Handicapping Profile
I enjoy handicapping and keeping records for each racing season......which for me is broken down into the Winter Racing Season - highlighted by live racing at Gulfstream - then the Spring/Summer Racing Season - highlighted by the Triple Crown and running through Labor Day - to the Fall Racing Season, including the Breeders' Cup World Championships.
I have been an avid fan of thoroughbred racing for many years, but have taken my handicapping to a more "serious" level since 2005 when I wrote my first book, a chronicle of a year at the races as seen through my eyes. It was during that season that I first began to keep very detailed records.
Below are my records season by season. As you can see, I am pretty good at selecting the winners! But, it's always tougher to handicap the Gulfstream meet because there are so many outfits from out of town who ship in here for the winter. If you have any comments, please email me at mlovecbhs@aol.com - I'd love to hear from you! Let the handicapping begin!
2005-2023 Records: 33,040 Selections / 11,574 WINS (35.0%)- Avg. Pay: $5.63 - ROI: $1.97
"The standard measurement of success in handicapping is ROI (Return on Investment). If you simply bet the favorite in every race, you'd end up losing about 10% and having an ROI = $1.80. A player with an ROI between $1.67 and $1.80 is doing ok in comparison to others, but has a way to go. A player with an ROI between $1.80 and $1.90 is probably a decent handicapper; this is not bad for a casual race goer. A player winning $1.91 to $2.00 is doing very well and is beating about 93% of all other bettors."
- John Lindley from his book, "Handicapping For Bettor or Worse"
Fall 2024
217/ 87 - 35 - 22 WIN: 40.1% ITM: 66.4%
Avg. $4.96 ROI $2.15
Gulfstream 2024-25
---- / ----- W: -----% ITM: -----%
Avg. $----- ROI $-----
Spring/Summer 2024
736 / 273 - 143 - 913 WIN: 37.1% ITM 69.2%
Avg. $5.28 ROI $1.96
Gulfstream 2023-24
908 / 332 (614) W: 36.6% ITM: 66.0%
Avg. $4.82 ROI $2.06
Fall 2023
116 / 43 (80) WIN: 37.1% ITM: 69.0%
Avg. $5/42-- ROI $2.01
Spring/Summer 2023
835 / 297 - 176 - 91 WIN: 35.6% ITM 67.6%
Avg. $5.02 ROI $1.75
Gulfstream 2022-23
613 / 239 (488) W: 39.0% ITM: 79.6%
Avg. $5.03 ROI $1.96
Fall 2022
240/82 (164) W: 34.2% ITM 68.3%
Avg. $5.38 ROI $2.05
Spring/Summer 2022
847 / 324 (648) WIN: 40.4% ITM: 76.5%
Avg. $4.67 ROI $2.06
Gulfstream 2021-22
871 / 308 (580) W: 35.4% ITM: 66.6%
Avg. $4.96 ROI $1.79
Fall 2021
182 / 79 (120) W: 43.4% ITM 65.9%
Avg. $5.05 ROI $2.20
Spring/Summer 2021
712 / 265 (504) WIN: 37.2% ITM: 70.4%
Avg. $5.07 ROI $1.89
Gulfstream 2020-21
845 / 298 (553) W: 35.3% ITM: 65.4%
Avg. $5.70 ROI $1.93
Spring/Summer/Fall 2020
973 / 354 (667) WIN: 36.4% ITM: 69.0%
Avg. $5.05 ROI $1.97
