Beyer talks Trakus

[iceknight]

Originally Posted by JustRalph

Typical. They have superior data but don't make it available except to 'industry professionals' and the stuff that is available has significant errors

Is anything ever done right in this sport?

I would like to know who makes up the industry professionals list?

Just one more group with an edge

"Since they say it is available for "industry professionals", why can't hundreds of handicappers get together and form a "cooperative" and just buy the data for anyone who contributes a small annual membership fee.

ie HANA could be one of those coops, and they coudl charge an annual fee of $ 10 or something to maintain website with a login for the users? this is if Trakus does not want to start it themselves.."
This was also posted as a comment by me on the DRF page

or how about a bunch of us here form together a cooperative and try to see how much it would cost to get Trakus to allow so many downloads/hits on their page to view the data and the videos.


Also @cj post 24

Lets not act like your average weekend handicapper is shelling out tons of money for PPs. Hell, I'm interested in ground loss, but I'm not THAT interested.

Well I am paying 15-17% on every dollar that I am betting (and sometimes it goes up to 22%).. that is a way higher commission that the $7 I pay at Scottrade for 2-3 trades a month. (15% of $200 = $30) and I think I am betting the lowest monthly amount among many people. And Scottrade provides tons of data (not analysis), data and charts and real time data for free and level II can be had if you pay $10 a month (I don't).

[BillW]

Originally Posted by speed

Most times you would be correct. This time though they have the show horse a nose ahead of the 4th horse when he was over 2 lengths clear. Yes pace calls are generally the issues. Amazing the degree of errors in pace calls. Some tracks are consistently good while others, well, lets leave it at that.

The pace calls are usually eyeballed hence the error. The finish can be determined by the camera down to the pixel resolution. I guess the chart callers aren't obligated to use the camera but it surely is more accurate then the eye.

[casey]

Trakus is only available if a track decides to purchase it. Since most tracks have no regard for the betting public only Kee, Wodbine and GP use it. How any one can make an argument about having precise times for each horse in a race is beyond me.How a person interpolates and uses the info is another story.

[cj]

Originally Posted by BillW

The pace calls are usually eyeballed hence the error. The finish can be determined by the camera down to the pixel resolution. I guess the chart callers aren't obligated to use the camera but it surely is more accurate then the eye.

I don't even think they have the option not to use the photo finish camera. Since the finish is just taking time and using a (flawed) formula to determine beaten lengths, how would I chart caller even attempt to do this.

Something isn't right here.

[peislander]

Originally Posted by cj

I don't even think they have the option not to use the photo finish camera. Since the finish is just taking time and using a (flawed) formula to determine beaten lengths, how would I chart caller even attempt to do this.

Something isn't right here.

As a chart caller for a small harness track, you have the option to use your eyeball at the finish, but I have never done it unless for a malfunction.

I have never had a chance you view a chart caller for Equibase, but it would be disappointing with the volume of money being wagered if races were not double or triple checked.

I can tell you that I review every race to check for accuracy and I have to have the chart completed in about 12 minutes.

If there are any questions about chart making, I can try to answer, albeit it will be from a half mile harness track chart maker.

I can say one think that I have never understood, how can a length be a 1/5 of a second for both a thoroughbred and a standardbred.

[chickenhead]

I have an account at Trakus for the behind the wall data. It does have the data for:

distance off the rail and time for the runup and then for each individual 1/16th.

but it's not available via download, you have to iterate through each point of call and look at the data. I'm not gonna scrape it, but I am going to ask them what can be done with it. It's all there.