Gate Loading reporting.....

[cutchemist42]

As a handicapper who watches a decent amount of replays, it stands out that some tracks are much better about showing the full gate loading (NYRA) as well as mentioning it in the notes. I really do think some bad gate loads where a horse breaks through and reloads is important to know.

Anyone else notice tracks that provide good info on gate loads? Anyone else find it usual info to know for past performances?

[46zilzal]

I was the gate camera at Hastings for two full seasons. We were instructed to NOT show some of the coaxing that the assistant starters used to get horses to load...NONE hurt the horses (i.e. making a lot of noise behind them so they would move forward, giving them a bit of a bump in the butt with the flat of a broom etc)......But delays often changed the race significantly: the longer they were in there, the more it potentially changed things.

It was my observations there, close up and personally, and seeing how more agitated the animals became the longer the start was delayed (and often the crazy outcomes from field then soaking with sweat from the agitation and delay) that I ALWAYS cancel bets on a race when they are loading too long or have to bring the whole field out to reload later. Worse the younger the horse as well.

The majority of gate cameras show what they are ALLOWED to show...Our biggest problem most times was that I left the microphone ON and the interesting comments of the assistant starters got out to the public!