Special Subject Paper
ALL-Ways^TM Support

How ALL-Ways Works

(C)  Copyright 1997-2007
Frandsen Publishing Corporation
PO Box 1439
Minnetonka, Minnesota 55345
All Rights Reserved

Handicapping a Race Card …. 1,2,3,4

One of the most welcome features of ALL-Ways is how easy and how fast it is to use. You can handicap an entire 9 or 10 race card by spending only ten to fifteen minutes at your computer. This averages out to about 1 to 1 ½ minutes per race.

There are four simple steps you follow to handicap a complete race card:

1.   Download the data file from the BRIS Internet site (or the Millennium data file from the TSN internet site).

2.   Click a button and ALL-Ways automatically updates the par times and daily track variants for every track in North America and translates the raw data file to prepare it for handicapping. 

3.   Handicap the races and print out and/or display the handicapping reports.

4.   After the races are run, download the results file from BRIS (or TSN), click a button and ALL-ways automatically enters the race results. This includes win, place, show, Exacta, Trifecta, Double and Pick Three results and payoffs. 

It really is that simple … 1, 2, 3, 4 and your done. ALL-Ways is extremely sophisticated handicapping software, but it keeps its complexity behind the scenes and away from you. Here are two examples: 1) Every time you handicap a race card, ALL-Ways automatically updates track par times, daily track variants, track-to-track adjustments and track profiles in your computer for every track represented in the past performances of all the horses running that day. In this manner, you always have the most up-to-date track information possible for virtually every track in North America; 2) ALL-Ways automatically builds a Race Database for every track you handicap. Each time you process a race card data file, ALL-Ways adds the races and the race results to the Race Database for the track. This database is used by the ALL-Ways Analysis Module and is the single most important element in ALL-Ways that will improve both your handicapping and your wagering! 

The Essential Elements of ALL-Ways: 

1.   ALL-Ways includes 87 comprehensive handicapping factors. 

2.   ALL-Ways handicaps the races using Handicapping Profiles made up of selected and weighted handicapping factors.  

3.   The ALL-Ways Analysis Module provides for the following: 

• Determines the power and profitability of each of the 87 handicapping factors for every type of race run at every track that you handicap.
• Automatically creates new Handicapping Profiles using advanced Multiple Regression Analysis techniques.
• Determines the profitability of each individual Handicapping Profile and the optimum exotic wager combinations.

4.  The Wager Races Module provides for the following:

• "Forward Looking" analysis of how ALL-Ways has performed handicapping each race

• "Forward Looking" analysis of how each handicapping factor on the Spot Play/Final Process handicapping report has performed for handicapping each race

• Analysis of how you have done in your wagering

Let's dig a little deeper. ALL-Ways includes 87 key handicapping factors covering the horse's suitability to the distance, suitability to the surface, current form, class level, speed figures, running style, pace figures, jockey and trainer statistics and pedigree data. There is also the BRIS Prime Power Rating and the ALL-Ways Comprehensive Rating derived from 22 different handicapping factors. Many of ALL-Ways' 87 handicapping factors are never seen by the general public and many are exclusive to ALL-Ways: Brohamer Compound Pace Ratings (based on the Sartin Methodology), Hambleton Total Pace Ratings and Form Points, Quirin Speed Points and Race Shapes, Scott Ability Times and Performance Class Ratings, Hall Pace and Speed Ratings, a proprietary Workout Evaluation Index, a proprietary Stretch Gain Performance Evaluator, … these are all incredibly powerful handicapping factors and represent a major reason why ALL-Ways leads to strong value plays. Having access to this powerful information that the public does not have gives you an incredible edge.  

To handicap a race, ALL-Ways uses Handicapping Profiles made up of, generally, seven of the 87 key handicapping factors. These factors are also weighted based on their Impact Values  .. a measure of how predictive the factors are. ALL-Ways uses these Handicapping Profiles with weighted factors to determine its selections and to generate an oddsline. This oddsline is what enables you to spot overlays  … horses under bet by the public …. the real value plays.

