[Jeebs]

Originally Posted by shoeless

FTL

In order what are the 5 most important things you do
when you are picking pace lines

Jeff

Jeff, here is an excerpt from a PM that FTL sent me several months ago. This should shed light on your question. Good luck!

I suggest you change the way you approach a race to the following.
1 – if you want to take my advice, throw out any horse that has not run in the last 90 days. Those horses win 5% or less of the races.
Then, throw out any horse with a ML of 20/1 or greater. Again, those horses win 5% or less of the races.
2 – read the conditions
3 – select a line for each horse that has a qualifying race, i.e.
a – last line is a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd (a “+” race) and is the same distance, surface or
b – last line the horse was 1st or close 2nd at the first and/or second call (a “(+)” race) even if it faded in the stretch and is the same distance, surface
c - last line the horse made up lengths between first call and second call to be within 2 lengths of the leader at the second call (a “(+)” race) even if it faded in the stretch and is the same distance, surface
In its’ last race, if a horse ran a “0” race and the race was the same distance, surface and similar class level and there was no “valid” reason for the bad effort, eliminate the horse from further consideration. A “valid” reason would be “trouble or off track”.
If in its’ last race the horse ran the wrong distance, wrong surface, higher class level, had trouble or on an OFF track, go back to the next line and follow the same guidelines.
In my own work I would not use a line that is more than 90 days old “IF” I legitimately got back that far. 90 days gives the horse many races to look at. That’s one race every 18 days. If the horse isn’t sound enough to keep that kind of schedule then there is probably something wrong with the horse.
NEVER USE a sprint line in a route race.
NEVER USE a route line in a sprint race.

Once contenders and lines have been selected, look first at the “original” screen. It is on this screen that you can see the different running styles. It is on this screen that you can see the class levels they were able to successfully (in one form or another) race at and compare those class levels to today’s. It is on this screen where you can see the mixture of running styles in the race, which will give you a better idea of how the race will unfold.