Quote:
Originally Posted by Openstretch
As suspected even people in the business don't get it. OK. How about.....does the length and the width of a passing lane have an effect on the conduct of a race on a short track (half and five eighth track)? And should a passing lane HAVE TO BEGIN at the top of the stretch? Rich Herbert, M.D.
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It has a big effect on the way the race is run, particularly on the four turn ovals, because the horses sitting second and third rarely pull first over since they can sit and wait for the passing lane. So the first over horse comes from fourth or fifth. This creates a big advantage for the pacesetter, who often is able to rate its pace unchallenged until the three quarter pole. Prior to the passing lane, the horse most likely to pull first over was the horse sitting third, and sometimes the pocket horse would pull if it was the favorite.
The bottom line is, the passing lane contributed to the speed bias, and the speed bias is a big reason why the handle has dropped steadily over the years.
