TimeformUS Running Line Features
TimeformUS Fast PPs contain the lifetime running lines for every horse and feature the following:
TimeformUS Speed Figures
TimeformUS Speed Figures are a combination of the horse’s final time, the pace at which the horse ran, and the pace of the race. By adjusting for pace, our figures do a better job of expressing a horse’s potential. Rather than reflecting only his final times, which, after all, can be affected by slow or fast paces, they reflect his actual ability.
By combining a horse’s pace figures, final-time figure, and running style into one number, we form what we believe is the best single-number measure of performance available anywhere.
Related Blog Posts:
TimeformUS Speed Figures
TimeformUS Speed Figures Put to the Test
Based on the fractional times run by each horse at each point of call in a race, TimeformUS Pace Figures give you a clear sense of the pace scenarios that a horse has faced in prior races. The final pace figure listed is the final time figure, in the above example 107. Comparing this figure with the TimeformUS Speed Figure (112) shows this horse gained 5 points by the pace he ran at throughout the race.
Related Blog Post:
TimeformUS Pace Figures
Red/Blue Race Shape Indicators
When looking at the fractions or pace figures in our running lines, you may occasionally see some fractions colored in red or blue. Red means “fast” and blue means “slow,” but there’s a lot more to it than that.
First, the “fast” and “slow” is relative to the final time of the race. Just because the opening quarter time of a race was fast, that doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll code it red. We would only code it red if it’s abnormally fast in contrast to the final time of the race.
Second, the red and blue coding is based on the lead horse’s official fractions. If the shape of the race was particularly fast or slow at any point, we’re showing you a red or blue fraction.
Related Blog Post:
Red/Blue Race Shape Indicators
TimeformUS Race Ratings with Bias Indicators
TimeformUS Race Ratings are designed to let you easily understand the quality of a race. They are a simple way to understand if a horse is facing a significant change in the level of competition he’s used to facing. The Race Rating for “Today’s” race is located inside the track diagram–the 122 you see on the image to the right. Previous Race Ratings can be found to the left of the conditions. Colored boxes indicate that a previous race was contested over a speed favoring or closer favoring track. The designations are:
Red: The track significantly favored speed that day
Light Red: The track favored speed that day, but not as strongly as in the solid red-coded races
Blue: The track significantly favored closers that day
Light Blue: The track favored closers that day, but not as strongly as in the solid blue-coded races
White: No noticeable track trend.
Related Blog Posts:
Race Ratings
How to use: Race Ratings
Bias Indicators
Personalized Fractions and Pace Figures
You can set your “Fractions Preferences” by clicking on the fractions within any running line. Your preferences will be saved and will be shown in your preferred style for all races.
Lifetime Workouts
The most recent workouts for each horse are located at the bottom of the Fast PP page. Click or tap on the arrow on the right to open a pop-up that includes the lifetime works for each horse.
Exclusive TimeformUS Fast PP Ratings and Tools:
Running Styles with Early and Late Pace Ratings
Running Style Classifications:
Leader (A one-dimensional front-running horse)
Speed (A horse who races on or near the early lead)
Tracker (Generally a stalking type of horse, or one with a very tractable running style)
Midpack (A horse who generally races in the middle of the pack)
Closer (A stretch-running horse who comes from the back of the pack)
Plodder (A one-dimensional horse who languishes at the back of the pack)
Early/Late Ratings
The Early/Late Ratings are created by looking at a horse’s last four races, and factoring in Running Style with early/late velocity to come up with a rating to predict the early/late ability of each horse.
Related Blog Post:
Running Style and Early/Late Ratings
TimeformUS Trainer Ratings
The Key Ratings box gives you three ways to evaluate a trainer:
– How he ranks according to our 100-point rating system
– How he’s performed in the past year (his raw stats are displayed)
– How he’s performed lately (the “Last 2 Weeks” Hot/Cold column)
Note that if you see a rating inside a white box, that means we’re pulling data from a limited sample size.
