How do I use this information?

We cover most race tracks in North America. Every evening we upload a graded form report for each track. This graded form is generally similar to what you see in the Daily Racing Form or your local newspaper with horses presented in descending order based on our computer generated ratings. The rating we use is the Adjusted Performance Index.

With your best horses or contenders on the top of this list, you are ready to begin your handicapping.

What should I be looking for?

Look for value. Users will invariably develop their own approaches to value, based on their own knowledge, methods, and wagering styles. However, with each race sorted in Adjusted Performance Index order, it's pretty easy to immediately spot potential overlays.

An example, a top rated horse is 5-1. He's been racing recently, his class numbers look good, he's been running and scoring well at this distance, and for good measure, perhaps he's got a positive trainer note. This horse is worth a second look.

Another example, a top rated horse is 5-2. His recent form checks out but, of interest, his Adjusted Performance Index is 12 points better than his nearest rival. Based on our scoring system this horse should probably be well under odds-on. If he looks like he's available at 2-1 or better, this horse is worth a second look.

Get the idea. Use the numbers to gauge value.

What's an overlay?

This is race track jargon for betting value.

A horse is considered to be an overlay if his tote board odds are significantly higher (longer) than his perceived chances of winning. An example, A horse that is perceived to have 20 percent chance of winning and whose tote board odds are 10-1 is an overlay.

A horse is considered to be an underlay if his tote board odds are significantly lower (shorter) than his perceived chances of winning. An example, a horse that is preceived to have 20 percent chance of winning and whose tote board odds are 2-1 is an underlay.

What is the Adjusted Performance Index, how is it created?

The Daily Racing Form and most programs now offer some sort of a national standardized speed rating. The DRF features the widely accepted Beyer's Figures. These numbers attempt to standardize ratings across all tracks, distances, racing surfaces, etc to help the racing fan arrive at relative evaluations of each horse performance against all other horses and races across the country.

The Beyer Figures and similar methodologies have greatly simplified the handicapping process. However, Pari-Mutuel wagering pits one player against another. If good figures are widely acceptable, how can you gain an edge in what is basically an enormous poker game?

The answer is... by using The Performance Index technology to model and enhance standardized speed figures into a number which has more predictive value.

Explain further?

Let's say a horse PINDEX BABY ran a Beyer 78 in his last race. Should you assume that PINDEX BABY will run a 78 today?

Maybe. But what if we note that PINDEX BABY is carrying 115 pounds today, but ran with 123 pounds in his last race. Well, it's seems reasonable to possibly add a few points to our expectations for PINDEX BABY with this positive 8 pound weight swing. So perhaps we adjust that original figure from 78 to perhaps 80.

Voila, we now have an adjusted number.

What other factors are included?

We've tried to include all the relevant components. Here's a list of the major elements:

Class of competiton

Odds in last race

Days Between Races

Weight

Jockey

Post Position

Is that it?

Actually, that's just the begining. As you can see next to each horse, on the right side of the form pages, are individual race ratings. These are very important to our calculations

The engine of the Performance Index runs on a horse's expected Beyer's figure. To produce this we must calculate a Class Rating for each race based on the quality of the field. This Class Rating is shown as the bottom number directly below the date of each of a horse's last 3 races.

Then using the Class Rating and a horse's odds, we produce an expected Beyer figure for each race. Essentially we rank all horses in a race by their post time odds.

Next, when the race is run we calculate a Beyer type speed ratings.

Finally, we blend or model those two numbers, the expected Beyer figure and the actual Beyer type figure to produce a single race Power figure. This Power figure is displayed above the date for each horse's last 3 races.

Anything else?

The last step is to blend all recent races together into a horse's Performance Index which is a composite score. This composite score is then adjusted for today's wight post, and days since last race producing the Adjust Performance Index. As noted within the form pages all horses are sorted in descending value by their adjusted Performance Index figure.

Why don't all runners have numbers?

We can only generate figures if a horses has at least 1 domestic start. Also, we do not generate scores for races less than 4 furlongs. Further, races with a preponderance of first time starters will not generate Class Ratings.

End of FAQ's.