Is this thing on?
It's a quiet Thursday night, and I just sat down to open a Word document to randomly write and think about horse racing. I've been typing similar thoughts in Word for the past several years, and, typically, I just forget about them. But, for some crazy reason, I've decided to start a blog to publish all my future thoughts about horse racing and handicapping. If you happen to find yourself here, I hope not only that you enjoy what you read, but that what you read leads to further enjoyment and appreciation of the races.
Anyhow, I anticipate three types of entries in this journal:
1. Actual analyses of horse races: I don't expect to post traditional selections here, but, instead, to try a new focus. I've always been a sucker for drama in sports. Whether it's a 7-game playoff series, a last minute drive (or fumble) to decide a football game, or a subtle off-the field story line, I love how sports tells us stories. Horse racing is no exception to this drama, but, unlike the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry in which a casual fan knows the story almost innately, the story lines within horse racing must be uncovered by the fan. Every day I dig through past performances and discover wonderful bits of drama in upcoming races across the country. In these entries, I will share this drama, both prior to and after the event.
2. Musings about handicapping: Some, but not lots, of ink has been spilled about the best handicapping methods, especially during the last thirty years. Class, speed, form, pedigree -- the list could go on for quite some time. While I envision literal musings about the effectiveness of various methodologies and factors, I don't plan to rehash most of this stuff. Instead, the majority of this category will be with other topics involving handicapping -- dealing with losing, the limits of human insight, a world of gray, the second choice.
3. The handicapping life: Finally, as I became a horseplayer, I noticed that many of the traits that lead to success in handicapping also lead to success more generally in life. Risk-assessment, decision making with uncertainty, assertiveness, and contrarian thinking are just a few examples. In these entries, I plan to leverage some of my past studies (yes, I was a social philosopher at one time) and discuss how the not-always obvious relationship between horseplaying and living the good life.
I hope you come back often and enjoy the blog.
S.A.
Anyhow, I anticipate three types of entries in this journal:
1. Actual analyses of horse races: I don't expect to post traditional selections here, but, instead, to try a new focus. I've always been a sucker for drama in sports. Whether it's a 7-game playoff series, a last minute drive (or fumble) to decide a football game, or a subtle off-the field story line, I love how sports tells us stories. Horse racing is no exception to this drama, but, unlike the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry in which a casual fan knows the story almost innately, the story lines within horse racing must be uncovered by the fan. Every day I dig through past performances and discover wonderful bits of drama in upcoming races across the country. In these entries, I will share this drama, both prior to and after the event.
2. Musings about handicapping: Some, but not lots, of ink has been spilled about the best handicapping methods, especially during the last thirty years. Class, speed, form, pedigree -- the list could go on for quite some time. While I envision literal musings about the effectiveness of various methodologies and factors, I don't plan to rehash most of this stuff. Instead, the majority of this category will be with other topics involving handicapping -- dealing with losing, the limits of human insight, a world of gray, the second choice.
3. The handicapping life: Finally, as I became a horseplayer, I noticed that many of the traits that lead to success in handicapping also lead to success more generally in life. Risk-assessment, decision making with uncertainty, assertiveness, and contrarian thinking are just a few examples. In these entries, I plan to leverage some of my past studies (yes, I was a social philosopher at one time) and discuss how the not-always obvious relationship between horseplaying and living the good life.
I hope you come back often and enjoy the blog.
S.A.
posted by Seth Abrams at 5:45 PM
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