Are you on "Internet Time" yet? 

To put it simply, Internet Time is time as measured by how fast things happen on the Internet. Trying to explain the time part of his Theory of Relativity to some non-tech types, Albert Einstein said "When you're with a pretty girl, an hour seems like a minute. But if you happen to sit on a hot stove, a minute seems like an hour."

Internet Time makes one month seem like six and one year seem like two or three. Products and services for use on the Internet, and websites as well, can come and go in months rather than years as in the world of brick and mortar. So whether you like the idea or not, if you're on the 'Net, Internet Time does affect you, too.

At the DRF's Handicapping Expo in February, 2000, I said that in the 4 years since I wrote Handicapping in Cyberspace, the main benefit of the Internet to handicappers was a tremendous explosion of useful information.

For example, players no longer have to be concerned that they can to get a copy of the Daily Racing Form before the allotment for a certain outlet is sold out--they can simply download and print the pp's for handicapping at their own convenience well before going to the track or OTB. In fact, they can even select from several different sources of past performances. 

I also said that the main failings of the Internet for players were (1) the undelivered promise that players would soon be able to watch live races on their computer monitors with video as smooth the picture on your television, and (2) the continuing of the same losing attitude by the majority of race track managements on the Internet as in the real world.

It's been just a blink of the eye since my last analysis, in terms of Internet Time, but for everyone who hasn't made the change (or simply refuses to), here's what's been going on.

THE GOOD...

The main--and totally unexpected--development is that it's getting harder and harder to generalize about broad categories of handicaping websites. This is good because it means that the quality of websites that provide information, services, and products to handicappers in Cyberspace has risen to a much higher level than just a calendar year ago, and light years compared to 1996. (I try to say this in a very UN-self-serving way in spite of the fact that I own a website.) My visits to other horse racing sites on a regular basis often amaze me, mostly with the awareness that pervades some sites that handicappers want and need good, timely information, whether that information is free or a paid service.

Some specifics:

* The recent introduction of BRISnet's online wagering. Along with YouBet and TVG (and the few other US-based online wagering startups at this time), this is truly the wave of the future, if the Puritan Citizen Gestapo elements in government don't screw it up. The so-called "sportsbooks" of online casinos generally offer highly limited and difficult-to-use means to get down on horse races. And regardless of the claims that they're licensed by whatever legal bodies license such business on offshore islands, if they fold, you moneu folds with them, with no recourse for you. 

* The increasing dissemination of racing news. Time was when many players relied ONLY on the printed DRF to get their news, and often it was old and cold when they got it. Now, and especially in the last year, the time between an event and your ability to become informed about it is hours, or less. In just the past 3 months, sites like Handicapping.com and the Daily Racing Form have become leaders in getting news to players amazingly fast. The DRF often has in-depth reporting on various racing news stories. Handicapping.com's racing news is updated as much as 6 times a day, around the clock and features top international racing news as well--a big plus for players who know the advantage of keeping track of the inevitable European/Middle East/Asian invaders who will cross the ocean soon in preparation for this year's Breeders' Cup. Both sites feature top stories prominently on their home pages.
* Vast online improvements by selected race tracks. Although you can count them on the fingers of one hand, there have been a few tracks that have made amazing progress in serving their (handicapping customers). The ones that come to mind most quickly are:

---Del Mar, the best racetrack website since 1996 on the Internet, as far as I'm concerned. Always fresh, always projecting the attitude that they're here because they know you want as much information as you can get to bet and win at the races.

---The Churchill Downs Group. Using a common graphic layout to indicate the group operation across the sites of the tracks in the group, players can get needed information quickly from track to track in a comfortable way. CD online has always been good, but they've now kicked it up a notch to show they can be excellent. 

---NYRA. New York's online treatment of racing has always been lacking--until this past year. They, too, have suddenly realized "Oh! It's about horse racing!" and have improved considerably. I can't give them a BIG gold star, because they still shortchange Finger Lakes, compared to Belmont and Saratoga, in terms of online treatment, but they're learning. (Hey, those $2500 NY-bred horses have to run someplace!)

NEXT WEEK: Part II - ...The Bad, and the Ugly