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Federal Hill Software Presents
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The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper
User Supported Version 5
Copyright 1991 by Leonard Hyre and Michael J. Himowitz
Distributed by Federal Hill Software
3722 Greenway Lane
P.O. Box 765
Owings Mills, MD 21117
410-356-5592
The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5
Contents
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1 About Shareware . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1.1 What You Get for Registering . . . . 1
1.2 System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2 Installing Throughbred Handicapper . . . . . . 3
2.1 The Handicapper Files . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.2 Hard Disk Installation . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.3 Single Floppy Installation . . . . . . . . 5
2.4 Two Floppy Installation . . . . . . . . . 5
2.5 Modifying your CONFIG.SYS File . . . . . . 5
3 Running the Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3.1 Hard Disk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3.2 From a Single Floppy Disk . . . . . . . . 7
3.3 From Two Floppy Disks . . . . . . . . . . 7
4 About Handicapping Systems . . . . . . . . . . 7
4.1 The LAST RACE Theory . . . . . . . . . . . 8
4.2 The Information You Need . . . . . . . . . 9
5 Handicapping Principles . . . . . . . . . . . 11
5.1 When to Bet on a Race . . . . . . . . . 11
5.2 Eliminate Bad Horses First . . . . . . . 13
6 Using the Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
6.1 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
6.2 Record Keeping . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
6.3 Getting Help - F1 . . . . . . . . . . . 15
7 The Main Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
8 Maintain Track List . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
8.1 Adding a Track . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
8.2 Deleting a track . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
8.3 Changing the Name of a Track . . . . . . 17
9 Maintain Horse List . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
9.1 Adding a Horse . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
9.2 Deleting a horse . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
9.3 Changing the Name of a Horse . . . . . . 19
10 Handicap Horses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
10.1 View/Handicap an Existing Race . . . . 20
10.2 Adding a Race - The Race Form . . . . . 20
11 Handicapping A Race . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
11.1 The Handicapping Form . . . . . . . . . 23
11.2 What the Scores Mean . . . . . . . . . 26
11.3 The Race Listing . . . . . . . . . . . 27
12 How to Bet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
12.1 Exotic Wagers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
12.2 Other Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
12.2.1 Change in Distance . . . . . . . . 29
i
12.2.2 Medication . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
13 Managing Your Program and Data Files . . . . 30
13.1 What Has to Be Where . . . . . . . . . 30
13.1.1 Using a Hard disk or Single
Floppy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
13.1.2 Using Two Floppy Disks . . . . . . 31
Important Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Setting the Path to Your Program Files . . 32
13.2 Using More than One Database . . . . . 33
13.3 How Much Disk Space You'll Need . . . . 33
13.4 Deleting Horses, Races and Handicapping
Entries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
14 Performance Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
15 Memory Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
15.1 Using a Hard or Floppy Drive . . . . . 36
15.2 Using a RAM Disk . . . . . . . . . . . 36
16 How to Register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
16.1 Other Handicapping Programs . . . . . . 37
17 Distributing the Shareware Program . . . . . 38
18 Limited Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
19 Handicapper Registration Form . . . . . . . 40
ii
The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper
User Supported Version 5
(C)1990 By Leonard Hyre and Michael J. Himowitz
Distributed by Federal Hill Software
a722 Greenway Lane, P.O. Box 765
Owings Mills, MD 21117
1 Introduction
The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 is a powerful,
sophisticated tool that will allow you to handicap thoroughbred
horses quickly and easily. It includes a relational database
manager that will keep records of the races you've handicapped.
The program is 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 About Shareware
The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper is distributed on a
User-Supported, or "Shareware" basis. It is not free or public
domain software. The shareware concept allows users to try
software before they buy it. It allows publishers to produce
quality software at a reasonable price.
If you like the Handicapper and use it, you should register
the program. The registration fee for The Cambridge Thoroughbred
Handicapper Version 5 is $50. You can register by sending in the
registration form at the end of this manual or by filling out the
on-screen registration form when you run the program. For
details, see Page 37.
1.1.1 What You Get for Registering
When you register, you'll get an Enhanced version of the
program including a number of features which will make your
handicapping quicker, easier and more accurate. They include:
* A wagering database that tracks your betting history as
well as your handicapping efforts. You'll be able to track
how each horse finished as well as your Win, Place, Show
and Exotic wagers. You can get reports on your wagering
history for any horse, or all your wagers over any period
of time. It's a must for serious racegoers. And any data
files you create with this version of the program will be
compatible with the Enhanced Version.
* Detailed data printouts for each horse. This will help you
make sure you've entered all your data correctly.
* Full Printer Support for All Tables and reports. Six
different reports will keep track of your handicapping and
wagering.
* The WagerMaster (TM) betting analysis program. It shows
estimated payoffs for Win, Place and Show bets of any size
at a wide variety of odds. It also helps you pick Exotic
Wager combinations based on your handicapping results or
any other formula you care to use.
* An Enhanced instruction manual with important information
about parimutuel betting, wagering strategies and managing
your money at the track. This information can save you
time and money.
Any handicapping data files you create using the Shareware
version of the program may be used with the Enhanced version.
If you'd like the handicapping features of the program but
don't need the database capabilities, Enhanced Version 4.3 is
also available. See "How To Register" on Page 37.
1.2 System Requirements
The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 requires an IBM-
Compatible computer with at least 512K of memory (640K is
better). Like any database program, it will run best from a hard
disk drive, although it can be run on a system with two floppy
disk drives.
If you have a hard disk, use it. Hard disks are much faster
than floppies. The program is constantly reading and writing
data, so it will run more quickly from a hard drive.
To build data tables, the program also requires a hefty
chunk of free memory. If you find yourself running out of memory,
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 2
you may have to unload any TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident)
programs that may be in memory. These include DOS shells (such as
the DOS 4.0 shell), utility programs such as Sidekick, network
drivers and other invisible memory gobblers. Sidekick, in
particular, interferes with the CTRL-ESC sequence used to exit
from most Handicapper functions. See MEMORY, Page 35.
The performance of the program can be improved substantially
if you have a disk caching program installed. Disk caching
programs reserve an area of memory to store images of small
portions of your disk drive. However, a cache that's too large
may not leave you with enough free memory to run the program.
