Speed Figure Methodologies

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Speed Figure Methodologies Andrew Beyer, Len
Friedman, and Jerry Brown Moderator Maury
Wolff February 28, 2004
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the horses lines must look as reasonable as
possible but all the figures must use the same
variant unless rain or freeze or a thaw changes
things.Len Ragozin Len Friedman The Odds
Must Be Crazy page 37

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INTERRELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN MOISTURE CONTENT OF
THE TRACK, DYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF THE TRACK AND
THE LOCOMOTOR FORCES EXERTED BY GALLOPING HORSES
A trailer-mounted track testing device (TTD),
modified after the drop-hammer device used by
Cheney, et al.(12) was used to measure the
dynamic response of the track surface to impact
loading. This machine, designed to simulate the
vertical force exerted by a galloping horse,
consisted of an 80 pound (36.4 kg) weight dropped
in free fall from a height of 5.0 inches (12.7
cm) and is shown in Figures 1 and 2. The weight
consisted of a stainless steel disc, 5 inches
(12.7 cm) in diameter, bolted to a steel ram. The
instrumentation for the TTD consisted of a load
cell,(a) accelerometer,(b) linear variable
differential transformer,(c) amplifiers,(d) power
supply,(d) and recorder.(e) The force,
displacement and acceleration of the weight at
impact with the track surface were recorded from
10 sites for each trial.
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INTERRELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN MOISTURE CONTENT OF
THE TRACK, DYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF THE TRACK AND
THE LOCOMOTOR FORCES EXERTED BY GALLOPING HORSES

• The impact force, impact resistance (deceleration
  at impact) and the
• rebound energy, expressed as a percentage of the
  initial impact energy,
• were determined. The rebound energy was
  determined from the rebound
• height which was calculated using the formula
• H 1/2 gt2H rebound height g acceleration
  of gravity t one-half of the time the weight
  was in the air between the initial impact and the
  rebound impact
• The percentage of rebound energy returned was
  determined by the
• formula
• 2) UmH x 100mP
• U energy returned m mass of the weight H
  rebound height P total drop height of the
  weight

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Moisture Contentat NYRA Tracks Source Jerry
Porcelli (NYRA Track Superintendent)

• FAST tracks at NYRA range from 4-12 moisture
  content
• Moisture content will only stay constant if water
  is added at the same rate its evaporating
• Wind, temperature, humidity, sun/clouds,
  grandstand shadows all have an effect.

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INTERRELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN MOISTURE CONTENT OF
THE TRACK, DYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF THE TRACK AND
THE LOCOMOTOR FORCES EXERTED BY GALLOPING
HORSESMarc H. Ratzlaff, DVM, PhD Martha L.
Hyde, PhD David V. Hutton, PhD Rhonda A.
Rathgeber, DVM, PhD Olin K. Balch, DVM, PhD

The dynamic properties of the track surface vary
with its moisture content, composition and
compaction. The moisture content of the base of
the track remains relatively constant however,
the water content of the track cushion may
fluctuate widely. Several studies have shown that
the composition of the track surface alters the
dynamic responses of the soil and that the
compaction of the track surface may vary widely
over different areas of the same track.
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INTERRELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN MOISTURE CONTENT OF
THE TRACK, DYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF THE TRACK AND
THE LOCOMOTOR FORCES EXERTED BY GALLOPING
HORSESMarc H. Ratzlaff, DVM, PhD Martha L.
Hyde, PhD David V. Hutton, PhD Rhonda A.
Rathgeber, DVM, PhD Olin K. Balch, DVM, PhD

Changes in moisture content of the track cushion
resulted in similar changes in both the
percentage of energy returned and the impact
resistance of the track. Energy return and impact
resistance decreased at 8 moisture and
progressively increased from 8.5 to 14 moisture.
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Email Query
I own a company called Thoro-Graph that makes
high-end data for the thoroughbred industry
(www.thorograph.com) . I am on a panel ("Debate
Speed Figure Methodology") at the Daily Racing
Form expo in Las Vegas next month, and one of the
subjects that is going to come up is whether
track "speed" is constant throughout a race card
-- I have long held that it is not, based on what
I have observed from the times of the races (if
you have made or read books about speed figures
you know what I mean). Others on the panel
believe the track stays the same speed barring
specific weather (rain, freeze, thaw) affecting
it, and use that as an assumption when making
their figures.

