Method of acquiring and disseminating handicapping information

A method for acquiring and disseminating thoroughbred racehorse handicapping information comprising the steps of:

• surveying a racetrack to identify and measure split positions around the racetrack and distances therebetween, each pair of the split positions defining a segment of the racetrack residing therebetween;
• indexing a camera to each successive split position during a race as a plurality of thoroughbred horses proceed around the racetrack, the camera remaining at each split position until the plurality of competing horses pass therethrough to record each of the horses on video recording media at the respective split position, the camera commencing recording before the start of the race and the video recording media also including time code information;
• determining from the time code information on the video recording media an elapsed time for each of the horses for each of the successive segments of the racetrack, for the entire race;
• calculating, for each of the horses, the average speed for each of the successive segments traversed during the race, based on the determined elapsed times for the respective segments and the known distances of the respective segments, thereby to obtain for each of the horses a plurality of average speeds equal in number to the segments;
• and
• disseminating to race fans, for at least one of the horses, the plurality of average speeds calculated from a previous race.

A method for acquiring and disseminating thoroughbred racehorse handicapping information comprising the steps of:

• indexing a camera to a plurality of measured split positions located around a racetrack, the split positions defining a plurality of segments of the racetrack, the indexing step occurring during a race as a plurality of thoroughbred horses proceed around the track, the camera remaining at each split position until the plurality of competing horses arrive thereat, thereby to record each of the horses on video recording media at the respective split position, the camera commencing recording before the start of the race and the video recording media having time code information associated therewith;
• reviewing the video recording media after the race to determine from the time code information an elapsed time for each of the horses for each of the successive segments of the track, for the entire race;
• calculating, for each of the horses, the average speed for each of the successive segments traversed during the race, based on the determined elapsed times for the respective segments and the known distances of the respective segments, thereby to obtain for each of the horses a plurality of average speeds equal in number to the segments traversed during the race;
• and
• disseminating to race fans, for at least one of the horses, the plurality of average speeds calculated from a previous race.