2 Installing Throughbred Handicapper
Installation of Thoroughbred 5 depends on what type of
system you have. You can run the program from a hard drive, from
two floppy drives, or from a single floppy if the drive has a
capacity of at least 720K. High capacity floppy drives include
all 3.5 inch drives and the high-density 1.2 megabyte 5.25 inch
drives found on most AT-style computers with 80286 or 80386
processors.
2.1 The Handicapper Files
The following files should be on the disk or in the archive
from which you extracted these instructions. There are three
types of files. We call the Program Files (necessary for running
the program), Data Files (which contain your handicapping
information) and Information files (the instruction manual and
related files).
CAPPERSW.EXE
CAPHELP.HLP
THORO5.BAT <<-- Program Files
THOROAB.BAT
THOROBA.BAT
NAGS.DAT RACES.DAT
NAGS.K01 RACES.K01
NAGS.K02 HOSS.DAT <<-- Data Files
NAGS.K03 HOSS.K01
NAGS.K04 DISTANCE.DAT*
TRACKS.DAT DISTANCE.K01*
TRACKS.K01
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 3
THORO5SW.DOC <<-- Instruction manual
READ.ME and information files
PRINTME.BAT
Notice that the DISTANCE files have asterisks next to them.
They must always be in the directory you use to store your data,
or on the floppy disk on which you're storing your data.
If the program starts running and does NOT find the distance
files, it will stop and give you an error message. The DISTANCE
files should never be erased or altered.
The NAGS, RACES and TRACKS files contain a few sample
entries to help you learn how to use the program. Once the
program is running, you may delete these entries if you wish. If
the program does not find these files when it starts running, it
will create new ones for you.
For important information on Managing Your Data Files, see
Page 30.
2.2 Hard Disk Installation
To install the program on a hard disk, simply make a
directory for your Handicapper and copy all the Program files and
Data files into that directory.
Let's say you're going to install the program in a directory
called \THORO5 on Drive C. You'd type the following commands:
C: (Hit ENTER)
CD\ (Hit ENTER)
MD\THORO5SW (Hit ENTER)
CD\THORO5SW (Hit ENTER)
Now put the disk containing your Handicapper in Drive A:
Type COPY A:*.* and hit ENTER.
All the files will be copied to the \THORO5 directory.
If you have already printed the manual and don't want to
keep it on your disk, you may delete the THORO5SW.DOC and
PRINTME.BAT files from your hard disk.
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 4
2.3 Single Floppy Installation
Use these instructions only if you're running the program
from a single floppy disk. To run from a single floppy your disk
must have a capacity of at least 720K.
Format a blank floppy disk. You may include the operating system
if you like. If don't include the entire operating system, you
MUST copy the COMMAND.COM file from you DOS disk to your new
floppy.
Copy the PROGRAM and DATA files to your new floppy. To maximize
storage, do NOT copy the Instruction Manual and Information
files.
2.4 Two Floppy Installation
Use these instructions if you want to run the program from a
computer using two floppy drives. One drive will be used for the
program. The other will be used for your DATA.
Format two floppy disks. Label one as your PROGRAM DISK and the
other as your DATA disk. The PROGRAM disk may contain the
operating system. If you don't include the whole operating
system, you must copy the COMMAND.COM file from your DOS disk to
your PROGRAM disk.
Copy the files labeled PROGRAM files to your PROGRAM disk.
Copy the files labeled DATA files to your DATA disk.
2.5 Modifying your CONFIG.SYS File
Your computer must be set up to allow DOS to open enough
files to run The Handicapper properly. If DOS does not have these
instructions, you may get an error message telling you the
program has too many files open.
The CONFIG.SYS file on the disk from which you boot your
system contains the information DOS needs to allocate memory for
open files.
CONFIG.SYS is a text file that you can examine easily. To
view the contents of your CONFIG.SYS file, make sure you're in
the root directory of your hard drive or have the floppy from
which you boot the system in Drive A. Type the following:
TYPE CONFIG.SYS (hit ENTER)
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 5
The contents of the file will be displayed on the screen.
You're looking for a statements that contain the terms "FILES="
and "BUFFERS=".
You should have statements that say the following:
FILES=20
BUFFERS=20
If you don't have FILES and BUFFERS in your CONFIG.SYS file,
or the number of FILES and BUFFERS is less than 20, use any text
editor to change the CONFIG.SYS file to include the two
statements above. If you already have 20 or more files and
buffers allocated, you're okay.
If you don't have a CONFIG.SYS file at all, you can create
one quickly from the keyboard. Remember, you must have this file
in the root directory of your hard drive, or on the floppy drive
from which you boot your system. Type the following commands:
CD\ (hit ENTER)
COPY CON CONFIG.SYS (hit ENTER)
FILES=20 (hit ENTER)
BUFFERS=20 (hit ENTER)
When you have typed the following commands, hit the F6 key
and then hit ENTER to store the new CONFIG.SYS file. Be careful
here. Don't do this if you already have a CONFIG.SYS file and
don't know what's in it. YOU MUST REBOOT YOUR COMPUTER (hit
CTRL-ALT-DEL) to make the new CONFIG.SYS take effect.
3 Running the Program
You must first install the program according to the
instructions above. Once the program has been installed, here's
how to get it running.
3.1 Hard Disk
1. Switch to the Drive Containing Your Handicapper Program.
2. Switch to the Directory containing your handicapper
program. For example, if you've put the files in the
THORO5SW directory, type CD\THORO5SW and hit ENTER.
3. Type THORO5 and hit ENTER
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 6
3.2 From a Single Floppy Disk
This assumes that your Program AND Data files are on a single
floppy drive.
1. Put your disk in the Drive
2. Type THORO5 and hit ENTER
3.3 From Two Floppy Disks
This assumes you have separate disks for Program and Data files.
If your Program is in Drive A and your Data in Drive B
1. Type A: and hit ENTER.
2. Type THOROAB and hit ENTER
If your Program is in Drive B and your Data in Drive A
1. Type B: and hit ENTER.
2. Type THOROBA and hit ENTER.
4 About Handicapping Systems
A handicapping system does two things.
