Thorostats Phase II Update is Complete

***Thorostats Phase II Update is Complete***

Updated Doc Link on Home Page

A complete explaination of Thorostats website and tools is now available. You can access the updated file by clicking the Docs tab on our home page. Look here first if you have questions about using the website or tools. Each area and function is explained in detail and there are several tips included that will help you to get the most out of using our products.

Revamped Forum Area

The forum area will now be limited to registered website users only. In our efforts to provide quality information and share our handicapping knowledge we've decided to restrict access to the Thorostats Handicapper User Group or T.H.U.G. The original posters to the forum have been granted access to THUG as a reward for sharing your ideas and comments with us during the first two stages of development. The main motivation in restricting the user group is to bring a stronger focus to the tools and information we provide and to share ideas with our supporters. If you do not have access to THUG please e-mail to mike@thorostats.com He will be able to accomadate your request based on your support of Thorostats.

Editable Class Control - Editable Par Control - Improved Rating Accuracy

The editable class and par time tables will affect the speed and power ratings. These tables control the reference for making our speed figures. The first adjustments to the tables were made Wenesday morning. These adjustments are a universal shifting of the class level charts for ALL TRACKS to establish a new top level and a defined bottom level of class.

All Grade I and Grade II stakes levels are now set at a top class level of 112 and 111 respectively. Grade III stakes will all have a class level of 110 or 109 based on the average purse value(APV) for MSW races at the track. All MSW, allowance, classified and minor stakes have been lowered 3 points across the board for ALL TRACKS. The claiming class levels are all lower by 1 point across the claiming classes for ALL TRACKS. Maiden claiming races are now set at the same class level as the 2K claiming class. These steps establish the top and bottom reference for all future adjustments.

One major improvement in the phase two update is the editable par controls. Thorostats will now be able to determine par times for each class level and specific distance at every track. This information will be used make important class level adjustments the will make class to class comparisons more valid than the present method can accomplish. We will now be able to set class levels in line with actual par times for races at a specific condition. One major benefit of this set of tools will provide to our users is the knowledge that Thorostats speed ratings are attended to actively and are based on the latest information available.

ALL changes made to the class and par time charts, from this day forward, will be documented and and shared with members who have access to the class and par charts. This area of the site will be limited to contributing members who have elected to support the class and par time area. We want all users to know that par times will soon be edited and changes applied to all race selection reports. Please direct all inquires and comments on par and class charts in THUG or directly to mike@thorostats.com

Member Dues Interface

Most importantly we have added a member dues interface. Thorostats users will now be requested to contribute monthly dues for access to race day selections and ratings. We have kept Thorostats freely open for the first phases of development in order to let people become familiar with our website and handicapping tools. As our investment in the project has reached substantial levels we have advanced our method to a point where where we percieve greater value in the ratings we will produce. This leads to a point of diminishing returns on our top rated runners if the selections are freely availabe. Limiting access to contributing members will give us a degree of control in this area.

The second aspect of benefit to members is having your ideas implemented in the final phase of development. All contributing members will be asked for their input on any changes and improvements made for the next stage. Member dues will go to support additional programming of improvements and maintence of hardware for providing you reliable access to Thorostats 365 days a year. We have compiled a significant data base and we want to share our information with members who are active in providing their input and support.



H.O.O.F Report

A new report is currenty being compiled by the programming department. This report will be named The HOOF report. HOOF is an acronym that represents Handicapping On Overall Factors. This report addresses several user suggestions and it is the first stage of our phase III development. The report interface will provide users a look at each field based on factors that the users can select. The out put will show in detail which specific factor or combinations of factors has produced the greatest win percentages and returns on wagers.

Details on the HOOF Report will be released in the near future depending on the progress of development. We hope you are happy with the phase two results and we very much will need your support to take Thorostats to it's original goal of providing high quality handicapping tools and ratings for users of all levels of experience.