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Email Query
Another question that will come up is whether
track speed is the same around the oval, and if
not, whether the track speed relationships
between the parts of the track stay constant.
This is a question that comes up when assigning
ratings for races run at different distances, and
also for horses who race in different "paths" (we
have observers who keep track of how wide horses
are around the turns, and adjust the figures
accordingly). I am looking for scientific backup
that I can use to bolster my position...Can you
send me or point me in the direction of anything
I can use? Thanks for any help you can give me.

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Email AnswersRhonda Rathgeber, PhD, DVMHagyard,
Davidson, and McGee Equine Veterinarians

I would agree that track times are probably not
constant for the race card this observation
would be based on the fact that surfaces, namely
the properties of the soil or sand, are changing
throughout the day. This is dependent on the
climatic conditions such as humidity, how much
and what kind of maintenance is done on the
track, etc
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Email AnswersDr. George W. Pratt Professor
Emeritus MIT Author, Analyzing Track
Characteristics, Racing Surfaces A Survey of
Mechanical Behavior, etc

Yes, different parts of the track can differ
widely and change during the card. First,
consider moisture content which is very important
in affecting track speed. That will be affected
by variations in sunlight which change during an
afternoon because the shaded parts of the track
can change. Also, wind is very important in
determining how fast the track dries. The optimum
range for moisture content usually lies in the 6
to 9 percent water by weight.
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Email AnswersDr. George W. Pratt Professor
Emeritus MIT

Things can deteriorate quickly above 9
depending on the soil composition and fall apart
at 6, again depending in the soil composition.
The water truck can change the moisture content
by about 1/2 of a percent for each pass. So, it
is possible for some parts of the track to become
wetter if this is greater than the loss by
evaporation. Equally, some parts can lose
moisture if the water truck cant keep up with
the evaporation.
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Email AnswersDr. George W. Pratt Professor
Emeritus MIT

Most if not all tracks do not monitor moisture
and they just let the load go the same way over
the whole route. Moisture is crucial. Just think
of the difference of walking on the beach at the
waters edge and how it feels far back from the
water. Compaction is another big issue. The
harrow does not remove all of the compaction
caused by the tractor tires and particularly by
the water truck.
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Email AnswersMichael "Mick" Peterson, Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorMechanical Engineering,
University of MaineCo-Author Theoretical
Effects of Different Racetrack Materials on the
Vertical Loading of the Equine Forelimb.

I agree with you completely.  Whether the effect
is large enough to change the times I do not
know, but I suspect they are.  The track is cut
at night (I am not sure this is true at tracks
other than the California tracks I work with) and
harrowed between races.
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Email AnswersMichael "Mick" Peterson, Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorMechanical Engineering,
University of Maine

Between races the cushion is altered, but not
the pad, and certainly not the base.  The dynamic
response of the track will then be impacted by
the compaction of the pad during racing that is
only addressed at night when the track is cut. 
This effect is measurable in the dynamic response
of the track.
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Email AnswersMichael "Mick" Peterson, Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorMechanical Engineering,
University of Maine

On whether relationships between different parts
of the tracks stay constant I know of several
tracks where it is definitely not constant.  The
obvious one in the literature is a track in
Minnesota (I think) that had an underground
spring that was impacting the injury rate in one
area of the track.  This would certainly alter
the speed as well.
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Email AnswersMichael "Mick" Peterson, Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorMechanical Engineering,
University of Maine

I suspect that your information regarding the
performance of horses, even given the other
uncontrolled variables, may be the best data
available.
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Track Watering Hollywood Park Source
Thoro-Graph Trackman
19 Nov 03 1130, 1200, 1235, 210, 315,
345 4 Dec 03 1200, 110, No more rest of
day
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Track Watering Santa Anita Source Thoro-Graph
Trackman
18 Jan 04 1215, 1240, 115 23 Jan 04
210, 320 28 Jan 04 1240, 110, 215,
315, 415
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Track Watering Gulfstream Source Thoro-Graph
Trackman
22 Jan 04 2x btw 1130-1245, not at all
after 23 Jan 04 No watering all day 25 Jan
04 3x btw 1100-1230, before R5 R8
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Factors in amount of watering NYRA tracks
between races. Source Jerry Porcelli (NYRA
Track Superintendent)

• Watches cloud cover / Wind
• Checks dew point / humidity
• Watches color of the track (changes with moisture
  content)
• Amount of dirt covering horses returning from the
  races
• Watches Time of Races

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Adjustments made at NYRA tracks Source Jerry
Porcelli (NYRA Track Superintendent)

• Between Days
• To speed up Remove cushion, add more water
• To slow down Add cushion, add sand, add less
  water____________________________________________
  _
• Fast tracks sealed in anticipation of rain
  between days
• Tracks flaked (partly sealed and harrowed)
  between races in anticipation of rain

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