1. It attempts to predict a horse's performance 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.
There are as many handicapping systems as there are people
handicapping. Some are quite good, others are worthless. Some
require hours or days of effort, some require only a few minutes
of preparation.
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 7
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.
4.1 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
do more handicapping and have a better chance of making money
over the long run.
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 8
4.2 The Information You Need
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 occurred 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.
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 9
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 distance of this race and the horse's last race on a
fast or sloppy track.
7. 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.
8. The final time of the winner of the horse's last race on a
fast or sloppy track.
9. 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.
10. 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 speed variant means better
competition and/or a faster track. This factor,
conjunction with the speed variant, is useful in trying to
handicap races with shippers.
11. 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.
12. Was the horse a beaten favorite? This determines 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.
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 10
13. The weight the horse will carry this time out and the
weight he carried last time out on a fast or sloppy track.
14. IS THE HORSE A SHIPPER? A shipper is a horse running at
this track for the first time during a meet. You can tell
by looking at the track on which the horse's last race was
run. If it was a different track, then the horse is a
shipper.
15. CLASS--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.
* If the purse or claiming 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.
5 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.
5.1 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
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 11
every non-maiden race may be handicappable. At tracks with horses
of lower caliber, 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,"
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. Many of our customers ignore this warning, and
some have had good luck analyzing maiden races with The
Cambridge Handicapper. But we still don't think it's a
good idea.
* Don't bet on races featuring the cheapest horses on the
grounds. These are old, bad or tired horses who are
unpredictable. They may run well one week and terribly the
next. If you can't count on a horse's past performance to
help predict 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. Over the last year or so,
tracks also have used these horses in gimmick races such
as "Double Triples." At the very best tracks, this rule
may not apply, since even the cheapest horses at a track
like Santa Anita could be feature race material at smaller
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. 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. If you absolutely can't pass up a race with
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 12
shippers, the inclusion of the speed rating and track
variant in this version of the program should help make
the analysis more accurate.
* Avoid races early in a meeting. We know that when a track
opens for the season, fans are eager to turn out. However,
for the first week or two of a meet, most horses will be
running for the first time, which means they fall into the
"shipper" category. By all means, go to the track and
enjoy yourself. But it's tough to handicap these early
races. Stick to the $2 window for a week or two and let
the horses get their track legs before you do any serious
handicapping and betting. Of course, it's tough to follow
this advice with short meetings, such as those at state
fairs. These just aren't good handicapping propositions to
start with. The Cambridge Handicapper will give you an
edge on these races, but don't expect the kind of
performance you'll get during a longer meeting.
5.2 Eliminate Bad Horses First
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.
This rule 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.
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 13
6 Using the Program
6.1 Overview
The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 really performs two
tasks. First, it rates horses based on information you provide.
Second, it records that information in a database so that you can
recall it, change it, and print reports.
The program uses a "Point and Shoot" interface. You can
perform most functions (except data entry) by pointing your
cursor at an item and hitting the ENTER or RETURN key. You can
even use Point-and-Shoot to select items from a list to help fill
in handicapping forms.
The handicapper will present you with a series of menus,
lists and forms. The menus will bring up forms and lists. A list
may contain horse's names, race tracks, or handicapping entries.
To select an item from a list, just point at it and hit ENTER.
Usually, this will bring up a form containing the information
about that item. Sometimes a list will be displayed when you're
entering data in a form. That makes it easy to fill in the blanks
by picking the item you need from the list.
As you move from one function to another, each screen will
pop up over the previous screen. You can always return to the
previous screen by hitting ESC or CTRL-ESC.
6.2 Record Keeping
The program's record-keeping functions involve several data
files on your disk drive. You'll be involved with maintaining
four of these. They are:
Horses (HOSS.DAT) This file contains the names of horses
that you handicap. We store these in a separate
file so that you're always sure to enter a horse's
name correctly. It also means you only have to
type the horse's name once, no matter now many
races he appears in. This eliminates errors and
makes sure you can always find the results for any
horse. We've included the names of some horses for
demonstration purposes. You can leave them in or
delete them if you wish.
Tracks (TRACKS.DAT) This file contains the names of the
race tracks at which you handicap. We've included
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 14
a handful of popular tracks. You can add or delete
tracks at any time.
Races (RACES.DAT) This files contains the date, track,
race number, distance and comments for each race
you handicap.
Handicapping (NAGS.DAT) The file contains the handicapping
information about each horse in each race. The
NAGS.DAT file on this disk includes a couple of
sample entries to help you learn how to use the
program. Once you've seen how it works, you can
delete them if you wish.
When you handicap a race, the first thing you do is create
an entry in the Race file that describes the race. Then you
create handicapping entries for each horse in that race. When you
want to see an analysis of a race, the program gets the
information from the Race file and then displays all handicapping
records associated with that race.
It may sound complicated, but the program makes it easy. If
the handicapper asks you for a piece of information such as a
race, horse's name or or track, it checks the information you've
entered to see whether it's consistent with the information the
program already has on file.
If it can't find the information you typed, a list of
available entries will pop up to help you. You can just point at
the correct item and hit ENTER to fill in the blank. If you're
starting a new race, or working on a new track or new horse, you
can create a new record for it right on the spot.
6.3 Getting Help - F1
The Handicapper is easy to use. But if you get confused at
any time, hit the F1 function key. Help information will pop up
on the screen. To get rid of the help information, hit the ESC
key.
7 The Main Menu
When you run the Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper, you'll
see a screen explaining that this is a shareware program. Hit
ENTER and you'll see the Main Menu. It has seven choices:
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 15
Handicap Horses
Maintain Track List
Betting Results
Maintain Horse List
Registration Form
About the Enhanced Handicapper
Quit
When you initially see the menu, the first selection will
always be highlighted. To select any other choice, use your UP
and DOWN cursor keys to move the highlight bar. When the choice
you want is highlighted, hit the RETURN or ENTER key.
8 Maintain Track List
The first thing you should do before you begin handicapping
is check the Track list to make sure your tracks are there.
