So, how many people tried to visit ntra.com on March 13? Google Trends hints that the number may have been unprecedented for the site. Queries for “NTRA” reached #8 on Saturday’s overall hot search terms list, spiking near the webcast’s start time — a pattern termed “Volcanic” by the search engine:

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One thing was proved by the debacle (for which NTRA president Alex Waldrop apologized last night): There’s interest in watching racing’s stars online.

“We’re exploring what we as a business can do to monetize our product through traditional business, instead of through gambling channels,” said [Sasha Sanan]. “We’re looking at a multitude of new technology platforms ranging from Facebook and different social media games like FarmVille, to current mobile applications, to traditional video gaming, and even fantasy sports and general interest in sports and entertainment consumption.”

Is this the same initiative as was mentioned in the Racing Post over the weekend? The ambitions of its principals, which include Satish Sanan, seem greater:

Their primary objectives include generating a revenue stream that can support the marketing of racing and bolster integrity in areas such as medication use and wagering.

The group is also considering initiatives such as the formation of an industry-held account wagering business and the creation of a national structure for American racing …

Potentially interesting — or divisive — industry developments may be ahead.

Horseplayers have many laments: Takeout rates are too high, data costs too much, and stewards rarely explain their calls. And then there’s the frustrating problem of late odds changes, particularly those last-minute odds drops in which a horse enters the gate at 2-1 and leaves it at 6-5.

While conditional wagering can’t save handicappers from the fickle fluctuations of the tote in the final seconds before a race, the technology does give players significant control over the conditions under which bets are made. Introduced by Premier Turf Club in 2007 and now available through TwinSpires, Youbet and other ADWs, conditional wagering allows bettors to select the horses they want to play and the minimum odds they’ll accept well in advance of the time wagers are placed by the system, which can be anywhere from 45 seconds to post to several minutes out. If the minimum isn’t available, the bet isn’t made.

“You’ll never have to wait around again for a specific race to ensure you get a fair price on a runner you want to back. This will end the cries of, ‘If I knew that 6-to-1 morning line horse was going to pay $30, I would have played him,’” Premier Turf Club CEO Ian Meyers told the Thoroughbred Times when the feature launched.

Those cries can still be heard, but conditional wagering surely has freed many horseplayers wagering through a number of ADWs from tote-watching and worry about underlays or missed opportunities. The idea seems simple in retrospect; implemented, it’s one of the most bettor-friendly innovations of the past decade.

Trakus, in action

Developed by Massachusetts-based TKS, Inc., Trakus was initially used by the New England Patriots, the NHL, NASCAR, and the PGA for real-time data collection before the parent company switched their focus to horse racing. Now implemented at several tracks, including Woodbine, Keeneland, and Del Mar, Trakus has become an integral part of those track’s simulcast and in-house productions.

Using a wireless radio frequency system with small radio antennas positioned around the racetrack and corresponding ultra-lightweight radio tags located within a horse’s saddle-cloth, Trakus provides real-time data that the track can display. This is done with either the chicklets, which Woodbine uses to display the horse’s position on the racetrack, or as part of an automatically updating full-field rundown, which is used by both Keeneland and Del Mar. Following the completion of a race, Trakus can also be used to generate a three-dimensional replay or a race chart.

Digital Replays

Furthermore, after tracking each horse during the race, Trakus also stores information in a database about the horse. This information includes how many feet the horse ran during the race, how much ground it covered in comparison to other horses, how fast it ran during the race, and the horse’s final quarter. Trakus is also useful because no matter what kind of weather the track may be experiencing (fog, rain, snow, etc.) or what kind of camera angle the track uses, the Trakus system is always available to display the exact location of the horse.

Trakus is taking a multi-pronged approach to the future. First, they are making races available via mobile phone through their website, trakus.com. After signing up for the service, a fan or bettor can access a Trakus feed of any race at their participating tracks. Trakus has also moved overseas this year, debuting at racetracks in France and Turkey. Finally, with their Trakus Network or T-Net, which is available at trakus.com, industry professionals, fans, handicappers, trainers, owners, etc. can get access to a myriad of features including full-field results databases and replays, discussion forums, and industry expert analysis.

With all the features Trakus has — its ability to display automatic full-field rundowns, its ability to chart and store information about horses for future use, and its ability to let fans and bettors know exactly where their horse is on the track at all times, it will be exciting to see where this technology goes and if it will be available at all tracks in the near future.

Panel Comments

“It will never change the way I watch races but it certainly could revolutionize the gathering of data. Jury is still out here but I have a sneaking suspicion that there’s a lot more to this than chicklets and real-time position.” – o_crunk

This article was written by Greg Reinhart, a web reporter for The Harness Edge. Prior to joining the Standardbred publication in 2007, Reinhart developed LucOuellette.com, the first web site used by a harness racing catch-driver.