Who Are Andrew Beyer Parents? A Look Into The Life Of The Horse Racing Expert

Publish date: 2024-01-02

Andrew Beyer is a well-known name in the world of horse racing. He is the creator of the Beyer Speed Figure, a numerical rating that measures the performance of horses in a race. He is also a former columnist for The Washington Post and the author of several books on racing. But who are Andrew Beyer parents? What kind of family background did he have? And how did they influence his passion for horse racing? In this article, we will explore the life and career of Andrew Beyer and his parents, Robert and Catherine Beyer.

Robert and Catherine Beyer: Andrew’s Parents

Andrew Beyer was born on November 17, 1943, in Carbondale, Illinois. His parents were Robert and Catherine Beyer, who were both professors at Southern Illinois University. Robert Beyer was a mathematician and a statistician, while Catherine Beyer was a psychologist and a researcher. According to Wikipedia, they had three children: Andrew, Susan, and David.

Andrew Beyer inherited his father’s interest in numbers and his mother’s curiosity about human behavior. He was also exposed to horse racing at an early age, as his parents often took him to the nearby Fairmount Park racetrack. He developed a fascination with the sport and its intricacies, and soon began to study the racing form and the past performances of the horses.

Andrew Beyer: A Rebel With A Cause

Andrew Beyer attended Harvard University, where he majored in English and wrote for the school newspaper, the Crimson. He also continued to follow horse racing and to bet on the races. He was not interested in pursuing a conventional career path, and decided to dedicate his life to horse racing and gambling. According to Paulick Report, he once said, “I wanted to be a rebel with a cause. And my cause was to beat the races.”

After graduating from Harvard in 1965, Beyer moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked as a reporter for the Washington Daily News. He also became a regular at the Laurel Park and Pimlico racetracks, where he honed his skills as a handicapper and a bettor. He soon realized that the existing methods of evaluating horses were inadequate and inaccurate, and he set out to create his own system of speed figures.

The Beyer Speed Figure: A Revolution In Horse Racing

Beyer’s speed figures were based on the idea that the final time of a race was not a reliable indicator of a horse’s ability, as it was affected by various factors such as the track condition, the pace, the distance, and the quality of the competition. Beyer devised a formula that adjusted the final time for these factors, and assigned a numerical rating to each horse’s performance. The higher the rating, the faster the horse.

Beyer’s speed figures were a revolution in horse racing, as they provided a simple and objective way of comparing horses from different races, tracks, and distances. They also gave bettors an edge over the public, who relied on the conventional methods of handicapping. Beyer used his speed figures to make profitable bets, and also to write insightful and influential columns for The Washington Post, where he worked from 1978 to 2016. He also wrote several books on racing, such as Picking Winners, My $50,000 Year at the Races, and Beyer on Speed.

Beyer’s speed figures have become widely accepted and used by the racing industry and the fans. They are published in the Daily Racing Form and other publications, and are considered an essential tool for handicapping and betting. Beyer has been honored with several awards for his contributions to horse racing, such as the Walter Haight Award, the Joe Hirsch Honor Roll, and the Eclipse Award of Merit.

Conclusion

Andrew Beyer is a legend in the world of horse racing. He is the inventor of the Beyer Speed Figure, a groundbreaking system of rating horses that has changed the way people handicap and bet on the races. He is also a former columnist for The Washington Post and the author of several books on racing. He is the son of Robert and Catherine Beyer, who were both professors at Southern Illinois University. His parents instilled in him a love for numbers and human behavior, which he applied to his passion for horse racing. Andrew Beyer is a rebel with a cause, and his cause is to beat the races.

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