Here's how:
When you select "Maintain Track List" from the Main Menu, a list
of tracks will appear in a box. The tracks will be in
alphabetical order. We've included a handful of tracks. You'll
want to delete the tracks you don't patronize and add your local
tracks. The list looks something like this:
Look For: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
ARLINGTON
CHURCHILL DOWNS
GARDEN STATE
GULFSTREAM
HOLLYWOOD
LAUREL
MEADOWLANDS
PIMLICO
SANTA ANITA
SARATOGA
* To scroll through the list, use the UP or DOWN cursor keys
to move the highlight bar.
* To move quickly through the list, use the PageUp or
PageDown keys.
* To get to the top of the list, hit CTRL-PageUp. To get to
the bottom of the list, hit CTRL-PageDown.
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 16
* You'll notice that the cursor is resting in a field at the
top of the list labeled "Look For: ". To quickly jump to a
particular track, type the name of the track, or just the
first couple of letters. The highlight bar will
automatically find the entry that comes closest to the
characters you typed.
* To return to the Main Menu, hit the ESC key.
8.1 Adding a Track
1. To add a track to the list, hit the INSERT key.
2. A track form will appear on the screen.
3. Type the name of the new track in the blank space and hit
ENTER.
4. The track will be added to the list.
5. If you want to back out without adding a new track, hit
ESC.
8.2 Deleting a track
1. To delete a track from the list, move the highlight bar to
the name of the track and hit DELETE.
2. The form with the track's name will appear on the screen.
3. To confirm the deletion, hit ENTER.
4. To return to the list without deleting the track, hit ESC.
Careful here. Don't delete a track unless you're sure you
don't have any race and handicapping entries which use that
track. If you're deleting a track that is referenced by
handicapping entries, delete those handicapping entries
first. See Page 34 for details.
8.3 Changing the Name of a Track
1. To change the name of a track, highlight the name of the
track you want to change and hit ENTER.
2. The form containing the track name will appear on the
screen.
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 17
3. Type over the name of the track with the name you want.
4. Hit ENTER to store the information.
5. To return to the list without making a change, hit ESC.
Careful here. If you change the name of a track which is
referenced by handicapping entries, you may not be able to
find those entries when you need them.
9 Maintain Horse List
The Handicapper maintains a list of all the horses you
handicap. You can add a horse from the Main Menu, or you can do
it on the fly while you're handicapping.
When you choose "Maintain Horse List" from the Main Menu, a
list of horses will appear. It will look something like this:
Your Horses
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
ALYSHEBA
BAGOBONES
IKE'S DREAM
MOM'S MINK
SECRETARIAT
NORTHERN DANCER
CITATION
* To scroll through the list, use the UP or DOWN cursor keys
to move the highlight bar.
* To move quickly through the list, use the PageUp or
PageDown keys.
* To get to the top of the list, hit CTRL-PageUp. To get to
the bottom of the list, hit CTRL-PageDown.
* You'll notice that the cursor is resting in a field at the
top of the list. To quickly jump to a particular horse,
type the name of the horse, or just the first couple of
letters. The highlight bar will automatically move to the
first entry matching the letters you typed.
* To return to the Main Menu, hit the ESC key.
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 18
9.1 Adding a Horse
1. To add a horse to the list, hit the INSERT key.
2. A blank horse form will appear on the screen.
3. Type the name of the new horse in the blank space and hit
ENTER.
4. The horse will be added to the list.
5. If you want to back out without adding a new horse, hit
ESC.
9.2 Deleting a horse
1. To delete a horse from the list, move the highlight bar to
the name of the horse and hit DELETE.
2. The form with the horse's name will appear on the screen.
3. To confirm the deletion, hit ENTER.
4. To return to the list without deleting the horse, hit ESC.
Careful here. Don't delete a horse's NAME unless you're sure
you don't have any race and handicapping entries which use
that horse. If you're deleting a horse that is referenced by
handicapping entries, delete those handicapping entries
first. See Page 34 for details.
9.3 Changing the Name of a Horse
1. To change the name of a horse, hit ENTER.
2. The form containing the horse name will appear on the
screen.
3. Type over the name of the horse with the name you want.
4. Hit ENTER to store the information.
5. To return to the list without making a change, hit ESC.
Careful here. If you change the name of a horse which is
referenced by handicapping entries, you may not be able to
find those entries when you need them.
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 19
10 Handicap Horses
This is the meat and potatoes of the program. When you
choose "Handicap Horses" from the Main Menu, you'll see a list of
races. We've included a few dummy races with your program so you
can see how it works. You can delete them later. The list, sorted
by date and track, looks something like this:
Race Database - Lookup Date: XX/XX/XX
6/15/90 PIMLICO No. 1 4-1/2 FUR
6/15/90 PIMLICO No. 2 5 FUR
7/14/90 GARDEN STATE No. 3 1 MI
7/14/90 GARDEN STATE No. 4 6 FUR
* The list shows the date, track, race number and distance
for each race you've handicapped.
* To scroll through the list, use the UP or DOWN cursor keys
to move the highlight bar.
* To move quickly through the list, use the PageUp or
PageDown keys.
* To get to the top of the list, hit CTRL-PageUp. To get to
the bottom of the list, hit CTRL-PageDown.
* You'll notice that the cursor is resting in a field at the
top of the list. To quickly jump to a particular race,
type the DATE of the race in MM/DD/YY format. The
highlight bar will automatically move to the first race
assigned to that date.
10.1 View/Handicap an Existing Race
To view or handicap an existing race, use the cursor key to
highlight the race you want and hit ENTER. The Race Form will be
displayed on the screen. For information on filling out that form
or handicapping the race, see the sections below.
10.2 Adding a Race - The Race Form
To start a new race, hit the INSERT key. A new Race Form
will be brought to the screen. It looks like this:
Race Description
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 20
Date: 00/00/00
Track:
Race No.
Distance:
Comments:
In the DATE field, type the DATE of the race in MM/DD/YY
format.
In the TRACK Field, type the name of the track and hit
ENTER.