ALL-Ways comes with Default Handicapping Profiles so you can use ALL-Ways, very effectively, "right out of the box". You will continue to use these Default Handicapping Profiles until you build up your Race Database for a track a little bit … to about 100 races or so. Once you reach this level, which only takes a few days, you will click the Multiple Regression Analysis (MRA) Default button in the ALL-Ways Analysis Module and ALL-Ways will automatically create new default Handicapping Profiles that are keyed to the specific races run at the specific track. MRA generated Handicapping Profiles are incredibly powerful for two reasons:

1.   Multiple Regression Analysis is an advanced statistical methodology that identifies which handicapping factors work best in combination with each other for each type of race run at each track you handicap. 

2.   Because of the clever way MRA has been implemented in ALL-Ways, MRA generated Handicapping Profiles identify the most likely place and show horses as well as the win horse. 

Let's stop a moment and review what we have learned.

• Handicapping a race card is a simple four step process that is both easy and fast.

• ALL-Ways has 87 comprehensive Handicapping Factors, most of which are not available to the general public.

• ALL-Ways uses Handicapping Profiles made up of, generally, 7 of these handicapping factors that are weighted by their Impact Values.

• You will use the default Handicapping Profiles supplied with ALL-Ways for a few days of handicapping. Then you will click the Multiple Regression Analysis button to automatically create powerful Handicapping Profiles that are keyed to the specific kinds of races run at the specific tracks you handicap and that find the place and show horses as well as win horses. 

Note: In addition to using Multiple Regression Analysis to automatically create new Handicapping Profiles, ALL-Ways also provides you with a very simple way to create your own custom Handicapping Profiles. Many ALL-Ways users like this flexibility because it allows them to select their own handicapping factors and Impact Values to use in a Handicapping Profile. It is also a lot of fun. 

You could stop right here and do exceedingly well at the track with ALL-Ways. You are, at this point, armed with the most powerful handicapping and wagering information in the business. 

But, there is more! We would like to take you a little further to explore the power of the ALL-Ways Analysis Module. 

The Incredible Power of the ALL-Ways Analysis Module 

There are eleven functions in the ALL-Ways Analysis Module: 

All eleven of these functions use the Race Database that ALL-Ways automatically builds for each track you handicap. The first thing you do when the Analysis Module starts up is to enter the track code for the track you want to analyze. For example, if you enter the track code for Hollywood Park, which is "HOL", all of the analysis functions will be specifically for Hollywood Park. Isolating the analysis to a specific track is a major, incredibly powerful feature of ALL-Ways. Most other handicapping software does not differentiate between tracks. Well, we know that what works at one track does not necessarily work at another track. Our studies show that Handicapping Profiles created for one track do not travel well to another track but do travel extremely well from year-to-year at the same track. What we are saying is that for any handicapping methodology to be effective, it absolutely must be tailored to each specific track. In this age of simulcasting, it is imperative for handicapping software to be track specific. ALL-Ways is such software.  

Just as different tracks must be handicapped differently, so must different races be handicapped differently. To state the obvious, sprints are fundamentally different than routes, turf races are fundamentally different than dirt races, and maiden races are fundamentally different than non-maiden races (See our April, 1997 newsletter.). Now let's state some race types that may not be so obvious. Allowance races are different than claiming races. Seven-furlong sprints are different than 6-furlong sprints. Maiden races for two-year-olds are different than maiden races for three-year-olds. Races with multiple front-running style horses are different than races with only one front runner. Races for higher-class horses are different than races for lower level horses. We could keep going on and on, but we think the point is made. To be effective, not only must handicapping software be able to be tuned to a specific track, it must also be able to be tuned to specific race types run at the specific track. ALL-Ways is such software. 

ALL-Ways Analysis Module Race Screens 

Before you run an ALL-Ways' analysis report, you set the Race Screens to tell ALL-Ways which races you want it to analyze. There are many different Race Screens. All you do is click the appropriate buttons. The Race Screens are: 

·         Surface (real dirt, All Weather Surface dirt, all dirt or turf)

·         Condition (dry/firm or off track)

·         Distance (any distance(s) between 4 1/2 furlongs and 1 1/2 miles)

·         Race Type (maiden, claiming, allowance, etc.)

·         Race Shape (fast early, lone early, honest, slow, etc.)

·         Age and Sex Restrictions (2 year olds, 3 and up female, etc.)

