Horseplaying Synergy

I haven't bet more than maybe $1,000 since January 1st. I've had the blahs. Signal fee hikes, people arguing, short fields, low payouts, bad weather. Blech. I've downloaded a grand total of zero racecards in my software package, and looked at no more than six harness past performances.

But tomorrow we're ending this self-imposed exile from the land of Nobetsville.

Is it because Derby season is here? The weather is warming up? Food truck day at a track near me? Because Belmont added stakes races to a card that already has stakes races? Some track actually lowered rake giving us a better chance to beat the game?

Nope, none of those. I'm going to start playing again because of the synergy of my fellow horseplayers.

This past month I worked on the Horseplayer Monthly a little bit. That seemed to get me energized. I chatted with some friends who are talking about angles, bias, and data modeling. They're talking about an edge they may get at this track and one that they're not getting at another. They're sharing ideas about the Rainbow Six parlay on twitter, the inside posts at 8.5 furlongs at Gulfstream, or the outer at Oaklawn. They're talking about the pool size at the Meadowlands.

Dave Vicary over at Whatwins.com started his social betting platform, and he's stoked (try it, it's free).  Software and betting geeks at places like TimeFormUS are changing their algorithms in their Pace Projector, showing hot and slow pace running lines, and rejigging some trainer numbers. My betting geek buddy has started betting with a new computer system he has been trying to perfect for two years. He launched it two weeks ago, and he's been making a little bit of money.

No, it's not food trucks. It's not even gambletainment. It's my gambling peeps doing what they do best: Chat, dissect, and bet the horses.

You have to be a very discernable horseplayer in this day and age. Short fields are poison. High rake is poison. Signal fee hikes are poison. If you are playing into that and expect to make money, good luck to you. However, there are things happening out there to help you and I get an edge. There are some good fields to be betting, at a decent price,; as my old boss used to tell me "gold is where you find it"

I mostly have the culture of my fellow horseplayers that brought me back into the fold. Without them, I'm not sure I would be back downloading, analyzing and handicapping. Thanks to all of them. It's infectious.