Where's the wire?

[Jeff P]

Watching the first couple of races at Turfway without betting... just to get an idea of how the track might be playing today.

In R2 watched the #1 grab the lead and shorten stride late... the #2 comes up the rail and gets a head in front right at the finish line. The cameraman puts the camera on the #2. The track feed shows a ground level slow motion replay which clearly shows the #2 getting by the #1 in the shadow of the wire.

Then Battaglia announces a dead heat for the win. My first thought was that the camera had malfunctioned and the judges had no choice but to award a win to both horses. But after they put both horses in the winner's circle the track feed showed a photo that has both horses with their noses together touching a cartooned in "finish line."

Anybody really know what's going on here? Or where the Turfway finish line is? I realize the track feed camera is to the left of where the mirrors are which can distort the perspective of anyone watching the track feed. But the #2 was clearly by the #1 on the ground level finish line replay.

I didn't have any money riding on this race myself. But I do feel sorry for anybody who bet the favorite (#2) to win... IMHO they got hosed here.


-jp

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[csmith]

Watching the first couple of races at Turfway without betting... just to get an idea of how the track might be playing today.

In R2 watched the #1 grab the lead and shorten stride late... the #2 comes up the rail and gets a head in front right at the finish line. The cameraman puts the camera on the #2. The track feed shows a ground level slow motion replay which clearly shows the #2 getting by the #1 in the shadow of the wire.

Then Battaglia announces a dead heat for the win. My first thought was that the camera had malfunctioned and the judges had no choice but to award a win to both horses. But after they put both horses in the winner's circle the track feed showed a photo that has both horses with their noses together touching a cartooned in "finish line."

Anybody really know what's going on here? Or where the Turfway finish line is? I realize the track feed camera is to the left of where the mirrors are which can distort the perspective of anyone watching the track feed. But the #2 was clearly by the #1 on the ground level finish line replay.

I didn't have any money riding on this race myself. But I do feel sorry for anybody who bet the favorite (#2) to win... IMHO they got hosed here.


-jp

.

Hi Jeff
I agree the 2 had it by a head..I to, understand the track feed camera can sometimes be distorted but this was not even close.. I didn't have any money on it also so no sour grapes here

[garyoz]

I think both shots were from the right of the finish line, hence the distortion. You really need to listen to Battaglia's call (as annoying as that can be). Looks like Turfway is being kind to speed & the rail is ok. The poly at Turfway can be tricky.

[kenwoodallpromos]

I think both shots were from the right of the finish line, hence the distortion. You really need to listen to Battaglia's call (as annoying as that can be). Looks like Turfway is being kind to speed & the rail is ok. The poly at Turfway can be tricky.
How does the Poly affect a supposed heat heat?

[Tom Barrister]

Jeff: I watched the replay. #2 was almost a head in front in the vicinity of the wire, but the heads were bobbing in alternate directions, and the noses hit the finish line together. The pan view is to the left of the wire, which appears to favor the inside horse.

The photo finish camera is essentially a synchroballistic camera: the film moves at about the same relative speed as the objects passing through its field of vision and creates an image of these objects. Static objects don't appear. If a man were standing at the wire inside of the outer rail, he wouldn't appear in the picture. The finish line, rail, etc. are superimposed images that appear at the same positions that they exist on the track.

Turfway doesn't fool around with photos, either. The decision is up almost instantly, as it was in this race.

[garyoz]

How does the Poly affect a supposed heat heat?


It doesn't. That was a reference to Jeff's earlier statement that he was watching to see how the track was playing today. I thought there might be a 4 or 5 path bias which I seem to remember was the situation last year at this time.