Author Topic: My Favorite Martian  (Read 1034 times)

Silver Charm

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My Favorite Martian
« on: April 19, 2006, 10:14:02 PM »
This from a Bloodhorse story on one of the additions Keeneland plans with the addition of Polytrack.

>placement of antennas around the track to collect handicapping data using microchips placed inside the horse\'s saddlecloths.

Perhaps this is some form of GPS. Next put a moving carrot on the inner rail and Paragallo wasn\'t kidding.

richiebee

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Re: My Favorite Martian
« Reply #1 on: April 20, 2006, 03:26:44 AM »
SC:

  Keeneland has been toying with the GPS technology which will allegedly be able to give an accurate raw time and measure ground loss. I\'m wondering if this is the same sort of advanced technology which allows state troopers to clock oak trees travelling down the interstate at excessive speeds.

  Apparently there are some glitches in this racetrack GPS technology. In the October 1, 2005 Bloodhorse, it was reported that Frankie Dettori gave Dubawi an awful trip in the QEII stakes, saving no ground, yet \"statistics gleaned from data chips that are fitted into each saddlecloth suggested that Dubawi had lost no ground at all...\"

  Great job SC reaching back in the past for The Little River Band and Reminiscing; they were certainly one hit wonders. At the same time the song Reminiscing was popular, Laz Barrera had a good filly by the same name for Harbor View Farms.

  Speaking of reminiscing, it doesn\'t take much to get me to remember how great Belmont and Saratoga were in the late 1970s -- not just the racing and wagering (there actually weren\'t many wagering options back then) but the facilities themselves. A weekday at Belmont you could just lose yourself in the silence.. you could basically hear the infield sprinklers in the couple hours before the races. You got the Anthem, scratches twice, then they\'re off. Now you have to sit through an hour plus of talking heads who tell you absolutely nothing blasted over an absolutely awful PA system. Saratoga is just as bad or worse... at about 10 AM they start you off with a diet of Mollica, Beyer, Crist, Andy the Dunce and Harvey the alta kokker that lasts right up until post time.

  Give the folks who want to listen to the blather and prattle a free set of headphones, shut off the noise, and let the rest of us enjoy the ambiance of 2 of the most beautiful sports venues anywhere.

  Will stop on this train of thought before Arts and Chuckles accuses me of excess \"Remembrance of Things Past\".
 

Silver Charm

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Re: My Favorite Martian
« Reply #2 on: April 20, 2006, 10:03:55 AM »
Perhaps Keeneland could have this piped in to my golf cart so between shots I could track the ponies and use my cellphone to plug in wagers. Might be a little tough judging photos.

The only problem here is that with the condition of the turf course last fall and the dirt course over that last ten years Keeneland is increasingly becoming a, \"Great place to visit but I wouldn\'t want to Bet There\" type venue.


ezgoer89

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Re: My Favorite Martian
« Reply #3 on: April 20, 2006, 10:37:12 AM »
Charm - you hit it right on the head.  I had significantly cut back my wagering there the past few years and now just don\'t play at all.  However, I was on business in Tennessee on Ashland Day and was able to get up there for the last six races.  It is a stunning place... and the scenery on a sunny, perfect day, well, could only be described as Twin Peaks.

Great place to visit, but I wouldn\'t want to be there.

Silver Charm

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Re: My Favorite Martian
« Reply #4 on: April 20, 2006, 12:21:11 PM »
You know if this Polytrack has no change in moisture consistency as they say. If the new GPS system can track ground loss, lengths beaten or being beaten at various points in the race and could be imported by TG or Ragozin or Beyer or DRF \"real time\".

Think of the cost saving by just having a software program that would do all of this via servers, wi-fi connections and other applications. And then if every track in America went \"Poly\" and GPS all of the numbers would be exactly the same and there would be no more controversy or egos involved.

OK maybe the ego part is a stretch.......lol

sighthound

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Re: My Favorite Martian
« Reply #5 on: April 20, 2006, 01:23:50 PM »
Other changes involving Keeneland will be the creation of additional space along the rail on the grandstand apron and clubhouse lawn (room for 3,500 more people); the entire track and all chutes will be widened, the homestretch lengthened, the turns made wider and more symmetrical.  Better track lighting added for early morning training hours.

Catering to people that like to get up close and watch good horses run, the horsemen, and the horses.  

You know, the opposite of Gulfstream.

Any given racing day, I can run over to Keeneland, park, and within 10 minutes stroll in the front gate and be immediately paddock-side seeing the horses saddled for the feature, walk another 50 yards and be on the rail watching them run. I love that about Keeneland.



Silver Charm

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Re: My Favorite Martian
« Reply #6 on: April 20, 2006, 03:26:10 PM »
Don\'t disagree with anything you said there.

However until \"Poly\" comes around you might want to do a little more than just lean on the rail, but bet on the horse who can get to it first.

NoCarolinaTony

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Re: My Favorite Martian
« Reply #7 on: April 20, 2006, 11:30:17 PM »
Folks,

They are also changing the track configuration , the banking, the legnth of the stretch, width of the turns and size of turf course not to mention,polytrack and a new ultamodern tote board,plus the GPS. If perfected Jerry won\'t have to spend late nights figuring ground loss. Will everyone calulate Ground loss the same way? Will DRF and Equibase notate lenghts parked outside at points of call similar to harness racing?

Some places stay status quo and some places improve for the better (bettor).

Kee seems to attract some significant coin in the betting pools as the get over 8-16 Million Handle per day.


The turf course is just fine. They never scratch off of it.

And yes the scenery is very fine at Kee-

You NY Circuit/ So Cals are way too parochial and biased to ever consider anything else.


NC Tony