If you're not sure of the spelling of the track, just
type the first few characters and hit ENTER. A list of
tracks will pop up. Use the cursor key to highlight the
name of the track and hit ENTER. If you want to use a
track that's not on the list, hit INSERT to bring up a
new Track Form. This is one of the nice features of The
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper Version 5. You never
have to backtrack if you haven't entered information
the program needs.
In the DISTANCE field, type the number representing the
DISTANCE of the RACE. The numbers are shown below:
1> 4-1/2 FUR 4> 6 FUR 7> 1 mi 10> 1-1/8 mi
2> 5 FUR 5> 6-1/2 FUR 8> 1 mi 70 11> 1-1/4 mi
3> 5-1/2 FUR 6> 7 FUR 9> 1-1/16 m 12> 1-1/2 mi
If you don't think you can remember this list, don't worry.
Two kinds of help are available.
* To get a quick reminder, hit F1. A help screen will appear
showing these distances. Hit ESC to make the help screen
go away.
* If you want a menu of distances, just type the number Zero
in the distance field. A list of distances will pop up.
Use the cursor to highlight the appropriate distance and
hit ENTER.
In the COMMENT field, type a brief comment and hit ENTER.
This can be anything to help you remember what kind of race
it is. You might put the purse (i.e., $10,000 Claiming or
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 21
$20,000 Allowance), or a description of the class of race
(i.e., 3-year-old Fillies), or the name of the race (i.e.,
The Preakness). This field is optional.
When you have finished with the COMMENT field and hit ENTER
to complete it, the race will be added to the database and you'll
be returned to the list of races.
11 Handicapping A Race
To handicap a race, you'll select the race you want from the
race list. Then you'll enter or change information about the
horses in the race.
1. If you're at the Main Menu, choose Handicap Horses. A list
of races will appear. If you're already looking at the
race list, proceed to the next step.
Notice that your cursor remains in the "Locator" field at
the top of the screen. If you want to jump quickly to a
particular race, just type the DATE of the race in that
field in MM/DD/YY format. The highlight bar will jump to
the first race entered for that date.
2. Use your cursor keys to highlight the race you want. Then
hit ENTER.
3. The Race Information Form will be brought to the screen.
4. Hit the F2 key.
* If you have already handicapped horses for this
race, you'll see a list of the horses you've
entered so far.
* If there are no horses entered for this race yet, a
Horse Handicapping Form will be automatically
appear on the screen so that you can begin work.
See Section 11.1.
5. To Add a Horse to the race, hit INSERT. A blank
Handicapping Form will appear on the screen.
6. To Delete a horse from the list, highlight the name of the
horse you want to delete and hit the DELETE key.
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 22
* The Horse's Handicapping Form will appear on the
screen. See the following section for handicapping
form instructions.
* Hit ENTER to delete the Horse.
* Hit ESC to return to the List of Entries without
deleting the Horse.
7. To Change the Information about a Horse, highlight the
horse's entry and hit ENTER. The Horse's Handicapping Form
will be brought to the screen.
11.1 The Handicapping Form
You'll use the handicapping form to enter information about
each horse. The information comes from The Racing Form (updated
by local newspaper listings for late scratches, jockey changes,
etc.)
The form contains a series of blanks, called Fields. Type
the information requested in each field. You can move from field
to field in any direction by using the UP and DOWN arrow keys.
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR PREVIOUS HANDICAPPER OWNERS: If you've
upgraded from Version 3 or Version 4 of the Handicapper,
you'll notice that the order of the fields has changed.
We've also added a separate field for the horse's Call
Number. We think the new order is more logical.
Also, the method for closing the form has changed. The ESC
key no longer signals that you are through entering data. It
will merely take you back one field until you reach the
first field in the form, where it stops.
Some fields require only single character responses (Such as
"Y" or "N". When you type information in one of those fields,
your cursor will automatically move to the next field.
If a field requires more than one character, hit ENTER to
move on to the next field.
Here's the information you'll be asked for:
1. Horse's Call Number: This is the number the horse is
actually wearing. It's usually the same as the post
position, but not always. A late scratch may throw the
numbers off. Also, if the race includes two horses from
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 23
the same stable, they are treated as one betting entity by
the track. The first horse will have a number, while the
second will have a number and a letter (Such as 3 and 3A).
2. Name: This is the horse's name. Type the name of the horse
and hit ENTER.
* The program will check the name you typed against
the list of horse's names that you've already
entered. If it can't find the name you typed, the
Horse List will appear on the screen.
* If you just made a typing mistake, find the name of
the horse on the list and hit ENTER. It will
automatically be placed in the Name field on the
Handicapping form.
* If you're handicapping a horse that's not on the
list, you can add the horse's name to the list by
hitting INSERT. See "Adding a Horse," Page 19.
3. LAST RACE: Enter the date of the horse's last race in
MM/DD/YY form.
4. Winner last time? (Y/N): If the horse won last time out,
type "Y". If the horse was not the winner, type "N".
5. Lengths Behind: If the horse did not win last time out,
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. Fractional lengths
should be rounded up to the nearest whole number. 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 "lengths 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
proper field.
6. Beaten favorite?: 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
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 24
column showing the dollar odds on the horse for that race.
If the horse was not a beaten favorite, type "N" here.
7. Half 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.
8. 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.
9. 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 Racing Form condition line. Type the speed
rating and hit <ENTER>.
10. 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 <ENTER>.
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>.
12. Does Jock Win 10% or more of Races: 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 labeled "This
race."
13. Class Movement: 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" (Page 9.)
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 25
14. Post position today: Type the number of the horse's post
position in today's race and hit <RETURN>.
15. Sex: The sex of the horse. Type "M" for a male or gelding.
Type "F" for a filly or mare. Normally, the program gives
a slight point advantage to males.
Note to previous handicapper owners: This version requires
that you enter M or F for each horse.
16. Is Horse a Shipper? If the horse is running at this track
for the first time, type "Y". Otherwise, type "N".
When you have completed the last field (Shipper
Information), the program will pause momentarily while it
calculates. Then it will flash the horse's ratings on the screen.
Hit ENTER at this point to store the record in the database.
You'll be returned to the list of Horses for this race. The
list will automatically be resorted to display the highest ranked
horse first.
You can change the information in a handicapping form at any
time by highlighting the Horse's entry and hitting the ENTER key.
