You Can Lead a Horse to Water, But You Can’t Make Them Drink
It is no secret that I haven’t pulled any punches lately. When it comes to this industry, I’m passionate, I’m vocal, and I say exactly what is on my mind. But the “Past the Wire” way isn’t just about being tough—it’s about being right. I’ve always said that I’m just as quick to learn or correct myself as I am to criticize, and after a recent deep dive into the state of racing data, I realized I had a take that needed adjusting.
The “Blinker” Mentality
When I’m preparing for a major day of wagering—the Kentucky Derby, the Breeders’ Cup, the cards that define a season—I shut down the noise. I don’t want outside opinions rattling around in my head. I want my own eyes on the tape and my own brain on the figures.
However, because of the brand, I have to maintain a social media presence. Despite my best efforts to wear blinkers (pun fully intended), I hear and see the constant drumbeat of frustration from the betting public. Recently, I joined that chorus, criticizing the industry for what I perceived as a lack of free data for bettors.
I’m not talking about proprietary, high-level analytics—nobody expects that for free. I’m talking about the foundational info that keeps the game accessible. As it turns out, the issue isn’t a lack of data; it’s a failure to communicate.
A Seat at the Table with Equibase
I recently had the pleasure of a detailed conversation with Kyle McDoniel, the President of Equibase. Going into it, I wanted answers. Coming out of it, I realized the sport has a serious asset in its corner.
Kyle isn’t just a suit; he’s a bettor, a fan, and a student of the game. With a background that spans ESPN and Fox Sports, he understands the intersection of media and data. More importantly, he’s actually listening.
Through our talk, I learned that Equibase— co-owned by The Jockey Club and The Thoroughbred Racing Associations (TRA) which is comprised of a large group of tracks (including Churchill, NYRA, 1/ST and many others). —actually offers far more free information than the social media “noise” would lead you to believe. The problem is that the industry hasn’t done a great job of telling you where it is or how to use it.
The Proof is in the Portal
Following our conversation, Kyle followed up with a breakdown of exactly what is available for free for every track and horse in North America. If you think you have to pay for every scrap of info, you’re missing out on some of these tools:
Free Tools and Links to Them Offered by Equibase.
- Virtual Stable: This is arguably their most popular feature. It’s a notification system that lets you track any horse or jockey, and alerts you to stakes entries and carryovers. It also allows your own trip notes on horses, and it is personally one of my most valuable tools.
- Full Charts & GPS Data: You can access full charts for every race. Furthermore, at over 30 tracks where GPS technology is installed, Equibase provides GPS charts with data points down to the half-furlong for every single horse. This is something sharp players can do a lot with.
- Entries Plus & Smart Pick: Through their “Entries Plus” and “Smart Pick” interfaces, bettors can access free “Pocket PPs” and interactive entry data that simplifies the handicapping process. Pocket PP’s are the basic past performances.
- Comprehensive Profiles: There are dedicated profile pages for every horse, jockey, and trainer in the registry, providing a deep dive into the stats that matter.
- Innovation for the Future: Perhaps most impressively, Equibase offers a free dataset registration for entrepreneurs and academics looking to innovate in the sport. They’ve already had over 2,200 requests for this data.
The Future: Charts, GPS, and Reality
Kyle walked me through several projects currently underway to improve their custodianship of racehorse data. They currently have over 80 people across the country dedicated to charting horses—a massive effort to ensure the human element remains accurate.
On the tech side, GPS is clearly the way of the future for timing. Traditional beams are subject to interference and inflated speeds due to run-ups. While GPS has faced criticism when it’s even slightly inaccurate, we need a dose of perspective: GPS isn’t foolproof in any industry. Who hasn’t looked at their car’s GPS and wondered where it thinks you are?
The Bottom Line
We are quick to throw stones at the “powers that be,” and often, those stones are deserved. But after talking with Kyle, I see an organization that is working to modernize. They are currently working on a full redesign of the Equibase website, including a much-needed improvement to the search function.
Is it perfect? No. But the data is there, the projects are moving, and for the first time in a long time, it feels like the people in charge of the numbers actually care about the people betting them. It’s time we stop complaining about a lack of data and start using the tools that are already right in front of us.
What we have here is a failure to communicate:
