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[Jeff P]

Right now as I type this, the only tracks I am aware of that are currently having their horses step onto a scale so that horse weight data can be collected are: Remington Park (they were the first), Portland Meadows, Golden Gate Fields, Santa Anita, and Gulfstream Park.

So far, all of those are displaying horse weight for a few seconds as part of their track video except Gulfstream Park. (If Gulfstream is displaying horse weight as part of their track video I haven't seen it yet. Someone feel free to correct me if I am wrong.)


Horse weight data available on race day? --

Other than picking horse weight up from track video or actually talking to someone in the racing office?... No. (At least not yet.)



Horse weight data available after race day? --

As horse weight data is received by Equibase from the few tracks (RPX-PMX-GGX-SAX-GPX) that are collecting it:

Equibase in turn inserts horse weight data into one of the many sql tables (I think it's the starters table someone feel free to correct me if I am wrong about the table name) and from there transmits the updated sql data on to its licensed data resellers (DRF, Brisnet, HDW, Trackmaster, etc.)

From there, it's up to the individual licensed data reseller to make horse weight available to their customers. For example, insert it into their downloadable charts. Or make it available as part of the running line data as horses that were weighed come back to race again.


Fyi --

Late last year, I had an initial conversation with HDW (Handicappers Data Warehouse) about the possibility of getting horse weight data into their charts.

I'm happy to report that during that initial conversation HDW made a commitment to a go live date of Jan 01, 2019 for inserting horse weight data (as it becomes available from the tracks and in turn Equibase) into their downloadable charts.

Keep in mind that HDW typically keeps downloadable chart files on their download server (meaning they are available for actual download) for a period of 45 days after the races are run.

Also keep in mind that a high percentage of the horse weight data takes several days to cycle through the system -- from the tracks to Equibase (my understanding is that's the biggest point of bottleneck/backlog) and from there on to the licensed data resellers. (The bottleneck being the tracks not Equibase.)

So for that reason, a high percentage of the horse weight data isn't in the initial charts - but makes it into the HDW charts as a correction (just like the many mistimed races and other corrections, etc.)


Also --

I've had a few conversations with Equibase about the possibility of horse weight data being inserted into the Scratches and Changes XML -- and from there being able to pick it up from the Equibase site.

And while Equibase hasn't committed yet to a go live date -- I have been told they are working towards that. (My best guess would be sometime later this year.)

I hope I managed to type most of that out in a way that makes sense.

Now you know what I know,


-jp

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