Track Configurations

[Matt Bryan]

Does anyone know of a source with good track diagrams? Honestly, I'm amazed at how poor most diagrams are, given the rich history of so many racetracks - e.g. Churchill Downs, Saratoga, etc. Of course, I'm mainly looking for something catering to handicappers, for pace considerations like turn time, etc. Most of what I found via a Google search was juvenile or useless.

Thanks.

[whodoyoulike]

In Google, I entered "santa anita race track layout"

http://www1.drf.com/trackinfo/santa_anita.html

and one for GP

http://www1.drf.com/trackinfo/gulfstream_park.html

Del Mar

http://www.dmtc.com/include.php?i=/images/grounds.jpg&h=Grounds+Map

Looks like you can do it for the ones you are interested in then save the website link.

Hope this helps.

[titans1127]

I usually like finding the tracks address and using google maps

[therussmeister]

You don't even need the address, just google the track name.

[Matt Bryan]

You don't even need the address, just google the track name.

Does it show starting positions at various distances, and poles? For anyone into maps, graphics, etc., the diagrams I've seen online might as well be drawn with crayons, by three year olds. That's my frustration.

Does turn time on sprints ALWAYS occur between 2-4 furlongs? 4-6f on routes? Regardless of track, track configuration, etc.?

[fromoffthepace]

Does it show starting positions at various distances, and poles? For anyone into maps, graphics, etc., the diagrams I've seen online might as well be drawn with crayons, by three year olds. That's my frustration.

Does turn time on sprints ALWAYS occur between 2-4 furlongs? 4-6f on routes? Regardless of track, track configuration, etc.?

Couldn't agree more. User Cratos (I think) has posted some FANTASTIC stuff from time to time. I don't have time to go through his posts now, but it might be a place to start. I've been looking for diagrams for a couple of years now, without much luck. Went as far as to buy the American Racing Manuals from DRF for the last 15 years. They're useful, but not nearly as much detail (chutes, turn degree, that sort of thing) as I'd hoped for.

If you do run across something, please let us know.

[titans1127]

Does it show starting positions at various distances, and poles? For anyone into maps, graphics, etc., the diagrams I've seen online might as well be drawn with crayons, by three year olds. That's my frustration.

Does turn time on sprints ALWAYS occur between 2-4 furlongs? 4-6f on routes? Regardless of track, track configuration, etc.?Its google maps so no details at all just an overhead view of the track so you can see its shape. It's not going to have the type of info you are looking for.

[Matt Bryan]

Couldn't agree more. User Cratos (I think) has posted some FANTASTIC stuff from time to time. I don't have time to go through his posts now, but it might be a place to start. I've been looking for diagrams for a couple of years now, without much luck. Went as far as to buy the American Racing Manuals from DRF for the last 15 years. They're useful, but not nearly as much detail (chutes, turn degree, that sort of thing) as I'd hoped for.

If you do run across something, please let us know.


Will do. May check out those manuals as well....thanks.

[Matt Bryan]

Its google maps so no details at all just an overhead view of the track so you can see its shape. It's not going to have the type of info you are looking for.

I mostly wager from a simulcast facility, so it's really hard to get a good sense of a track, particularly when camera angles are basically the same on every track. It's like being in the Matrix.

[Cratos]

Will do. May check out those manuals as well....thanks.

Matt,

I faced the same dilemma when I came to this game many years ago and was frustrated that detailed scaled layouts of racetracks wasn’t being published by the respective racetracks for public viewing.

However in the old American Racing Manual there are very good diagrams of virtually all racetracks in North America and Europe. But you should be careful because some of the data is outdated.

Therefore what I did was to start with the old data and update it by using Google Earth and requested updated info directly from the racetrack that I had an interest in; and the racetrack was always accommodating in supplying the requested information.

Earlier this year I acquired new software (I am a Mechanical Engineer) and I am changing all of my layouts to 3-D with color and the banking angle. The main track will be a light shade brown, the turf course will be green and if there are two turf courses, one will be dark green and the other light green. Each racetrack is marked in 1/8m increments around its circumference and the start of each race distance (turf and dirt) is marked with respect to distance from the finish line. Also all of the turn dimensions are given with paths widths.

For your viewing I have attached an old layout of Churchill Downs which I posted on the forum sometime ago. If I have the time I will post layouts of Saratoga and Belmont because of the pending Saratoga meet, but they will not be 3-D.

