Customer Reviews

Speed to Spare: Beyer Speed Figures Uncovered (Elements of Handicapping)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Joe Cardello, Speed to Spare (DRF Press, 200?)

Speed to Spare is not a book you read; it is a book you devour. Horseplayers who use the Beyer Speed Figures published in the Daily Racing Form who do not yet own a copy of this book, pick it up immediately (after all, it costs only eight win bets after tax). Read it. When you're done, read it again. Follow along, both in the book's examples and in random races you pick from your Racing Form. You will learn more about speed figure handicapping in an afternoon than you have learned since DRF started publishing the Beyer Speed Figures. Guaranteed.

This is a must-read for horseplayers, from the professional bettor to the casual fan. **** ½

Written in a easy to understand fashion, the book provides useful examples of how to use beyer figures and when the top fig is vulnerable.

Very good treatment of bounces and form cycles. The statistical studies in the book are worth the price alone.

Anyone who has read Beyer on Speed should also read this!

Andrew Beyer must be the best thing to come out of the Washington Post since Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein....hey, who says politics and horse racing aren't analogous??

Seriously though, Cardello has done a superb job of taking the figs and giving Joe (or Jane) Horseplayer what he desparately needs in 21st Century wagering...a concise guide in how to cull the figures in the PP's, establish a pattern, and, perhaps most importantly, begin with eliminating the losers.

OK, OK, I know, easier said than done. But this book should definitely be on every handicapper's reading list. Well, only those who wish to take more currency from the mutuel windows than they push through them.

In preparing to bet the Kentucky Derby and other races this year I read Andrew Beyer's fantastic book "Beyer on Speed" and this book. These books go together like ham and eggs. After devouring the information in Speed to Spare I, like any eager handicapper, was looking forward to applying some of the tips in this book. One way this book made me think "different" is how it helps you spot the potential favorite that may be ripe for a fall which can result in a big pay-off. I went to a track in Michigan that was simulcasting races at Santa Anita (in March, 2005) and WHAM! - I hit a trifecta using the information found in this wonderful book; for the first time in my life found myself at the IRS window with a payoff of over $3,000.00! The presentation of information in this book is easy-to-follow and the actual examples really help the "part-time" handicapper that only spends a limited amount of time at a racetrack each year. I salute Joe Cardello's book and urge anyone interested in using Beyer figures to enhance their trip to the track to buy and read this book. You will not be disappointed.

Of the DRF peperback series on the elements of handicapping, this is clearly the best work. Cardello really gets in depth on how to weed out value in form cycles by using the Beyer figures. His real life example of how to find "hidden" lines in the past performances are explained in a way that most anyone can understand how he approaches the neverending quest for winners. Clearly he is an expert in handicapping and not just a fan writing a book to fill space on the shelf. Strongly recommended for novices looking to inject a little value by using readily available information in the form, as well as, more experienced handicappers who may be missing out on more opportunities to cash in.

I had been having a bad run at the track, and was looking for something to head me in a new direction. Speed to Spare gave me insight to using the Beyers, as well as other things to note and ignore. The best advice was to look to a new race or a different track if after analyzing the info you still can't beat the favorite or use high odds horses in exotic bets. I finally made money again!

This is a wonderful book for learning to intelligently use Beyer Speed Figures in your handicapping. Cardello gives a helpful background on the statistics of Beyer speed figures, especially his own statistics on Beyers calculated for turf races. Even more important, he provides example after example (from dirt, turf, sprint, and route races). Gradually you begin to understand how to apply Beyers and how they can improve your chances of winning. There is no 'formula' for using Beyers. He teaches you the 'art' of using Beyers through his examples. I read this quickly and it has already helped me. I plan to read it over and over again until his way of applying Beyers becomes second nature to me. Of course, I expect my understanding and application of these principles to be modified and improved with personal experience.

Good information for the beginning handicapper. Should be read along with Len Ragozin's The Odds Must Be Crazy.

This little book helps the horse player to read, interpret, and understand the Beyer speed figs in horses' past performances. Since I have been reading the Daily Racing Form and Equibase products for 30 years, I think the incorporation of the Beyer speed figs into past performances is the single most important development in horse race handicapping during that time. This book, written by one of the people who helped Beyer develop the figs, is the essential tool if you want to learn how to use the figs. Most importantly, the author takes pains to repeat more than once that using the Beyer figs is only one element in the handicapping process. A successful horse player still must evaluate class, distance, track surface, and the other factors that go into handicapping. This book is a great addition to one's understanding of the Beyer figs and sits right next to Beyer On Speed in my library.

Value is what this game is all about. That's emphasized my Mr. Cardello. I'd like to know more about finding the horse that crosses the finish line first.
No long ago I was asked if I had read Speed to Spare. I hadn't and it was suggested I might like it.
It's a short book that I read in one afternoon. It's out of date because of the new track surfaces, but there is enough "value" to make it worth $10.
He spends too much time on the "bounce" and "cycling". Also too much time reviewing races that he found to help support his examples.
Speed handicapping is what many people rely on. I think today it's big part of the puzzle, just not as big as it once was.