Is It Time for Electronic Intervention in Horse Racing?

[Teach]

I have always felt that when it comes to judging sports, we, as a country, have lagged behind in what I call: “the horse-and-buggy” era.

For example, baseball has the ball and strike three-dimensional indicators that we all see on TV. Yet, for whatever reason, political or otherwise, MLB has failed to use this device. Other sports have lagged behind as well, particular football, especially when it comes to expeditiously arriving at a decision on a coach’s challenge (under the hood, the interminable time-period kills the game’s continuity).

Moreover, horse racing could benefit from electronic intervention, as well. Currently, for the most part, we have two basic video aspects as to what is taking place at the racetrack: pan and head-on. Oh, the stewards can slow up the frames and rewind and replay as often as they want.

Furthermore, I ask: “Why not some kind of “eye in the sky” as they have at all casinos. That would allow for a further dimension. Another perspective.

In addition, the cameras that are all trained on the race have been programmed to react to any foul on the racetrack. Countless thousands of races that have had disqualifications have been programmed into their memory banks. If a foul does occur on the racetrack, these “programmed” cameras immediately flash a signal to the stewards (they may have already spotted it). This, in turn, results in an immediate “Inquiry” sign on the infield tote. Now, that doesn’t mean a horse’s number is coming down. Yet, I believe it gives the stewards yet another tool to assess how a race was run.

Finally, I believe this approach would greatly enhance the integrity of the game. Something, I believe, thoroughbred racing needs, desperately.

In conclusion, jockeys may feel like they’re riding in a “goldfish bowl,” but if that is what it takes… If that is what is necessary to ensure the integrity of the game and also, in the process, bring fresh players into the mix (not to mention those who have become so disenchanted they have left) then I say, “Let’s give it a try!”

[Tom]

That would cost money to implement.
The integrity of the game is not worth the expense.

Racing can't even time races, let alone use anything hi tech.
The coke machines on shedrow are horse racing's hi technology.

[JustRalph]

90% of tracks can’t time a race correctly how in hell are they going to handle new tech?

Gulf stream has created its own time zone for running races and Trakus is a mess.

I bet the clock in every friggin racing exec’s fancy Lexus is off

[Someday Silent]

Actually, I was having a discussion with a couple friends Saturday night and I said that this is the first Derby we've had that has been affected by an NFL style instant replay. I'm not going to rehash the whole argument, but if safety of horse and rider is even going to come close to being a top priority, reviews and DQs like what happened Saturday will be more common. I wasn't even sold on the DQ until I watched footage from a completely different angle and saw War of Will's nose bounce off Maximim Security's hind-end while WoW and MS's legs entertwined. I feel bad for the Wests and John Servis and all the hard working people involved with MS but hell, maybe people need to train their horses and run them more than 3 times before a race like the Derby so these young animals don't flip out at something new.

[airford1]

Horse racing is like a box of Chocolates, you just never know what you're going to get.

[clicknow]

The coke machines on shedrow are horse racing's hi technology.

Yeah--- the early ones where you just left $$ in a can next to the machine, then opened the door and pulled out what you wanted. :)

[turfnsport]

Maybe let's get all tracks to broadcast in HD first.

[ultracapper]

The inquiry sign would flash after every race. These horses fade and veer and bump and push from start to finish. When half the field is bunched and turning for home, it would take half an hour to sort it all out.

[HalvOnHorseracing]

I have always felt that when it comes to judging sports, we, as a country, have lagged behind in what I call: “the horse-and-buggy” era.

For example, baseball has the ball and strike three-dimensional indicators that we all see on TV. Yet, for whatever reason, political or otherwise, MLB has failed to use this device. Other sports have lagged behind as well, particular football, especially when it comes to expeditiously arriving at a decision on a coach’s challenge (under the hood, the interminable time-period kills the game’s continuity).

Moreover, horse racing could benefit from electronic intervention, as well. Currently, for the most part, we have two basic video aspects as to what is taking place at the racetrack: pan and head-on. Oh, the stewards can slow up the frames and rewind and replay as often as they want.

Furthermore, I ask: “Why not some kind of “eye in the sky” as they have at all casinos. That would allow for a further dimension. Another perspective.

In addition, the cameras that are all trained on the race have been programmed to react to any foul on the racetrack. Countless thousands of races that have had disqualifications have been programmed into their memory banks. If a foul does occur on the racetrack, these “programmed” cameras immediately flash a signal to the stewards (they may have already spotted it). This, in turn, results in an immediate “Inquiry” sign on the infield tote. Now, that doesn’t mean a horse’s number is coming down. Yet, I believe it gives the stewards yet another tool to assess how a race was run.

Finally, I believe this approach would greatly enhance the integrity of the game. Something, I believe, thoroughbred racing needs, desperately.

In conclusion, jockeys may feel like they’re riding in a “goldfish bowl,” but if that is what it takes… If that is what is necessary to ensure the integrity of the game and also, in the process, bring fresh players into the mix (not to mention those who have become so disenchanted they have left) then I say, “Let’s give it a try!”

TV uses the strike box so fans can see whether the pitches are balls or strikes. MLB doesn't use it in games. The strike box is useful because you can't place a camera in dead center. The pitcher is in the way.

An overhead shot is useful, but i'm not seeing the logistics working out. The Vegas eye in the sky is just a wide angle camera on the ceiling. There are enough of them to cover the entirety of the casino floor.

You don't need cameras calling fouls. I think that's one toke over the line. You need more consistency from and evaluations of the stewards. I was with one of the stewards from Santa Anita and we were watching a tape from one of the races. It was clear that halfway down the backstretch one horse came over and completely took another horse out of the race. No inquiry, no objection. Now you tell me. There was no special camera. It was right there on the head on. Some stewards only see fouls coming out of the turn and in the stretch. Some stewards ignore the scrum from the starting gate. Consistency in enforcement of the rules. That's the ticket.

[46zilzal]

Same idea has been suggested (BUt HAVE FOUND NO WAY TO IMPLEMENT) in the subjective analysis of Olympic gymnastics, diving, etc

Too many variables to consider as often the SAME physical interactions in a race produced DIFFERENT DQ's or not. "Did that affect the outcome of the race?"

[bobphilo]

I once had the same idea when I recalled how I can get such a better idea of what happened in a race when I saw the shot from the Goodyear blimp. This is why the best view one gets with the Trakus simulations are the overhead views. Of course, these simulations are why too crude at present to be useful. The actual blimp views are great but it obviously it would be too expensive to have a blimp over every race at every track. They might be well worth it for major races where so much is at stake in races like the Derby. They've done it before.

[Jeff P]

A blimp? (No.)

But I'm thinking it doesn't cost that much to get a drone or two in the air --

And from there tracks could stream footage from a variety of angles.

Of course that involves a little innovation on the part of track management. Guessing 10-15 years will go by before they think of it. (Right now half the tracks can't even show proper post parades.)


-jp

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