For those who may not already know it, the listed distance for a race is the distance for which the time is measured, not the distance from the gate to the wire. In other words, the distance from the first teletimer beam (the "start") to the final one, located at the finish line. The starting gate is positioned at varying distances before the first beam, giving horses a running start (run-up), typically about 60 feet at American tracks, although it varies greatly.

If the distance is listed as exact (as opposed to "about"), the timed distance should be exact, failing a screw-up. In other words, there are electric eyes for the start and fractions that are placed at different positions for all 3 turf rails at the NYRA tracks-- as you move the rail out you lengthen the track, and must move the start forward to make up the ground lost on the turn.

This does not, however, mean the horses are running the same distance, since the gate may or may not be in the same position relative to the "start". Every track has its own way of doing things, and they don't always do it the same way. I mentioned one in an earlier post-- when there is no rail on the Belmont inner turf, the gate at 1 1/16 is backed up into a chute where there is no room for a "normal" run-up. The horses therefore are moving at less than full speed when they break the beam, resulting in slower fractions and final times.



TGJB