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-- Eliminate Class Descriptor

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Eliminate Class Descriptor

joe_muller
11/11/2013
10:31:56 PM

Any ideas how to eliminate the "other" class descriptor? See below:

11 -44.90 108.00 0.5843 13 54 .2407 0.7530 * (Other)

Putting the '*' in the sql expression doesn't get it done.
Thanks,
Joe M.

Caveat
11/12/2013
7:15:56 AM

Besides '*' not working ..I also have problem with G in this expression
AND NOT CLASSDESCRIPTOR = 'G'

jeff
11/12/2013
5:23:24 PM

I had to open up the StaterHistory table and physically take a peek at the characters sitting in the ClassDescriptor field to get to the bottom of this one...

Since Nov 01 2013, TUP has run 4 races where the official ClassDescriptor was listed as "MO" (without the quotes.)

Here's a list of the races:

TUP 11-01-2013 R4 MO
TUP 11-06-2013 R1 MO
TUP 11-10-2013 R3 MO
TUP 11-11-2013 R5 MO

A peek at the Equibase charts shows the above races described as "MAIDEN OPTIONAL CLAIMING" -- which makes sense given the ClassDescriptor of "MO"

More to come...

-jp

.

jeff
11/12/2013
5:34:33 PM

Additionally, at TUP on Nov 06 2013, the ClassDescriptor for races 7 and 9 was listed as "U" (without the quotes.)

A peek at the Equibase chart for R7 shows the following text:

TRIAL PURSE $7300 FOR COLTS AND GELDINGS TWO YEAR OLDS WHICH REMAIN ELIGIBLE FOR THE ARIZONA BREEDERS FUTURITY.

A peek at the chart for R9 shows similar text.

Obviously both races are Futurity Trials...

More to come...

-jp

.

jeff
11/12/2013
6:51:10 PM

I purposely have the Data Window programmed to break such races out separately on line 11 as *Other.

Someone could probably make an argument to include the "MO" races on the same line as the "M" races. (Are these races close enough class level-wise and field makeup-wise that I should maybe make a change to the Data Window programming and list them there?)

Running a query limited to just "MO" races at all tracks everywhere since Jan 01 2012 through yesterday Mon Nov 11 2013 enables me to compile the following table:


**********************
TRACK            RACES
**********************
EMD                 17
HOO                 23
HST                 60
IND                 61
TUP                120
**********************
TOTAL              281
**********************

FYI, During that same time frame I have approximately 93k total races in the database. Those 281 "MO" races represent a tiny pct of the whole. The number of U races from futurity trials, etc. even smaller.

After typing that out and re-reading it...

I'm leaning in the direction of not making a change... that listing these races out separately in the Data Window on line 11 as *Other is probably (still) the right way to handle things.

More to come...

-jp

.

~Edited by: jeff on: 11/12/2013 at: 6:51:10 PM~

jeff
11/12/2013
6:34:16 PM

You asked at the top of this thread about handling graded stakes.

Using HDW data, the valid ClassDescriptors in JCapper for graded stakes races are:

G1-G2-G3

It follows then that the following sql expression would flag horses in graded stakes races:

AND INSTR('G1-G2-G3', CLASSDESCRIPTOR) > 0

Alternately, the following sql expression can be used to do the same thing:

AND (CLASSDESCRIPTOR = 'G1' OR CLASSDESCRIPTOR = 'G2' OR CLASSDESCRIPTOR = 'G3')

Note that placement of parenthesis characters in the above expression is critical.

More to come...

-jp

.

jeff
11/12/2013
6:57:52 PM

You also asked about flagging the starters broken out by the Data Window on line 11 as *Other.

Looking at everything in my StarterHistory table since Jan 01 2012 I show 362 winners that are rank=1 for UPR listed on line 11 as *Other.

Taking the time to break those out by the actual ClassDescriptor, I count 81 listed in the table as "U" (without the quotes) and 281 listed as "MO" (again without the quotes.)

I needed to go through that little exercise before addressing your question about flagging or avoiding starters listed out by the Data Window as *Other on line 11...

Based on what I see in my own table, which is based on HDW data, all of the starters listed out as other on line 11 are either "U" or MO" (again without the quotes.)

It follows then that the following sql expression will enable you to flag them:

AND (CLASSDESCRIPTOR = 'MO' OR CLASSDESCRIPTOR = 'U')

It also follows that the following expression will enable you to avoid them:

AND NOT (CLASSDESCRIPTOR = 'MO' OR CLASSDESCRIPTOR = 'U')

Note that I did not (yet) attempt to use an INSTR command to handle horses with an "MO" ClassDescriptor.

Be VERY aware that the following expression will NOT work because it will find horses having both the "M" and "MO" ClassDescriptors:

AND INSTR('MO', CLASSDESCRIPTOR) > 0

However, the following expression does work for "MO" horses:

AND INSTR(CLASSDESCRIPTOR, 'MO') > 0

I know... it can be tricky sometimes.

In my opinion, to be on the safe side when working with ClassDesriptors, you are better off using expressions where you are naming individual ClassDescriptors explicitly as opposed to using an INSTR command.

For example, use this:

AND CLASSDESCRIPTOR = 'MO'

instead of this:

AND INSTR(CLASSDESCRIPTOR, 'MO') > 0

-jp

.

joe_muller
11/12/2013
8:21:41 PM

Thanks Jeff!

Caveat
11/14/2013
6:48:41 AM

got it..thx

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JCapper 101 -- Eliminate Class Descriptor

JCapper 101
-- Eliminate Class Descriptor