·         Race Rating (BRIS Race Rating which is a race class rating)

·         Race Winner's Win Payoff (great for isolating long shots)

·         Before and After Date Cutoffs (a convenient point-and-click calendar)

·         Day of Week

·         Race Category (Chaos, Contentious, Orderly)

·         Include, Exclude or State Bred Races only

·         Include, Exclude or First Time Starters Only

·         Purse Value

·         Size of Field 

These Race Screens can be used individually or in any combination. For example, if you want to know what is winning turf route allowance races carded for 3 year and up males and females where there is a lot of early speed in the race, just set the Race Screens and run the analysis.

There is also a special race screen that allows you to individually analyze the inner or main dirt tracks at Aqueduct or the inner and main turf tracks at Belmont and Saratoga. 

Beginning in ALL-Ways Version 14.0, ALL-Ways Race Screens include special provisions for handling All Weather Surface tracks (AWS), such as Poly tracks. You are able to run all the various ALL-Ways analyses discussed below for just real dirt races or for just AWS dirt races or for both surfaces combined. This also lets you automatically create ALL-Ways Handicapping Profiles aimed specifically at AWS races. And, Version 14 even includes the ability to automatically and retroactively modify your Race Database(s) for AWS tracks to properly reflect the new surface, even for races run prior to when the industry started to recognize AWS races as being different than real dirt races. 

Once you have set the race screens, you simply tell ALL-Ways what analysis you want to run by clicking a button. Here are the possibilities: 

Top Three Analysis 

This shows the percentages of races won by the top ranked horse, the top two ranked horses and the top three ranked horses for each of the 87 handicapping factors. There is also a report for place horses and show horses. This is a great analysis for determining how to isolate contenders and how to find the place and show horses. 

Impact Value Analysis 

Using Quirin Impact Values, this report shows the power of each of the 87 handicapping factors to find winning horses. It also shows you the flat $2 win bet profitability of each handicapping factor. You can also run an Impact Value Analysis report for place horses and for show horses. 

MRA Default 

Click this button and ALL-Ways automatically creates new Default Handicapping Profiles that are keyed to the specific track and to specific race types. A set of Handicapping Profiles are automatically created for non-maiden dirt sprints, non-maiden dirt routes, non-maiden turf sprints, non-maiden turf routes, maiden dirt sprints, maiden dirt routes, maiden turf sprints and maiden turf routes. Each of these sets has a non-pace biased profile, an early biased profile and a late biased profile. Separate profiles are created for the main and inner tracks on the New Your circuit.  

MRA Pace 

Click this button and ALL-Ways will automatically create Handicapping Profiles based on Race Pace Shapes. This handicapping methodology has proven to be incredibly powerful. You should read the article on Race Pace Shapes that was installed along with ALL-Ways software. 

MRA Custom  

Click this button and ALL-Ways will automatically create a Handicapping Profile for the specific races that match your race screens. Want to create a long shot profile for maiden dirt sprints carded for 3 year olds only where the winners paid $15.00 or more? No problem! Just set the race screens and then click the MRA Custom button. You can also automatically create MRA Custom profiles for place and for show horses as well as win horses. 

Race Card Analysis 

With the simple click of a button, this powerful function looks at each individual race on the race card. It finds similar races in your Race Database for the track, runs an Impact Value Analysis for just those similar races and finds the most powerful and profitable handicapping factors. It then summarizes all of this in a one page report that covers the entire race card. It also automatically creates handicapping profiles made up of these best handicapping factors for each individual race on the race card.  

Database Run Analysis (Handicapping Profile Evaluation) 

This analysis automatically handicaps all the races in your Race Database for a track using the Handicapping Profiles you select and then shows you how well each Handicapping Profile works. You see how each of the top four picks of each profile finished in the races along with the win percentage, average mutuel payoff and return on investment percentage. It also shows you the results of dozens of different combination bets for Exactas, Trifectas, Doubles and Pick 3s. In other word, this analysis shows you how well each Handicapping Profile works and shows you the optimum combination wagers for your exotic plays. 

Database Run Analysis (Track Payoff Analysis) 

This analysis shows you the average win, Exacta and Trifecta payoffs for virtually every type of race run at the track being analyzed. This is a very powerful feature that helps you determine which kind of races to play and even which tracks to play. 

