The Bottom Line
Most racing fans assume that the key to success at the windows is picking winners. In "Money Secrets at the Racetrack", Barry Meadow demonstrates that this is actually not the case. Selecting likely winners is important, but so is accurately gauging each horse's chance and structuring one's bets based on that estimation. This book is a must-read for players who consider themselves good handicappers but need a bit more help to turn a profit.
Pros
- First book to focus solely on money management
- Easy to understand text, system is very simply to implement by all bettors
- Straight and exotic pools are covered, bettors at all levels of risk can benefit
Cons
- Assumes some handicapping proficiency. Novice handicappers cannot use this right away
Description
- The key to Meadow's successful system is the odds line.
- Handicapper must convert their handicapping into an accurate estimation of true winning odds.
- Comparing the oddsline to the toteboard, bets to be placed, if any, are determined.
- If a selection is going off at too short an odds, either bet on a different horse or pass the race.
- Betting on horses at lower than their chances dictate, is a losing proposition long-term.
- Meadow's techniques can only help the player maximize profits and minimize risk.
Guide Review - Review - Money Secrets at the Racetrack
In this book, California professional horseplayer Barry Meadow teaches horseplayers about money management. There is no handicapping taught here at all. Handicapping is only half the battle, the key to winning is converting your handicapping into an accurate oddsline and then betting accordingly if your selection is an overlay. He first takes the time to shoot down some common myths about money management, and then gets right to business, hammering home the importance of making an odds line for every race that you are considering playing. The oddsline is for the win pool, but using some simple calculations and looking up data on tables included in the book, the line is also used for all other pools, including place, show, daily double, pick 3, pick 4, pick 6, quinella, exacta, and trifecta. Of course, the more difficult the bet, the larger a bankroll you will need to bet properly in order to profit from it. In all cases, close monitoring of the toteboard is key, as bets need to be placed as close to post time as possible.Meadow gives two personal examples of how the system works well in practice. On one occasion he and a friend, both using vastly different handicapping styles, turned a profit because both used sound money management principles including the making of the odds line. On the second occasion, Meadow not only witnessed the final race of the legendary Bill Shoemaker's career, but hit the Pick 6 for almost $110,000.