11.2 What the Scores Mean
The score consists of two numbers separated by a hyphen,
such as 267-234.
HORSES WITH HIGHER SCORES ARE MORE LIKELY TO WIN THAN HORSES
WITH LOWER SCORES. THE HIGHER A HORSE'S SCORE, THE MORE LIKELY HE
IS TO WIN THE RACE.
* The first number represents the horse's score with the
SPEED RATING and TRACK VARIANT included. This is the best
score to use for races that include shippers (although you
know how we feel about them).
* The second number represents the horse's score WITHOUT the
speed rating and track variant. It will generally be lower
than the first score. This is the way earlier versions of
The Cambridge Handicapper scored the horse (with a minor
adjustment for the sex factor). We include it so that you
can see the effect of the newer calculations. It may well
be that the older calculation is more accurate at your
track during the current meeting.
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 26
If you've upgraded from an earlier version of the program,
you'll notice that Version 5 gives you results that may differ
from Version 3 or Version 4. We have made some changes in the
formulas.
The new formulas are better at weeding out horses that show
early speed but may fade in the stretch during longer races.
Also, Version 5 is better at dealing with longer races (1 mile
and over). Overall, you'll probably see lower numeric scores than
you saw with earlier version. To receive a high score in Version
5, a horse must be a better performer.
11.3 The Race Listing
Every time you finish handicapping a horse, you'll be
returned to the Race List screen. It shows you all the horses
you've handicapped so far, sorted from strongest to weakest.
The list will look something like this one:
RACE: PIMLICO 6/15/90 No. 1 $10,000 Claiming
Horse's No. & Name Rating Lay CL SH PP Dist
NORTHERN DANCER 225-192 13 D N 3 +3
WHIRLAWAY 220-188 7 S N 4 +1
CITATION 197-164 12 S Y 2 0
Here's what the various columns mean:
RATING These are the two scores the handicapper assigns
to each horse. The first score includes the track
variant and speed rating. The second does not
include these factors. See the explanation on Page
10.
LAY This shows the number of days between this race
and the horse's last outing.
CL This is the class factor. It shows whether the
horse is moving (U)p, (D)own or staying in the
(S)ame class.
SH The letter "Y" in this field indicates that the
horse is a shipper, running at the track for the
first time.
PP The horse's post position.
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 27
DIST This shows the relative change in distance between
the horse's last race and this race. When you
handicap a horse, you'll notice that there are 12
numbered distances listed, ranging from 1 (4-1/2
furlongs) to 12 (1-1/2 miles). This number
represents the difference between the two
distances. A negative number means the horse is
running at a shorter race than he did last time. A
positive number means he's running a longer race.
Be careful of horses who jump more than two or
three notches on this scale.
12 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 Northern Dancer is going off at less than
even money, but Whirlaway is going off at 4-1. You're not going
to make much if you bet on Northern Dancer, but Whirlaway 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.
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
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 28
selecting the right horse. It can make the difference between
winning and losing money at the track.
12.1 Exotic Wagers
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 at this point (the
Enhanced Version's manual covers this subject), 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.
12.2 Other Tips
There are a few factors to consider which do not lend
themselves to numerical analysis. One is change in distance and
the other is medication.
12.2.1 Change in Distance
Most horses run best at a certain distance. Some horses are
sprinters. They're speed demons on short courses but run out of
gas quickly. Other horses like longer distances. They may not
even warm up until they pass the 6 furlong mark. Trainers know
this and generally enter their horses in races of about the same
length. Occasionally you'll see a horse running at an
unaccustomed distance.
There are any number of reasons for this. It could be a
younger horse working up to longer races (and higher purses), or
a horse who's had trouble in longer races moving down in an
effort to find a comfortable distance. A trainer may run a horse
just to give him some exercise. Or it could be a the racing
secretary trying to fill out a card with any horses he can find.
The Cambridge Handicapper makes note of this but has no way
of knowing the reason for the change in distance. Be careful of
these horses. This is particularly true when a horse is running
in a race that is much longer than his previous races. The
handicapping program may give this horse a high score based on
his performance in shorter races, but it has no idea whether he
has the staying power for the longer distance. A race with a top
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 29
scorer who's moving up considerably in distance is probably a bad
bet.
12.2.2 Medication
States have varying rules about horses running under
medication. Most tracks are required to inform bettors when a
horse is taking medication, particularly for the first time.
There's no way to factor medication numerically. However, our
experience has shown us that a horse who is taking the drug LASIX
for the FIRST TIME will often show a marked increase in
performance. This ONLY applies to his FIRST RACE after he starts
taking the drug. Performance drops off after that. If a horse
running for the FIRST TIME under LASIX gets a decent score
compared to the competition, he may be a good bet, even if he's
not at the top.
That's all you really need 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.
13 Managing Your Program and Data Files
Because The Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper Version 5
stores your handicapping data on disk, it requires a little more
care than a program which does not rely so heavily on data files.
For a description of the Handicapper files, See Page 3.
If you followed the setup procedure properly, everything
should be okay. But it's a good idea to know how the program
manages things in case you want to establish a setup that we
haven't covered.
13.1 What Has to Be Where
It's important that The Handicapper know where to find it's
data files. Likewise, it's important that DOS knows where to find
the Handicapper program files.
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 30
13.1.1 Using a Hard disk or Single Floppy
If you're running the program from a hard drive or a single,
high capacity floppy (720K or more), there isn't much to it. Just
make sure all the program and data files are in the same hard
disk directory or on the same floppy disk.
You don't have to include THORO5.DOC (the file that contains
this manual) on your disk. In fact, if you're running from a
single, 720K floppy (such as a Toshiba 1000 or similar, single-
disk laptop), you'll definitely want to eliminate THORO5.DOC to
make more room for data. Once you've printed the manual, you can
store a copy of it on disk somewhere else. But it doesn't have to
be on your program or data disk.
If you're running from a floppy disk, make sure there's a
copy of the DOS file COMMAND.COM on the disk from which you run
the program. The program requires COMMAND.COM in order to manage
its data files and perform other tasks. You'll find COMMAND.COM
on your DOS master disk or on any disk from which you can boot
your computer.
