date in the following blanks.
4. Handicappers registered: Type a "Y" in the appropriate
blank for each handicapper you want to register,
Thoroughbred, Harness or Greyhound.
The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper Page 19
When you're through entering the registration information,
hit the ESC key. You'll be asked if the information is correct.
If it is, type "Y". If the information is not correct, type "N"
and you'll be returned to the data entry screen.
Once you have confirmed that the information is correct,
you'll be asked if you want to print out the registration form.
If you do, type "Y". You'll be prompted to make sure your printer
is on line and then strike any key to print the registration
form.
If you don't want to print out the form, type "N" and
you'll be returned to the Main Menu.
Send the completed form with your registration fee to
Federal Hill Software, 8134 Scotts Level Road, P.O. Box
15001, Baltimore, Md. 21208. Make sure to include your
signature on the proper line if you're using a credit card.
A registration form is also included at the end of these
instructions.
10.2 Printed Registration Form
You can use the form below to order either Thoroughbred 4 or
Thoroughbred 5. The registration fee for Thoroughbred 5 is $50.
The registration fee for Thoroughbred 4 is $30.
If you register Version 4 and later decide you'd like
Version 5, you can upgrade for $20 (the difference in price
between the two programs).
With your Thoroughbred registration, you may register the
Greyhound and/or Harness Handicappers for $20 each.
Page 20 The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper
Registration Form
=================================================================
Yes, I want to register my Cambridge Handicapper! Please send the
Enhanced Version of the program right away!
=================================================================
Name: _______________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________
City: _______________________ State ______ Zip _______
Please send me the following programs:
Price List With one of
the programs
Alone above
---------------------------------------------------------
( ) Thoroughbred 5 $50 _________
( ) Thoroughbred 4 $30 $20 _________
( ) Harness Handicapper $30 $20 _________
( ) Greyhound Handicapper $30 $20 _________
Total _________
Method of Payment: ( ) Check/M.O. ( ) Visa ( ) MasterCard
Card No. ____________________________________ Exp. ___________
Signature _____________________________________
Send to: Federal Hill Software
8134 Scotts Level Road
P.O. Box 15001
Baltimore, MD 21208
301-521-4886
Note: We Accept Checks, Money Orders, Visa and Mastercard.
Foreign orders should be made payable in U.S. funds.