Database Run Analysis (Going Off Odds "What if?" Wagering Analysis) 

This analysis uses the actual going-off-odds that were captured by ALL-Ways when you automatically entered the race results. It shows you how you would have done in terms of win percentage, average payoff and ROI for different levels of overlays, different levels of minimum going-off-odds, and two-horse win betting with "Dutching". It shows this for each of ALL-Ways top four selections. 

Gap Threshold Analysis and Gap Deficiency Analysis 

If we look at the ALL-ways Gap Threshold Analysis for non-maiden turf routes run on the main turf track at Belmont, we see that horses with a 2 point BRIS Prime Power advantage won 29% of their races and yielded a small loss with a win bet ROI of -6%.  But look what happens if we increase the Gap advantage to 4 points.  These qualifiers won 41% of the races and yielded a positive win ROI of 28%. A qualifying horse showed up in about 20% of these races. In these same turf races, horses with a 2 point Gap advantage in Turf Class won 40% of their races with a win ROI of 32% and they finished in-the-money a whopping 82% of the time. We could go on and on and on with examples.  When you click the Gap Analysis button, ALL-Ways automatically runs this Gap Analysis for a track and provides Gap statistics for 52 different handicapping factors. If you do not yet have a database for the track, it is no problem because ALL-Ways comes with a set of Default Gap Statistics derived from many thousands of races run at representative tracks across North America.  

The Gap Threshold Analysis shows how well horses perform based on the size (Gap) of their advantage for each handicapping factor. On the other hand, the Gap Deficiency Analysis shows how a horse's performance declines based on the size (Minus Gap) of their disadvantage for each handicapping factor.  

Pro Custom Search With the ALL-Ways Angle Assistant 

The Pro Custom Search feature lets you design your own personal handicapping angles, which in ALL-Ways are called Search Definitions.  You can then test these angles against your track database(s) for win and in-the-money percentages, average win payoff and win ROI.  At handicapping time, ALL-Ways will evaluate every angle that you have designated for the type of race being run and find all horses that qualify based on the Search Definition. ALL-Ways gives you great flexibility in creating your personal Search Definitions. Each definition can have up to 7 elements and there is no limit to the number of definitions you can create. It is axiomatic in horse racing that good angles do not occur very often. If they did, too many people would play the angle and it would lose its value.  Now imagine that you have developed 20 or 50 or 100 different angles and consider that ALL-Ways will do all the work to look for qualifying horses in every race you handicap.   

The ALL-Ways Angle Assistant is perhaps the most significant development in horse race handicapping software .... ever! This amazing feature uses the power of your computer to analyze literally billions (that is billions with a "b") of handicapping factor combinations to find factor sets that meet your specific guidelines including the number of qualifying horses, win percent, win wager return-on-investment, place percent, show percent, in-the-money percent, average win payoff, average place payoff and average show payoff. And, there are 391 situational handicapping factors such as horses that had a troubled trip in their last race but still finished in-the-money, or horses that showed a double move (sometimes called a "V" pattern) in their last race and finished within 3 lengths of the winning horse, or  horses that have run to the par time of today's race, or horses that have run well in races with pace pressure similar to today's race, or .......... on and on.  

The ALL-Ways Wager Races Module 

For Efficient and Effective Handicapping 

ALL-Ways Handicapping Analyses:  

Spot Play Factor Analyses:  

For Efficient and Effective Wagering 

A Built-In “Electronic Teller” Module:  

This module is where you can cost and create your wagers just like you do at the track using an automated teller machine. You simply use your mouse button. There is no manual data entry. Even results are entered automatically, including payoffs and refunds. You can also print out the wagers to use at the track for reference when making your real wagers.  

Wager Analyses:   

A Few Words About ALL-Ways Custom Card 

Summary 

ALL-Ways gives you 87 key handicapping factors, most of which are not in the hands of the race going public. ALL-Ways knows what combination of handicapping factors to use and how to weight them for every type of race run at every track you play. In other words, ALL-Ways is both track and race type specific. All of this can be handled automatically by ALL-Ways for you. Or, you can take complete control. Whichever way you approach it, ALL-Ways will save you time, your handicapping will improve, your wagering will improve and you will have a whole lot of fun in the process.   

GOOD HANDICAPPING!

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