The SimRacing Form is proud to announce that beginning today the SRF Speed Figures will be available to all players here at HRP. The SRF Speed Figures have been in use and published for HRP since May 2004 mainly in coverage of Graded Stakes races. Now for the first time these figures will be made available to all HRP players. Since June of 2006 we have been calculating the SRF figures for all pay tracks on the site, MNR is not included as this is the free racetrack. The speed figures will be published daily in the HRP past performances, in addition they will also be available in the new SRF Charts which like the past performances will be available daily. The charts will include basic data and each horse’s SRF figure. The charts are ideal for the handicappers on the site and for those who want a heads up in looking to claim their next star. In addition the figures will be available for all owners’ stabled horses and any horse an owner wishes to see via the horse search engine. This availability will be in various packages.

The SRF speed figures are a valuable tool to use in all aspects of HRP horseracing. The SRF speed figures are not a magical number that will give you a winner by just glancing at them, although sometimes that will happen. But generally they are a tool to use to determine the quality of your horses. The figures are a measurement of a horse’s speed and ability; they are a glimpse into the past. By seeing patterns in a horse’s past you can then best set a course to their future. The figures will help an owner place a horse where they should be placed, whether they’re a stakes horse or a $2.00 claimer. The figures will display where a horse runs best, sprint or route, dirt or turf. Knowing what figure your horse can run is a great advantage over other owners who do not have that information. This can and will give you a greater opportunity to compete well and win which is the main goal.

How to get the Figures

We are proud here at the SimRacing Form to see that HRP has determined the SRF speed figures are a benefit to the game and therefore have published them in their past performances. This demonstrates that through study the figures accurately portray the potential of the horse’s here at HorseRacingPark. We hope that each of you will take a look at the figures and determine for yourself if they help you succeed in placing your runners in the best possible spot to win. Give yourself a better chance to win and earn money. See the HRP site for complete details of SRF Speed Figure packages and how to purchase.

SRF Speed Figure FAQ

How are the SRF Speed Figures computed?

In short: Without getting too technical in explaining the mathematics, Horses are broken down into 15 Base Classes. There are 6 Age Groups (4yo’s up, 4yo f&m, 3yo’s, 3yof, 2yo’s, 2yof), these age groups are then broken down into Sub Class categories(NW3, NW2, MDN, SAlw) for each of the 15 Base Classes. These groups/categories are called the Class Base Figures. The class base figures are used as the number to compare against raw race times to establish a track variant. Variants are computed for each distance run that day at each track. The resulting variant is then added to the raw race final time to give you the SRF Speed Figure.

Are the SRF speed figures just computer generated figures?

No. While computing a track variant is done mathematically there is also the occasion when logic must be used. Every so often a race may fall more than two standard deviations from figures the rest of the races at that distance are producing. It is at that point that the race must be examined more closely to determine if it can be included or adjusted to fit into the variant curve.  That is why all track variants are done manually with that data entered into the computer to compute each horse’s SRF speed figure. .

Can the figures be used track to track?

Yes, that is the advantage of the SRF speed figures over the track variant/speed figures. The track figures are a comparison of a horse to the track record at one particular racetrack and distance. These figures will vary significantly and have no meaning from racetrack to racetrack. On the other hand the SRF figures are obtained by using class and comparing that class to a raw time/track record time to establish a much more precise track variant. Since they are based in class the figures are comparable from track to track: a 90 at SUF is the same as a 90 at GP

Can a horse get better and move up in Class?

Yes, a lower class horse can have his speed figures improve and progress up the class ladder. There have been many occasions here at HRP where I have seen horses improve their SRF speed figures as they move from class to class. Consistency in the figures is the key. If a lower class horse consistently displays high SRF figures for the class he is running in it shows the horse has ability and likely can take a step up in class.

What is Class, figure wise?

Class, figure wise is the ability to run high figures even when facing the best of runners here at HRP. If a horse can continually run high figures against top competition or run high figures as the distances increase establishes him with class. That is pure and simple what Class is, it’s the ability to run high speed figures against the best horses or at increasing distances. Icicle is a prime example; he ran high triple digit SRF figures from sprints to 1-1/4 mile distances and in Graded company.

Will the high figure always win?

No. Many factors play into the outcome of a race. The horse with the highest figure in a race may be moving up in class or may be trying a distance that he has never tried before or been successful at. He may have reached his peak in his last start or a few starts before that and though may still run very well off that figure he may have regressed just enough to lose. Racing surface is a key; he may have gained his high figure on an off track or on the turf. Also racing luck is needed, if a horse gets into trouble or trapped behind a wall of horses no matter how big his figure is his chances will have been compromised which will lead to defeat. A horse with a high figure has a distinct advantage if his figure is three or four points or higher than the rest of the field especially if he is running in a class and distance that he has shown he can compete well in.

Can I just use the figures in handicapping?

Well you can and I believe you would come up with many winners using just the figures. However, you should not abandon any of your handicapping techniques. Sound handicapping is still essential to success. The SRF speed figures are what we believe the most accurate numbers here at HRP to measure a horse’s ability and a basis for his potential, they can be a great tool in your handicapping/training aresenal. They have a proven record having been recorded since the 2004 HRP racing season. The SRF figures have picked the HOY at HRP the last two years and will likely add to that with this year’s pick Dark Crown.

How can a cheap class horse have a high figure for the day?

On certain occasions a lower class horse will run the highest figure for the day. This happens in the real world and it happens here at HRP.

The reason for this is that a horse may be much better than the company he’s running against. In this situations there are a number of reasons for his big performance. It could be the pace sets up well or he may find himself on an easy lead at his ideal distance and the trainer may have trained him to peak performance. In these situations you may find a $5.00 claimer running say a 93 SRF speed figure. On the same card at the same distance an Allowance horse may run a 92 in his win. Now is the $5.00 claimer better than the allowance horse? Well I wouldn’t bet against the allowance horse if they both met in their next start. The lower class horse “Popped” a big figure because of his competition. A step up in class will find much tougher competitors and the lower class horse will usually succumb to the added pressure. You can expect a figure drop with a rise in class, though that may not always happen (See: Can a horse move up in Class FAQ)

The thing to remember is that yes lower class horses can come up with a fast race now and then. The SRF speed figures are a measure of speed and will reflect the occasion when those figures are produced.

How soon will the figures be released after a race?

The SRF figures will be made available usually within 24 to 48 hours after a race. This depends on the number of tracks operating on a particular day.

What is the most important thing to look at with the numbers?

Consistency is the single most important factor when using the SRF speed figures. A horse that displays high figures consistently will have a greater chance at success than one who on occasion “pops” a big figure. This is true in every class of horse running here at HRP.