The 'wild west start'----

[rainman2]

Watch races from each track and notice where the starter opens the starting gate in relationship to the official start of the race.  The further away this happens, chances are the faster the race goes?  When this occurs, these races are like a thoroughbred races of 1 mile and 70 yards??  Opinions welcome!!

[Kirbys Ace]

I brought this up a few months ago. The gate should not open until it reaches the start. Forget the run up or whatever you want to call it.

[Generation XYZ]

Interesting observation. I think your both onto something for sure!

[Kirbys Ace]

Is he the announcer??

[SeattleSlew]

Watch races from each track and notice where the starter opens the starting gate in relationship to the official start of the race.  The further away this happens, chances are the faster the race goes?  When this occurs, these races are like a thoroughbred races of 1 mile and 70 yards??  Opinions welcome!!

I know that "back in the day" the starter was told to bring the car up to 30 MPH (44ft/sec) as it released the wings at the "starting line"...That was premised on the fact that the "average" good mile was a 2:00 mile (120 seconds), and a 2:00 mile (44 ft/sec) was the "par" speed they wanted to have to start the race.  Of course, today, races can often go in 1:50 (using round numbers to make this clearer)... and that means that horses are averaging 110 seconds to cover 5280 feet (assuming correct track measurements)..and thus the average speed for that mile is 32.73 mph...so by starting them (even at the actual start) at 30 MPH they are really slowing the horses down compared to what they could get away at if they were released a bit earlier (perhaps 70 as was noted) and allowed to get up to their new "normal" speed.  Either that, or the starter car SHOULD be now instructed get to 33 mph as it releases them at the start.

Now, I need a margarita as my head is spinning; however I remember Lou Miller using his stopwatch as I jogged my horse around the track and then having me come into the shed and convert it (or perhaps it was JoAnn) into MPH.

[Fuguzzi]

hmmm I always thought it was 35 mph and 40 as it speeds out of the way   ty for your math research

[Parked]

The USTA had specific speeds for starting gate a specific points before the start. I think they did away with those ?   Interesting how there is a rule about laying off the gate and then charging it.  Never saw it enforced. Now we hear the announcer say so and so “timed the gate perfectly”. Rule book calls it “charging the gatel. 

[Meadow Ford]

A good starter takes into account the track condition, the class of the race, and weather conditions.

There is a big difference between starting maiden trotters in a snow storm and The Little Brown Jug.

[Fuguzzi]

hhhmmmmm

[Meadow Ford]

A good starter takes into account the track condition, the class of the race, and weather conditions.

There is a big difference between starting maiden trotters in a snow storm and The Little Brown Jug.

There is a real trick to being a good starter.
I have found every starter to be different.
Last Saturday Tetrick started behind three different starters, and I bet he can tell you what to expect from each one.
Once the  horses are called to the gate the gate driver only has control of the steering.
The starter looking backwards has control of the speed.
 Imagine steadily accelerating a car that you can only see where you have been not where you are going.
Imagine closing the  gate at the exact right place again only seeing where you have been..

[Fuguzzi]

"Imagine all the people......."

[Mailbox Money]

I know that "back in the day" the starter was told to bring the car up to 30 MPH (44ft/sec) as it released the wings at the "starting line"...That was premised on the fact that the "average" good mile was a 2:00 mile (120 seconds), and a 2:00 mile (44 ft/sec) was the "par" speed they wanted to have to start the race.  Of course, today, races can often go in 1:50 (using round numbers to make this clearer)... and that means that horses are averaging 110 seconds to cover 5280 feet (assuming correct track measurements)..and thus the average speed for that mile is 32.73 mph...so by starting them (even at the actual start) at 30 MPH they are really slowing the horses down compared to what they could get away at if they were released a bit earlier (perhaps 70 as was noted) and allowed to get up to their new "normal" speed.  Either that, or the starter car SHOULD be now instructed get to 33 mph as it releases them at the start.

Now, I need a margarita as my head is spinning; however I remember Lou Miller using his stopwatch as I jogged my horse around the track and then having me come into the shed and convert it (or perhaps it was JoAnn) into MPH.

The Starter DOES NOT AND NEVER DID have a mandated starting speed! Starting races is a job that requires the ability to be sure most of the field is within 6 I niches of the gate as it crosses the release point. The driver of the gate works in harmony with the the starter in most situations also.It take experience to be able to deliver consistent starts.

[Fuguzzi]

On top of having the "gas Pedal" and swinging the wings of the gate, the starter is also a judge who has to look for broken equip, horses out of position, interference, drivers in the wrong position, lame horse, etc across the whole field.

[wiseowl]

Use to be 0 minutes to post they were going behind the gate now they are coming on the track things are going the wrong way now.

[Fuguzzi]