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Tuesday, January 24, 2012

The DRF Past Performance Pages Debut and Review

The DRF has debuted the new harness racing past performance pages.  There are two version of the past performance pages.The DRF Daily Harness PPs (sample) is basically your basic race program with comments available for selected races (based on the tracks they have people recording comments).  On the bottom of each race page, you will find selections from certain handicappers and consensus selections.  The cost per program (discounts are available) is a $1.50 per program. 

The other version they have is the DRF Harness Eye PPs (sample).  No doubt, you need to have better eye sight as there is more information on racing line.  In addition to the Daily Harness PPs, you will find each horses individual quarters, speed ratings, track variant and track bias (how many horses went wire to wire in the card).  The trainer of the horse is listed on each line   For races longer than a mile, they also list the mile fraction as well as the final time and shows the horse's record for the last three years at a particular track.  Other features are also provided.  The one problem I have with the Harness Eye PP's is track sizes are not being reported .  Where as the basic report shows Chester Downs as a 5/8 track; the Harness Eye PPs does not indicate track size.  Another thing I don't care for is neither program uses the official track abbreviation for all tracks listed in the past performances.  So where as in official programs at tracks shows Chester Downs as Chst5/8, the DRF shows Chester Downs as ChD.  You also get more race lines per horse in the Harness Eye PPs.  Anyway, the cost per program (discounts are available ) is $2.75 per program.

Quite honestly, comparing the DRF and Trackmaster past performances, you do better with Trackmaster's Past Performance programs which are also priced at $1.50 as you get more information than with the DRF Daily Harness PP pages,  When comparing the Trackmaster Platinum Past Performance pages against the DRF Harness Eye PP, I prefer the DRF product even though it is $.25 more than the Trackmaster product.  I personally find the Trackmaster Platinum Past Performance pages too busy for my own liking.

The DRF offers discounts per number of programs while Trackmaster offers unlimited program plans.

Of course, everyone looks at different things when handicapping.  My suggestion is to try each program and see which one meets your handicapping needs.  The price differences for each 'basic' product and 'sophisticated' product are close enough that price should not be a factor in your decision.

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