Prepping for Tournament Play

Thursday Stategy Session

Book Review

The Winning Contest Player
by Peter Thomas Fornatale
Published by Daily Raciing Form Press
published in 2013
313 pages


All horse players eyes were on the National Handicapping Championship this past weekend. Congratulations to Thomas Goldsmith for winning the big tournament coming down the stretch. He took home $800k in winnings for his fine handicapping ability.

Most handicapping tomes are like reference or text books. The have a long shelf life. The Winning Contest Player is no exception. This grand book is a must read for any tournament player or even a casual player that seeks greater insights into the game of horse racing.

Mr. Fornatale has written a grade one book that captures the essence of tournament play. This fine book is written in such a way that while reading it you feel you are there in some grand ballroom participating in the exciting tournament action.

In his unique journo-style, Mr. Fornatale offers some of the best handicapping hints and advice from some of the best horse players in the world. He tees up twenty-one important lessons for tournament play. Pulling from these, the most important are:

• Preparation.
• Be different.
• Stay focused.
• Save a bullet for the end.

According to Mr. Fornatale, there is no set formula for winning tournament play, but there is an operational formula that you can apply to achieve a victory. He reveals a formula that 2.5 times the total contest wager is where you have a high probability of finding the tournament winners circle. An example might be the traditional contest where you make mythical $2 WIN / PLACE wagers over ten races. Applying the formula, you will need to hit a cool c note ($100) to be in the running for the top tournament prize. Knowing this figure, he writes, you can formulate a battle plan to get there. That might include four long-shot plays sprinkled among a couple of mid-priced horses and a favorite or two.

This great read also provides you with charts and definitions to handicapping terms essential for new or novice tournament players. One distinct takeaway that is referred to throughout is the strategy of handicapping from the back of the card (last race) to the front of the tournament cards offered up. The rationale is, usually some of the horses with higher odds win in the races late in the card. Also, much of the time the later races on any card have larger fields and are more competitive.

Mr. Fornatale has written an exceptional book that should be in any horse players handicapping library.