13.1.2 Using Two Floppy Disks
If you have two floppy disk drives, and one has a capacity
of 720K or more, you can run The Handicapper by putting the
program files on one disk and your data files on another disk.
This will give you the maximum space for handicapping data.
The following files must be on your program disk.
THORO5SW EXE COMMAND COM (From THORO5 BAT
CAPHELP HLP your DOS disk) THOROAB BAT
THOROBA BAT
The following Data files must be on your Data Disk:
DISTANCE DAT* TRACKS DAT NAGS DAT
DISTANCE K01* TRACKS K01 NAGS K03
HOSS DAT RACES DAT NAGS K01
HOSS K01 RACES K01 NAGS K02
NAGS K04
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 31
Important Warning
You'll notice that the DISTANCE files are marked with
asterisks. These are SPECIAL files. They contain data used by the
Handicapper for internal calculations.
If the handicapper doesn't find these marked files, it will
not run. If you want to start a new database from scratch, you
must have copies of the original DISTANCE files on the disk or in
the directory you're using for your data. To learn how to do
this, see the section on setting up multiple databases, Page 33.
Setting the Path to Your Program Files
If you've installed the program according to the
instructions above, the THORO5, THOROAB and THOROBA batch files
will automatically set up your computer to make sure it finds the
proper files. The information below is for those who may want to
install the program manually.
When The Handicapper Starts Running, it looks for its data
files on the current disk drive (The Drive letter that shows up
when the DOS prompt is displayed; i.e., A:> or B:>).
This means DOS has to be pointing to that drive when you run
the program. Unfortunatley, if you try to run the program while
your computer is looking at the data drive, it won't be able to
find the program files.
DOS has a command to take care of this situation. It's
called PATH. The PATH command tells DOS where to look for a
program if it can't find the program on the current drive or in
the current directory.
Let's say you're putting the program files on Drive A and
the data file on Drive B. We're starting the program using the
THORO5.BAT command file. With the DOS prompt showing, you'd type
the following:
B: (ENTER) - Points DOS to the DATA Drive.
PATH A: (ENTER) - Tell DOS to look on Drive A for program.
THORO5 (ENTER) - Launches the program.
DOS looks first on Drive B for a program called THORO5.BAT.
When it doesn't find THORO5.BAT on Drive B, it checks its memory
to see if you entered a PATH command. When it finds the one you
just entered (PATH A:), it looks on Drive A, finds the THORO5.BAT
file and starts the program.
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 32
When the Handicapper Program starts running, it looks for
Data Files on the current Drive, which is Drive B. It finds them,
and everything is okay.
13.2 Using More than One Database
The Handicapper is set up to manage only one database of
handicapping entries, the one it finds on the current disk or in
the current hard drive directory.
However, you can set up multiple databases by using
different disks or directories for your handicapping data files.
You may be forced to do this if you fill up all the available
disk space on a floppy and don't want to delete any entries.
To set up a database on a new disk or in a new directory, do
the following:
1. Copy the DISTANCE.DAT and DISTANCE.K01 files from your
master disk to the new disk or directory. Do NOT copy the
other data files unless you also want to copy the data
they contain. The Handicapper will automatically create
new data files for you.
2. Change to the new data directory or disk. For example, if
you put the new data files on a floppy disk in Drive B,
you'd type B: and hit ENTER. If you put them in a
directory called \HOSSDAT on drive C, you'd type
CD\HOSSDAT and hit ENTER.
3. Set a PATH back to the disk or directory containing your
program files. For example, if you're running the program
from a floppy disk in Drive A, type PATH A: and hit ENTER.
Remember the colon. If you're using hard disk C, you'd
type PATH C:\THORO5 and hit ENTER.
4. Type THORO5 and hit ENTER to run the program.
13.3 How Much Disk Space You'll Need
The size of your database is limited only by the amount of
disk space you have, although there are good reasons to keep the
database as lean as possible.
The program uses about 250 bytes of disk space for each
handicapping entry. This is not normally a problem when you're
running from a hard disk. If you're running from floppy disks,
the size of the database can become a major concern.
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 33
Here's what you can expect from various disk configurations.
720K disk shared with program files - 900 entries.
720K disk for data only - 2,800 entries
1.2 mb disk shared with program files - 3,000 entries.
1.2 mb disk for data only - 4,900 entries
1.4 mb disk shared with program files - 3,800 entries.
1.4 mb disk for data only - 5,700 entries.
360K disk used for DATA only - 1,300 entries.
13.4 Deleting Horses, Races and Handicapping Entries
To keep the size of your database down (which will give you
faster performance), you'll probably want to delete entries that
you don't care about.
This requires some care. The order in which you delete items
is VERY important.
* Before DELETING a RACE, delete all the handicapping
entries associated with that race.
* Before deleting a HORSE's NAME from the Horse List, be
sure to delete all the handicapping entries associated
with that horse.
If you don't delete the handicapping entries first, you could
wind up with "lost" entries that can't be retrieved by race or
horse. This won't have any impact on your handicapping results,
but it will make your database larger than necessary. The smaller
the database, the faster the program will perform sorts and
searches.
14 Performance Issues
The inclusion of a database in Version 5 of The Cambridge
Thoroughbred Handicapper means that your computer has to work
harder. It will frequently access the disk drive to perform the
searching and sorting necessary to make the program run.
While the program will run on standard XT-type machines with
floppy drives, it will perform best on computers that have a hard
disk and/or an 80286 or 80386 microprocessor.
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 34
There are a few things you can do to make the program run
more quickly.
* Give The Cambridge Handicapper as much memory as possible.
The programs loads as many of its data tables into memory
as it can. If it doesn't have room in memory, it reads
each record into from the disk as it goes along. Memory
access is much quicker than disk access. By eliminating
TSR programs and DOS shells, you can make more memory
available for data and speed the program considerably.
* Keep your database as lean as possible. Delete
handicapping entries for horses in which you have no
ongoing interest. When you have fewer entries, the program
has to search through fewer records to find the material
you're interested in.
