The following was written in September of 2000:

In one of my columns, I offered a very simple ratings method for players who use jockeys as a handicapping factor. That method came from the 1974 book, The Complete Handicapper's Manual: A Scientific Guide to Making Money at the Races by Randolph Reynolds. The book, published by Pagurian Press, Ltd, of New York and Toronto, is long out of print and Pagurian is out of business. 

A university graduate with a special interest in math and statistics. Reynolds developed an interest in probability theory, and devoted his life and learning to the two fields he enjoyed most-the stock market and horse racing. His book is based on a study of  2,000 races, a number that seems laughable with today's computer studies able to spit out analyses of many more races in little time. I'm guessing Reynolds had to do it by hand and with more than a little blood, sweat, and tears. 

My friend "Spotplay" and I are fans of older racing books and we marvel at the tidbits we pick up from the books of as far back as the 1930's and 1940's about racing that were written as handicapping books, and not just blown-up systems that could be presented in just a few pages. You find these works in used bookstores, the back room of Gambler's Book Club in Las Vegas, on the various auction places on the Internet, and some other esoteric locations. 

One of my favorites is Reynolds' work, which he self-published in 1971.In his introduction, Reynolds says: 
 

These are not the words of a tout. Reynolds goes on to warn readers that the part of his book devoted to speed rating is "...difficult to read and even more difficult to understand..." No promises of quick riches or easy methods. A warning that you'll need to work to become a good handicapper. But then, that was in a time when instant gratification had not quite yet become the common attitude for the me generation. 

As a matter of fact, this was 4 years before Andy Beyer wrote Picking Winners, 7 years before Steve Davidowitz wrote Betting Thoroughbreds and 8 years before William Quirin wrote Winning at the Races. The bulk of the book is devoted to his speed rating methodology, which, while dated by today's standards, is truly one of the earliest attempts in modern times to establish par times for speed ratings. 

In its 184 pages, Reynolds not only covered speed ratings, but also addressed the areas of early speed, workouts, layoffs, handicapping on an off track, repeat winners, encouraging and discouraging form patterns and much more. Very little fat, a lot of research results in easy-to-read form. 

So how does this relate to handicapping in a new millenium? The factors that Reynolds discusses are simply wonderful food for thought, ideas that are still valid issues in handicapping today, argued about by friends across the table at the track, ideas that inspire personal research to determine if this guy was on to something that stands the test of time or is outdated. 

For example, Reynolds begins with two Indicators, factors which he says are the most important factors in handicapping a race. What are these indicators? 

Early speed...and workouts! 

He called them "breaks" and "trials," respectively. 

I'll let you argue the importance of workouts-I would not agree they rank among the highest of handicapping factors. But the break concept is one that has been one of the most important aspects of speed, pace, and other handicapping approaches through and including today. 

Reynolds says: "A horse is credited with a break if...he was leading at the first column. It makes no difference how far back he finished but only where he was at the 1/4-mile pole. In other words, we are only concerned with how well he ran the first part of the race, not the latter part. This is completely opposite to the view taken by the public in handicapping." 

Some qualifications for particular situations follow, but the real importance of his statement is the business about his approach not being that of the public--because that's where the big-mutuel returns are. 

As you may infer, I'm not saying this old book is a whiz-bang answer to handicapping questions that have been around at least since Reynolds wrote it. But it is a pleasant, yet stimulating read when your handicapping goes sour now and then and you find yourself questioning your own approach. It's a good review of the many factors that need to be considered for the different types of racing, and a reminder of what does and doesn't work for picking winners today vs thirty years ago. 

I would love to see someone write an update version of Reynolds' book, using a large computer database, sort of  like what William Quirin did in his landmark work, Winning at the Races. 

Obviously, Reynolds was a dedicated handicapper and my guess is he was one smart cookie. A few years ago, on a trip to Toronto, I tried to track down any information I could find about him, wondering if he ever followed up on his book. 

My efforts were a complete and total bust. Couldn't find a lick of information on him and next to nothing on the already extinct Pagurian Press. 

If anyone badmouths the Internet to you, defend it! Because today, while writing this article, performing a simple search by author using Amazon.com, 20-some years later, I finally found the information to answer my question: 

A reader  in Canada took the time to offer the information he had: 
 

If you can find a copy, pick it up. You won't be sorry.