From the Starting Gate

[Sparky13]

On Friday, as I was watching races from AQU, GP and TAM, I noticed and have noticed in the past, loading horses into the starting gate is not universal for all the tracks. Some tracks load the 1st horse into the 2nd, 3rd and even 4th starting gate slot from the rail. Why is there not uniformity from one race to another and one track to another? Also, some tracks start loading horse #1 and load in sequence 1, 2, 3, etc. and others load the #1 and the horse that is in the middle of the entries for the race. Again, why no standard for all tracks? Do you take the above two situations into consideration when handicapping?

[Robert Fischer]

There should be a certain uniformity.

One issue is that even within the same track, - there will be different gate 'issues' at different distances.

Say for example that your track has a start from a chute.
The inside post-position could be lined up very tight with where the chute ends and the rail begins.
Each track will have a policy on those types of situations.

Something to watch out for.

[letswastemoney]

It's going to depend on the horses too. Maybe they want to load the "easy" horses first and save the scared ones for last.

[maclr11]

Small fields get loaded in order. 1-2-3-4-5

Bigger fields get loaded in doubles so.

1+6 then 2+7 then 3+8 then 4+9 and then 5+10

This is done for speed. Sometimes if the inside horses are being goofy, the outside can get ahead and it will look weird, and vice versa.

Horses that are hard to load get loaded early because it takes more guys to load them and its not fair to make the field stand in the gate while a poor loader doesn't want to enter.

Horses that like to rear and flip get loaded late because its safer to have them in the gate for the least possible time.

[therussmeister]

Some tracks load the 1st horse into the 2nd, 3rd and even 4th starting gate slot from the rail...
This depends on scratches. If there is a 12 horse field, and the :3: scratches, rather than move the 4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 positions each one slot to the inside, they move the 1 & 2 one slot out. They have to climb up on the starting gate to change the numbers. I always thought they should have a electronic display they could change from the ground.

Unless there are more than 12 horses, the slot nearest the rail is usually left empty.

[chadk66]

If the gate isn't full they tend to leave the first gate hole open for safety. But in short fields I wouldn't appreciate being in the third or fourth hole if I drew the inside post position.

[thaskalos]

If the gate isn't full they tend to leave the first gate hole open for safety. But in short fields I wouldn't appreciate being in the third or fourth hole if I drew the inside post position.
But you are still inside all the other horses. You are moved over a path or two...and so is everyone else.

[HUSKER55]

why not load a horse when it is ready to be loaded? I assume there is a reason.

[castaway01]

why not load a horse when it is ready to be loaded? I assume there is a reason.

Makes it a little easier if you have some system, so the gate crew knows how to do its job. If it's just random you don't have people working together properly.

[Stillriledup]

If the gate isn't full they tend to leave the first gate hole open for safety. But in short fields I wouldn't appreciate being in the third or fourth hole if I drew the inside post position.

That's the best thing you could have, if you break running you can stay in the 3/4 path and just keep everyone packed out wide.