15 Memory Management
This program requires a computer with at least 512K of
memory to run. If your computer doesn't have that much memory,
consider trying our Thoroughbred Handicapper 4. It uses the same
great handicapping formulas, but does not contain the database
manager. It will run in as little as 256K of memory. See Page 37
for details.
Even with 512K, or even 640K of installed memory, you may
have less available memory than you think.<
The handicapper requires about 440K of free memory. If you
have TSR programs (pop-up, memory resident software), network
drivers, or large device drivers that load automatically when you
start your computer, your free memory could fall well below this
threshold.
If your computer has 512K of memory and you get an OUT of
MEMORY error, there are a couple of ways to deal with the
problem.
The first is a "clean" startup from a floppy disk that
contains only the operating system and a minimal CONFIG.SYS file
with at least 20 FILES and BUFFERS allocated. For details of the
CONFIG.SYS file, see Page 5.
The second tactic allows you to use VIRTUAL memory.
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 35
VIRTUAL memory allows your computer to simulate additional
memory by using a disk drive or RAM drive. This will work best
with a hard disk or RAM disk, although it can also be done with
floppies. Here's how:
15.1 Using a Hard or Floppy Drive
Before running the handicapper, type this command and hit
ENTER. Or add it to the batch file you use to launch the program
(THORO5, THOROAB or THOROBA).
SET CLAVM0=DRIVE:\PATH,MEMSIZE
DRIVE:\PATH represents the logical disk drive and directory
you want to use for virtual memory.
MEMSIZE is the amount of space, in Kilobytes, that you want
to set aside for VIRTUAL memory on the disk.
Note that the last letter on the left of the "=" sign is a
Zero, not the letter "O".
Here are some examples:
SET CLAVM0=C:\THORO5,512 will set aside 512K of space in the
\THORO5 directory on Drive C for use as virtual memory. It's
doubtful you'll ever need that much, but if you have the space,
you can use it.
SET CLAVM0=A:\,64 will set aside 64K of space on your A:
drive. Be careful if you're setting up virtual memory on a floppy
disk, especially if you're using the drive for data. Space used
by virtual memory is unavailable for data. So keep the virtual
memory allocation as small as possible. You may also find that
this slows down the generation of tables and lists, since it
requires substantially more disk activity.
15.2 Using a RAM Disk
If you have an AT-class computer with an 80286 or 80386
processor and at least one megabyte of RAM, you can use a RAM
disk for virtual memory. A RAM disk uses excess memory (expanded
or extended) to simulate the presence of another disk drive.
An XT-class computer with expanded memory that can be
configured as a RAM disk can also be used. A few XT-class laptops
with special configurations, such as the Toshiba 1000SE laptop,
can also do this. You must first create the RAM disk using
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 36
VDISK.SYS, RAMDISK.SYS or a similar driver installed in your
CONFIG.SYS file. See your DOS or memory board manual for details.
Once the RAM disk has been created, enter the following
command before running the handicapper:
SET CLAVM0=DRIVE:\,MEMSIZE,M
DRIVE:\ refers to the root directory of the RAM drive.
MEMSIZE is the amount of virtual memory, in Kilobytes, that
you want to create. It must be LESS than the amount of space
available on the RAM drive. The "M" indicates that the drive is
actually a memory device.
For example, to set up a 360K Virtual Memory allocation on
RAM Drive D, use this statement:
SET CLAVM0=D:\,360,M
16 How to Register
We've tried to make registration as simple as possible. You
can do it in one of two ways. You can use the On-line
registration form from the Main Menu of the Program. Or you can
fill out the Registration Form at the End of This Manual.
16.1 Other Handicapping Programs
Federal Hill Software also offers excellent programs for
handicapping Harness Horses and Greyhounds. If you order these
programs with your Thoroughbred Handicapper, you'll can get the
Greyhound and/or Harness programs at a reduced price.
As of the date of this manual, the Harness and Greyhound
programs do not have database capabilities. We're working on that
right now. If you should order these programs and database
versions are available, we'll give you the opportunity to upgrade
when we send you the program.
If you don't need database capabilities in your Thoroughbred
Handicapper program, Version 4.3 of the Cambridge Thoroughbred
Handicapper is also available. It uses the same handicapping
formulas and includes the Wagermaster, but does not permanmently
store handicapping or wagering information. It requires only 256K
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 37
of memory and will run on computers with a single 360K floppy
drive.
17 Distributing the Shareware Program
Shareware works because it is distributed freely. That gives
users a chance to try it before they buy it. Feel free to
distribute copies of the Shareware Version to anyone and
everyone. Put it in your user group library or post it on your
computer bulletin board. Distribution is limited only by these
conditions:
1. All of the files listed on Page 3 must be included.
2. The program may not be modified in any way.
3. Shareware vendors and user groups may charge a nominal fee
for copying the Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Shareware disk.
However, this fee does not imply any license from Federal
Hill Software. Federal Hill Software is NOT responsible
for defective or incomplete disks distributed by user
groups or Shareware vendors.
If you have any doubts about a shareware copy of a Cambridge
Handicapper you received from a bulletin board, user group or
shareware vendor, the latest versions will always be posted on
the COMPUSERVE, GENIE and DELPHI on-line services.
If you're a COMPUSERVE subscriber, you can address EMAIL
inquiries about the program to 71655,1327.
18 Limited Warranty
The Enhanced Version of The Cambridge Thoroughbred
Handicapper is guaranteed to load and run as indicated in the
these 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 no case shall Federal Hill Software's liability exceed an
amount equal to the purchase price of the program. If your
disk(s) should fail to load and run within 60 days, we'll replace
it free of charge. After 60 days, there's a $10 replacement fee.
But if you back up program when you get it, you wont' have to
worry about that.
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 38
With respect to the Shareware version of the program, no
warranties of any kind are made or implied. If you received the
Shareware program from a user group, Shareware vendor or dealer,
the vendor is responsible for replacement of a defective disk.
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 39
19 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
3722 Greenway Lane
P.O. Box 765
Owings Mills, MD 21117
410-356-5592
Note: We Accept Checks, Money Orders, Visa and Mastercard.
Foreign orders should be made payable in U.S. funds.
Cambridge Thoroughbred Handicapper 5 Page 40
