Now that I’ve gone ahead and taken a look back, it’s
“resolution” time. I hate to call them resolutions because I think then
I’m just setting myself up for failure. I guess that these are more like
“goals” I would like to reach and want to build a plan around them to help me
get there. Here are the top 5 for 2014:
“WORK” At My Handicapping. I know, we all think that we
work at it when we sit and break down a race card but the truth is that being
successful at this game requires you to have better insight than the people you
are wagering against. Back when I was moderately successful at this, I
took notes on races and horses, I kept track of my wins and losses, I broke
down the results of races against the past performances to see what it is that
I missed. More often than not, I missed something and documenting that
helped keep me from repeating that error. I’d like to get back to a
strike rate of 40% at average odds of 7/2 or better again.
I’m also going to re-sign up for the National Handicapping Championship this
season and try and play in an event per month to try and qualify for the 2015
Championships in Las Vegas as well as utilizing my balance at Derby Wars to play in more tournaments as
well. Competition forces you to keep you skills sharp and, let’s face it;
I’m a very competitive person anyhow!
Promote TURF. A few years back we formed a loose group of
bloggers with the announced goal of writing about and promoting our sport of horse
racing. Some of the best bloggers in North America became part of TURF and I’ve decided to take that
on for 2014; at least try and promote members blogs on our Facebook page (Turf
Bloggers) and Twitter (@turfbloggers) account. I’ll see if I can end
up doing more than that, but for now that may have to be enough.
Blog More Often. This one seems simple enough, but it
never seems to work out. Ted needs to sit his ass down in front of the PC
and get it done. There are going to be a few things I’m going to try this
year that are new, like some video pieces such as putting together a video of
bringing a horse up to their first ever race that hopefully would be fun and
interesting.
Expand the Club. Managing the Canterbury Park Racing Club was
fun, interesting and rewarding. We got some nice press through the Paulick Report in the Spring, but I
have not seen this concept take off anywhere else. That strikes me as a
gig that could be developed into something nationwide. I don’t think that
Magna Group, NYRA or Churchill Downs Inc. would be interested per se (though
they should be) but what about other racetracks around the US like Tampa Bay,
Hawthorne, Oaklawn or Turf Paradise? No one may be interested, but I’m
going to give it a try.
Get Organized. My move this past summer left me totally
discombobulated. I have files everywhere and paperwork that needs to get into
them! I need to take the time it takes to get them set and maintained.
Realistically it only takes a few minutes of extra time a day once I’m set up
to do it so I need to remind myself how much easier life is when I’m organized
and not procrastinate when it comes to taking those five extra minutes.
Certainly not unattainable goals, I don’t think. I
also want to lose weight, exercise more, expand my partnerships, write better,
get the book in my head onto paper and on, and on, and on. However I think
that these five are good and in one way shape or form, interrelated. Being
organized affects all the other goals. Being more active in writing and
promoting TURF will help expand my platform and could help open doors to
generating more business. The lifeblood of our sport is the wagering and
being better at that aspect can permeate all the others since it would force me
to follow racetracks and horses more carefully, record my thoughts and expand
the potential pool of subject matter. It would also keep me from my
embarrassing 2013 finishes this year in the Hello Race Fans expert picks!
Best of luck in all your goals for 2014. I look
forward to hearing about yours and sharing with you the progress as this stable
turns into the wind and tries to take flight.