[HuggingTheRail]

The one that confused me for a long time was Mountaineer.... some days, the DRF would show it as a conventional oval, and other days it would show it with the stretch not parallel to the backstretch... thanks to Google Earth, I got my answer...

[Matt Bryan]

Matt,

I faced the same dilemma when I came to this game many years ago and was frustrated that detailed scaled layouts of racetracks wasn’t being published by the respective racetracks for public viewing.

However in the old American Racing Manual there are very good diagrams of virtually all racetracks in North America and Europe. But you should be careful because some of the data is outdated.

Therefore what I did was to start with the old data and update it by using Google Earth and requested updated info directly from the racetrack that I had an interest in; and the racetrack was always accommodating in supplying the requested information.

Earlier this year I acquired new software (I am a Mechanical Engineer) and I am changing all of my layouts to 3-D with color and the banking angle. The main track will be a light shade brown, the turf course will be green and if there are two turf courses, one will be dark green and the other light green. Each racetrack is marked in 1/8m increments around its circumference and the start of each race distance (turf and dirt) is marked with respect to distance from the finish line. Also all of the turn dimensions are given with paths widths.

For your viewing I have attached an old layout of Churchill Downs which I posted on the forum sometime ago. If I have the time I will post layouts of Saratoga and Belmont because of the pending Saratoga meet, but they will not be 3-D.


Yes. I'm looking for something along these lines, but also for other common distances - 6f, 7f, etc., and just average track days. You know, where do they start, where (at what distance) do they actually hit the turn, etc. I'm in a similar line of work, with access to various software, so could possibly help given available time. Based on your other posts, you clearly know more about horse racing than I...for example, I had never even thought about banking angle. In any case, a 3-D model would be slightly tricky, but even 2-D with a banking angle notation would suffice (for me) - if banking angle is a factor. Even with free software like Sketchup, I could produce better diagrams than currently available, if I had track dimensions, etc. Maybe it's something we can put together, for sale of course...hehe. I know I'd pay for the info.

[fromoffthepace]

I'd pay for the info.

Same here. In a heartbeat.

[Thomas Roulston]

Does anyone know of a source with good track diagrams? Honestly, I'm amazed at how poor most diagrams are, given the rich history of so many racetracks - e.g. Churchill Downs, Saratoga, etc. Of course, I'm mainly looking for something catering to handicappers, for pace considerations like turn time, etc. Most of what I found via a Google search was juvenile or useless.

Thanks.



Yes, I know an awesome source: Any issue of the American Racing Manual dated 1981 or earlier.

I know that won't help for the newer tracks - or the older ones if they've been redesigned since then (e.g., Gulfstream), but one thing you will get that seems to have been a closely-guarded secret ever since is how long the run from the wire to the clubhouse turn is.

Speaking of which, anyone know what that run is at the new Los Alamitos? And it doesn't seem likely that the track itself is a full 1 mile in circumference; no way is what is presumably the 15/16ths pole anywhere near a full 16th of a mile past the finish line (see the youtube video showing the complete running of the former Swaps Stakes).

[Dave Schwartz]

For those interested in satellite shots, I have uploaded a few here that I captured from Google Earth years ago. These are old, and even contain a few tracks that no longer exist.

Track Shots Folder (http://www.practicalhandicapping.com/desktop/package/PublicImages/BBSImages/Track%20Images/)

[Tom]

Dave, Dave,Dave.....you missed the Pearl of the Northeast.......

[Tom]

Interesting fact about Finger Lakes....according to Google.
The Hojack Swing BRIDGE is, apparently, in the PARKING LOT! :lol:

[thespaah]

Does anyone know of a source with good track diagrams? Honestly, I'm amazed at how poor most diagrams are, given the rich history of so many racetracks - e.g. Churchill Downs, Saratoga, etc. Of course, I'm mainly looking for something catering to handicappers, for pace considerations like turn time, etc. Most of what I found via a Google search was juvenile or useless.

Thanks.
www.drf.com/news/track-information

[ronsmac]

For those interested in satellite shots, I have uploaded a few here that I captured from Google Earth years ago. These are old, and even contain a few tracks that no longer exist.

Track Shots Folder (http://www.practicalhandicapping.com/desktop/package/PublicImages/BBSImages/Track%20Images/)
Some nice pics. The old Keeneland had a really odd shape before the remodeling.