P Eck-- Yes, I looked at adding two points-- it was the only other way to go you could seriously consider. Problem is that it produced a huge percentage of horses running off races and "X"'s-- the distibution would be completely screwy.

By the way, yesterday I tossed off a seat of the pants estimate that stake 3yos at least paired their tops around 50% of the time. Well, George ran it, and here it is:

3yos, March through June, stakes only, same criteria as the Thoro-Pattern (same surface, all sprints or all routes, all races within 6 weeks of each other)--

New tops 22%, "pairs" (within a point either way) 28%, total 50%-- I am the man.

When the study is just colts or geldings, routes only, the breakdown becomes new tops 28%, pairs 33%. Sample size on that one 224.



TGJB