Client Comments

"Hello Frank,

I hope you enjoyed a pleasant Independence Day holiday. I certainly did...thanks to you and OMH! After receiving OMH last week, I have invested quite a bit of time stdying the Guide and familiarizing myself with the Workbook. In a week's time, of course, I have really just scratched the surface of the massive amount of useful information and advice you have provided. Armed however with a working understanding of the priciples of Betting Situations and use of the Workbook, I decided to tackle the 4th of July card at Emerald Downs. It's always a big event at the track. The night before, I prepped the DRF and employed the Workbook to identify Betting Situations. The materials are EXACTLY what I have long hoped to find...a guide to organizing, interpreting and using the wealth of information in the DRF. New to the Workbook process, going through the checklist of each of nine races took several hours. The effort proved extremely worthwhile! In the very first race (1 mile), #5 had "bet me" written all over him: beaten favorite, drop in company, jockey upgrade, a win at distance, trainer ROI of $2.31 on routes. ML 5-2, FF 5-1. I made a nice bet to win and place. Unfortunately, he was bet down to 2-1, but he won paying $5.40 and $3.60. Nice way to start the day. Better things to come! In race three, maidens, fillies 2 years old (the kind of race I have often avoided) #4 had a ML of 10-1, FF 22-1. Troubled trip, good trainer stats (.20 2YO, .17 1stBlink.) Seeing those Betting Situations, I bet her to win and cashed a $33.60 ticket!! Best wager I have ever placed! My only major heartbreak of the day was in the 8th. #5 ML 20-1 FF 7-1, drop in company, favorable jockey change, troubled trip, impressive workouts, preferred distance. Bet him to win and place. He went off at 19-1 and came in second by 1/2...then was DQued and placed fourth! All was forgiven in the 9th and featured race, a 1 mile $45k handicap. #3 Sudden Departure looked good: ML 7-2 FF 5-1, several bullet workouts, troubled trip last time out (but came in second), trainer Routes .20. I bet him to win and place. He went off at 7-1. In a very exciting head to head rush for the wire after trailing by 6 lengths, he beat the even-money favorite by a nose. I cashed for $15.80 win, $7.00 place! As a still undisciplined and overly-enthusiastic bettor, wagering on a three horse exacta box that fell apart and betting on a race that had a few but no substantial Betting Situations nibbled away at some of my innings. I still need to learn how to interpret the true significance of the FF: how much of a change from the ML should trigger a Betting Situation? Same with Overlay and Underlays. I'm sure those situations are illustrated in the Guide, but I haven't absorbed everything yet, of course! Also, I need to become better familiar with the language of a troubled trip. Some comments are obvious: bumped, fractious in gate, 3 wide etc. But whatabout saved ground, chased, inside and dueled inside, off rail and altered course? Thanks to you Frank and OMH, the 4th of July was an exciting, eye-opening and succesful day at the track. Better than that though, I feel now that I am actually learning how to read and use the Racing Form in a way that will lead, with experience,to continued success. Many thanks for your many hours of hard work in creating the Guide and Workbook. It's an impressive and practical layout, too: the heavy duty lay-flat, spiral binding is useful and well-thought out! Sorry for the length of this report, but I wanted to let you know that I am totally pumped up about yesterday and my whole OMH experience. Can't wait for Sunday!

Jerry Hawkins
Tacoma, WA"

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