First of all, we don't trust early speed numbers collected from dissimilar races (routes vs. sprints or dirt vs. turf), so our program does not attempt to make a correction for these differences. Instead, it goes back five races, if necessary, looking for three similar races to base the calculation on. Second, we're so used to Quirin's speed points, where larger numbers are better, that our algorithm also gives larger numbers to horses showing greater early speed.

In the sample shown below, Sagitta Ra had the maximum 8 Quirin Speed Points and 3 more than any other horse, but Elisa's Energy & Ligacao Direta were clearly the early speed horses based on these weighted speed points. Elisa's Energy won, paying $14.60 and Ligacao Direta came in 4th, but only a length back.

The Track Bias calculations done by this program may well be its most important feature. How may times have you searched for a reason to back another horse against a favorite that you consider vulnerable. Well, an unfavorable track bias in its last race may be just the evidence you need.

This program reads a BRIS comma-delimited results chart files and computes a Track-Bias Number for the day. Unlike the "Klein Track Bias Number", which is badly skewed, our number is balanced. The Klein number varies from 0 (Negative speed bias) to 300 (Positive speed bias) with a "fair" or "neutral" track having a value of about 80, leaving 80 points to cover negative bias and 220 to cover positive bias. Our number ranges from -200 (Negative early speed bias) to +200 (Positive early speed bias) with a neutral track falling right in the middle, at zero. You can export these daily bias numbers to a comma-delimited text file which you can quickly search with Microsoft Excel.

If you are a serious handicapper, the Weighted Speed Calculator is a bargain at only $41.95!