Advice on getting to DRF or Coast Casino Handicapping final

[drbillym]

Full Disclosure:  I am not a professional handicapper.

Rick B. and many others on this board should be able to provide guidance on the best way to get to the final contests next January.  There are so many different contests, and I would be interested in finding the ones that offer the most realistic chance of winning without putting up an enormous sum to enter.  The horseplayer magazine/xpressbet contest April 3, for example, seems to favor the whales, as there is no maximum on how much you bet and the highest bankroll wins.  Highest ROI would seem to have been a fairer approach.  Internet contests are appealing, obviously, since one doesn\'t have to travel, but the number of participants is therefore greater.
Last year I attemped several contests and came close but no cigar.  The previous year I did make it to the Coast Casino contest, and it was truly a blast.  Each of the three days offers healthy prizes so if you tap out on day one you can start fresh with the hope of having a good day and winning the daily prize, which was about 9 large.  So I started thinking maybe rather than participating in several losing contests throughout the year, and adding up my losses, it might be better to just put up the $1000 entry fee(plus expenses) and get into the 3 day extravaganza.
Looking forward to lots of experienced input.

[Rick B.]

I am constantly evaluating my contest play, and looking for what works and what doesn\'t. I am blessed to be surrounded by some of the sharpest handicappers around -- all of whom have actually qualified for the NTRA big dance (I\'ve never qualified. Not once.)

A few things I\'ve learned recently:

1. Be honest with yourself about your chances in the NTRA and HPWS. Just a few weeks ago, I reluctantly came to the conclusion that contests in January and February aren\'t going to work for me -- I can find bombs at Santa Anita, and even Golden Gate on occasion, but I can\'t even pick $4.00 winners at GP, OP, FG, or Aquedump. A quick scan of my contest bets and results clearly demonstrates that summer and fall contests are the ones for me.

2. Qualifiers, qualifiers everywhere. Simple one here: if you know (or even suspect) that you can\'t pass the HPWS, and you are going to pull that $1000 out of your pocket no matter what, then don\'t fart around with qualifiers for that contest. Focus on qualifying for the NTRA instead. (Guess who spent just over $500 on HPWS qualifiers last year, failed to qualify, then still pulled out the G-note and bought an entry anyway? Dumbass me, that\'s who.)

Note that the Orleans and the Gold Coast hold their own contests that primarily offer money as prizes, but also give away free HPWS entries to the top 10 finishers -- these contests are not strictly HPWS qualifiers, but they offer good value on their own and a small shot to get into the HPWS for free. I won 2 entries to the HPWS when I ran 1st and 2nd in the 2008 Fall Classic at the Orleans, but that\'s the only time I ever qualified for the so-called \"big\" contests for free.
 
3. Tune up your contest game right from your PC: www.horseplayersqualify.com (HPQ) has emerged (to my way of thinking) as the leader in internet horse racing contests, and if you can find an online contest site that keeps less than HPQ does (20%), please, spill the beans.

HPQ has qualifiers for everything: HPWS, Orleans \"regular\" contests, the Wynn contest coming up, etc. The also have a cheap contest most every Friday ($25 entry fee) that usually pays the winner $1000 or more, and also pays 2nd through 6th or 7th, depending on the number of entries. Play these contests for practice with \"mandatory\" races -- a full half of the NTRA races are mandatory, and you will undoubtedly be faced with finding a winner in a race you hate. Get used to it.

That\'s it from me. I\'d sure like to hear from anyone who has actually qualified for the NTRA -- just because I stink at playing the winter tracks doesn\'t mean that I\'m going to give up trying to get into NTRA Finals.

[vired]

I qualified this year for the first time for the NTRA. Have played the Orleans tourney several times- cashed at the lower levels and played the HPWS once when I got in for free because they let the top 50 in from the fall contest. I am NOT a professional player (work full time in a poker room in so cal). Have been a winning live player since I started using TG several years ago. So I thought I had a shot in the \"big dance\"--WRONG I stunk and also stunk when i played the HPWS. Like Rick I checked my records and found I am no good that time of year because I not good with 3 year olds and the weather is bad alot of the time so turf racing is limited whitch is where you have a HUGE advantage with TG. I qualified in a \"live\" money tourney at Del Mar where you can select exactas,tris and supers. My live action is usually in the 6-10 to 1 range and that just doesn\'t cut it. I also would like advice on how to pick 12-20 to 1 shots. As far as qualifing i live money tourneys are best because if you don\'t get a seat you keep what you make so it\'s a succesful venture. HQCqualify.com runs qualifing tourneys alot but I think they are a ripoff because the juice is 35%. If you live near a live track you might find a contest to qualify but be sure they pay money to finishers other than the ones that get seats. The NTRA site has a list of where all the locations are. Had a great time at the Red Rock (Jerry gave us free TG which was very nice). In any case i\'ve got to change my game plan to a any chance at all and any help would be welcome . Best of luck to all that try. Ed B