For more specific ratings click on the green “More Ratings” text at the top of the key ratings box. When you do a pop out box will appear showing the most relevant trainer ratings for the circumstances of this race.
Related Blog Posts:
Key Trainer Ratings Box
How to use: Trainer Ratings
Pedigree & Lifetime Record Box
Each horse’s lifetime record including starts, wins, seconds, thirds and earnings are located on the top line of this box. Clicking on this line will open a career record box with more race specific criteria.
Below the record, is horse information, including sex, age, month foaled, state bred status and the most recent auction information including the sale price.
Our breeding information includes sire, dam, damsire in parentheses and a pedigree rating. The pedigree rating is specific for today’s surface and distance.
Related Blog Post:
TimeformUS Pedigree Ratings
Full Results Charts
To open the chart of any race in a horse’s running lines, click on the 1-2-3 box to the right of the TimeformUS speed figure in each running line. A full chart of the race will be opened in a new tab of your web browser.
Related Blog Post:
Full Results Charts
Additional Tools:
Navigation
Jumping to a different track, race or date within the Fast PPs is quick and easy. Simply click or tap on the text to bring up a menu of options for any of the three fields. Clicking on the left or right arrows next to “Race” will direct you to the previous or next race.
Available on a race by race basis, click the print button to generate a PDF file. In addition to creating a printable file, the file can be saved for future viewing and used as a way to view the entire field in a single scroll.
An algorithm analyzes the last 5 TFUS speed figures and weights them to calculate our Check Mark Ratings. A horse’s spotlight speed figure get the top weight, while the other four figures are weighted based on recency. Recent races are weighted heavily in the formula compared to starts 4-5 races back. If a horse has fewer than 5 speed figures, we look at all available races. First and second time starters are treated somewhat differently. For first time starters, we use a combination of the pedigree rating and the current trainer’s rating with firsters. For second time starters, a calculated increase from their first start is factored into their first race speed figure. The checkmarks are automated on a 1-5 scale and serve as a nice starting point in a race, they are not a replacement for thorough handicapping.
In this section, you can use the buttons to make and save your picks to view at a later time. They will be saved in the “My Picks” area, and we have added in a Major Play and Thumbs Down button for you to further define your selections.
Notes
Click the notes section to enter and save a note for today’s race. You can also go back and save notes for races that have already taken place (as long as they’re still in our race menu). When you hit save, your note will be saved forever, and you can find it any time you view this horse’s past performances in the future. Any time you want to read old notes for a horse, simply click the arrow below the word “Notes” and all of your old notes appear.
Looking for Actual Odds in the PPs. Don’t know if they are there but I missed them. Needed to compare public opinion vs race rating.
Q2: Is race rating just based on the conditions or track and conditions, or actual speeds ran?
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Yes, actual odds are right in the PPs directly under the horse’s name/program number.
Race rating is based primarily on the previous Speed Figures of the horses in today’s race.
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I see the races will say Fast 5 or Muddy 3 or something like that, which is the explanation for those?
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Does a thumbs down have any wider implications or is it only something to remind us in the future we thought this horse to be worthless, should the horse appear in another race we’re analyzing?
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The thumbs down is another tool in the My Picks section that can be added to the horses you have selected for the toss row. It is simply a way to differentiate the horses you strongly dislike in a particular race.
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Hi,
Are abbreviated race conditions going to be available in the PP’s? For instance, a $10k non-winners of three lifetime claimer is just listed as a $10k claimer rather than a $10k NW3L, which you can only find out by clicking on the relevant race conditions. This would be very useful and time-saving.
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We’re going to finish up race class ratings for each race (they’re in the headers and will be introduced in the PPs in the next two weeks), and eventually offer conditioned headers as an option but we want to try to make the game simpler first.
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marcatrtr: Is there a way to print my timeform pp’s that cuts down the number of pages to print? Been enjoying TB racing since 1964, and have limited resources, ie color printer, tech knowledge & skill! Please advise.
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Gordon, we will have a new style of PDF PPs for you to check out later this week. Much less reliance on color and much easier to use. Hold tight!
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