Remember this morning when we told you to back up high odds horses with a Place bet to the Win? Race Four at Saratoga just ended with CompuTrak pick and 23-1 longshot #10 Fast Deal in second. Place pool paid $15.40 for a $2 bet.
Sadly, yes, we only had a deuce down on […]

Read More » Horse Racing: We Told You So

We heart CompuTrak. Since we started our run using the handicapping software, we’re up $129 on the picks. Since we heart our readers too, we’re going to give you three more cards worth of picks from the software, starting with Saratoga and Del Mar today, and running through the Spa program for Friday as well. We’ll also throw in a tip or two for maximizing your profits, after the jump of course… JUST SO WE CAN SAY "WE TOLD YOU SO" LATER Before we jump into the CT Picks, we’ve got a good tip for structuring your bets on these selections. First, if you’re going to play a pick that’s sitting at 5/1 or higher on the board, there’s a significant possibility that the Place pool will return $4 or more on a $2 bet if the horse wins or places. As a result, always back up your higher odds picks with a Place bet. Show bets are for losers, since they rarely return more than $4 unless the odds on the horse are egregiously high.

Read More » Horse Racing: There’s Still Room On The Gravy Train

As of Thursday morning, our CompuTrak trial run showed a pure profit of $102.30. Not too bad. We then proceeded to pick the Del Mar card for Friday, and the Saratoga cards for Friday and Saturday to see if we could keep this train rolling. The software picks by program number, and the Equibase entries pages had the horses listed by post position, not program number. So we screwed some of the names up in our Friday posts. The numbers, however, are the important part, and here are the basic results: · Del Mar Friday: Seven win bets @ $2 each would have given us one winner -

Read More » Horse Racing: Still Making Money

Didn’t think we’d forget about Del Mar today, did you? Nope. We’ll let CompuTrak make a few picks, and make our favorite readers a few bucks while dreaming of San Diego. And no, we’re not talking to you weirdos who find that thing on Drew Brees’ face strangely erotic. Horse picks guys, keep your focus, it’s almost Saturday. CompuTrak picks, after the jump. Race 1) #2 Lucky Stab is the CT Pick. 5-2 on the Morning Line (M/L). Race 2) CT suggests the #6 Adamant. Not a good longshot though, sitting on a 2-1 M/L. Damn Goodie Two Shoes. Race 3) No pick made. Race 4) The CT Pick is the #8 Newyearresolution. Another one sitting out there way too low at 5-2. The software really likes this pick though. Race 5) No pick made. However, take a flier on the #4 Don’tcallmefrisco at 20-1 on the M/L. He’s a solid favorite on the CT Oddsline. Race 6) CT says go with the #2 Datticus. Too many horses without numbers loaded on this race though, but a 10-1 Morning Line is hard to ignore. Race 7) No pick made.

Read More » Horse Racing: San Diego Super Chargers

Saratoga tomorrow? What about Saturday’s Spa card? Let us help you out. Since our last three days test-driving CompuTrak have been so profitable, we’re going to ride this sonofabitch until we’re either busted or bajillionaires. Come on along, we’ll hopefully help you afford some sweet fifteens on your Camry. The CompuTrak Picks, and a few others worth looking that - after the jump. FRIDAY’S CARD - SHOULDN’T YOU BE WORKING? Race 1) The CT Pick is #2 Hasslefree. 3-1 Morning line, and head and shoulders above the rest of his opponents. Race 2) No CT Pick. No idea here at all either. Race 3) Dual CT Pick #1 Kiss and Go and #4 Sacre Via. They’re both low odds picks, at 3-1 and 7-2 respectively. Race 4) #9 Wampum is the CT Pick. Another non-longshot at 3-1.

Read More » Horse Racing: We’re On A Roll - Have You Been Listening?

Today we took theory and put it into practice. Using the picks from Tuesday’s introduction to CompuTrak, we played a couple of races at Great Lakes Downs on Tuesday, four races at Saratoga today, and all eight at Del Mar this evening.
The software picked one winner at Great Lakes Downs. We were playing […]

Read More » Horse Racing: CompuTrak Wednesday Update

Last night we moved the bets from the hypothetical to the actual. The results? CompuTrak went 0-for-4 in the “CompuTrak Picks” portion of the program, but showed 25-1 longshot Dorthys Champ in the fifth at Great Lakes Downs as a solid bet.
So what if the horse went off at 18-1 instead? Our […]

Read More » Horse Racing: CompuTrak Wednesday Morning Update

Through the end of the card at Calder this afternoon, CompuTrak has hit its second winner. This time, how about 8-1 shot Amsterdam Avenue in the eighth? Paid $19 on the $2 win ticket.
Since the software didn’t pick a “CompuTrak Pick” in one of the races, two of the picks (in the seventh […]

Read More » Horse Racing: CompuTrak Update v2.0

Through five races at Calder this afternoon, CompuTrak had four “CompuTrak Picks” best bet selections chosen.
The software just hit its first winner of the four - Weoka, the four horse in the fifth race. The $2 win ticket paid $17.60.
Total (imaginary) profit so far: $9.60
If you think we’re not playing those Del […]

Read More » Horse Racing: CompuTrak Update

Picking horses is an art. Or, rather, it should be an art. There are horseplayers that swear by Beyer figures, which are a relative measure of speed. Others look for "hot" barns, where trainers are on a hot streak with certain types of horses. Others handicap based on class, pace, lineage… so long as you don’t tell us you’re putting a hundy down because your first lay shares the name with the nag going off at 30-1. For almost any other method of choosing a winner, there’s a school of thought behind it. Oddjack contributor BG checks in on assignment to think outside the box - or rather, to maybe let the box do the thinking for us. After the jump, see BG’s experience with CompuTrak handicapping software.

Read More » Horse Racing: A Sucker For Technology