Gulfstream 2019-20
841 / 301 (455) W: 36.0% ITM: 65.6%
Avg. $5.16 ROI $1.84
Fall 2019
106 / 38 (77) W: 35.5% ITM 72.6%
Avg. $4.32 ROI $1.55
Spring/Summer 2019
669 / 278 (504) WIN: 41.5% ITM: 75.3%
Avg. $5.20 ROI $1.97
Gulfstream 2018-19
627 / 221 (396) W: 35.2% ITM: 63.1%
Avg. $4.27 ROI $1.66
Fall 2018
150 / 50 (90) W: 33.3% ITM 60.0%
Avg. $4.14 ROI $1.63
Spring/Summer 2018
754 / 268 (520) WIN: 35.5% ITM: 69.0%
Avg. $4.65 ROI $1.65
Gulfstream 2017-18
831 / 290 (563) W: 34.9% ITM: 67.6%
Avg. $5.39 ROI $2.10
Spring/Summer/Fall 2017
830 / 300 (549) WIN: 36.1% ITM: 66.1%
Avg. $4.52 ROI $1.64
Gulfstream 2016-17
768 / 246 (513) W: 32.0% ITM: 66.8%
Avg. $5.01 ROI $1.72
Gulfstream 2015-16
634 / 204 (396) W: 32.1% ITM: 64.2%
Avg. $5.19 ROI $1.78
Spring/Summer/Fall 2016
1,037 / 381 (713) WIN: 36.7% ITM: 68.7%
Avg. $5.33 ROI $1.96
Road To The Breeders' Cup 2015
906 / 316 (590) WIN: 35.0% ITM: 56.1%
Avg. $4.77 ROI $1.86
Gulfstream 2015-14
747 / 240 (498) W: 32.1% ITM: 66.7%
Avg. $5.13 ROI $1.72
Fall 2014
318 / 104 (202) W: 32.7% ITM 63.5%
Avg. $4.97 ROI $1.75
Spring/Summer 2014
767 / 270 (492) WIN: 35.2% ITM: 64.1%
Avg. $5.30 ROI $1.93
Gulfstream 2013-14
815 / 277 (498) W: 34.0% ITM: 64.5%
Avg. $5.29 ROI $1.91
Fall 2013
271 / 102 (166) W: 37.6% ITM 61.3%
Avg. $5.38 ROI $2.07
Spring/Summer 2013
849 / 278 (540) WIN: 32.4% ITM: 63.6%
Avg. $5.14 ROI $1.70
Gulfstream 2012-13
799 / 251 (499) W: 31.4% ITM: 62.5%
Avg. $5.00 ROI $1.63
Fall 2012
371 / 127 (229) W: 30/0% ITM 58.6%
Avg. $6.51 ROI $1.93
Spring/Summer 2012
1,150 / 354 (714) WIN: 30.7% ITM: 62.1%
Avg. $5.96 ROI $1.92
Gulfstream 2011-12
726 / 214 (448) W: 29.1% ITM: 61.7%
Avg. $5.75 ROI $1.70
Fall 2011
411 / 122 (241) W: 30.0% ITM 58.6%
Avg. $6.51 ROI $1.93
Spring/Summer 2012
927 / 301 (604) WIN: 32.5% ITM: 65.2%
Avg. $6.09 ROI $1.96
Gulfstream 2010-11
772 / 240 (486) W: 31.1% ITM: 62.7%
Avg. $5.98 ROI $1.86
Tropical at Calder 2010
230 / 87 (166) W: 37.8% ITM 72.2%
Avg. $6.17 ROI $2.44
Fall 2010
138 / 47 (103) WIN: 35.6% ITM: 74.6%
Avg. $5.03 ROI $2.04
Spring/Summer 2010
784 / 296 (566) WIN: 37.8% ITM: 72.3%
Avg. $5.34 ROI $2.01
Gulfstream 2009-10
655 / 202 (422) W: 30.8% ITM: 64.4%
Avg. $6.19 ROI $1.91
Fall 2009
316 / 130 (228) WIN: 41.1% ITM: 72.1%
Avg. $4.50 ROI $2.09
Spring/Summer 2009
932 / 258 (590) WIN: 27.9% ITM: 63.4%
Avg. $6.09 ROI $1.70
Gulfstream 2008-09
485 / 147 (295) W: 30.3% ITM: 61.0%
Avg. $5.41 ROI $1.64
Tropical at Calder 2008
104 / 40 (75) WIN: 38.5% ITM: 72.1%
Avg. $8.10 ROI $3.12
Summer 2008
902 / 268 (534) WIN: 29.1% ITM: 59.2%
Avg. $6.39 ROI $1.89
Summer 2007
669 / 204 (430) WIN: 30.4% ITM: 64.2%
Avg. $6.25 ROI $1.91
Year At The Races 2005 - 2006
1,590 Selections / 454 WINS - WIN: 28.5% / Avg. $6.81 / ROI $2.01