New rail to be installed on Canterbury’s main track to enhance safety and modify race timing

Canterbury Park will install a new safety rail system on the one-mile main track. The current Fontana rail system, in place for more than 30 years on the Shakopee, Minn. racetrack, is being removed to make way for the Rider Protection System designed by Horsemen’s Track and Equipment of Louisville, Kentucky.

While the Fontana system was state-of-the-art for safety standards in 1985 when Canterbury opened, maintenance of the rails has become difficult leading to the need for this improved safety rail. The patented Horsemen’s Rider Protection System was designed to help minimize injuries to both horses and riders if an accident occurs.

“Canterbury Park is committed to the safety of our horses and riders. With this new rail, we are increasing our standards,” Senior Director of Racing Chris Merz said.

Also in Merz’ plans is a change to the way thoroughbred races are timed.

“Another benefit of this installation is that we will become the first track in the United States to time thoroughbred races right out of the starting gate. We are resurveying our distances so we can make this a reality,” Merz said

In thoroughbred racing, there is what is known as a run-up. The run-up is the distance from where the starting gate is placed and where the timing of the race actually begins, which is the published distance of the race. For example, at Canterbury the run-up, or the distance traveled before the timer starts, for a six furlong main track race is 51 feet while at Horseshoe Indianapolis it is 30 feet and at Tampa Bay Downs it is 46 feet. There are tracks using run-ups of more than 200 feet for some distances. This running start produces inconsistent times and makes comparing times from track to track more difficult without an adjustment. Quarter horse racing already uses a standing start timing process that produces a true time.

While enhanced safety is the main benefit provided by the new rail system, its installation “puts Canterbury Park on the cutting edge of race timing accuracy” according to Merz.

“By timing races from the moment the gate opens, we are being more transparent with thoroughbred timing and providing our bettors with the accurate information they have been wanting for years,” Merz said.

Randy Moss, a member of the Beyer Speed Figure-making team and racing analyst who will again join NBC’s Breeders’ Cup broadcast next month, has long been a proponent of eliminating the run-up and producing the most accurate times possible for a sport he loves. He agrees that Canterbury is taking a step forward.

“This will produce more consistency in timing,” he said.  Moss also believes that, in time, serious handicappers will benefit and should “feel it in the pocketbook.”

But there will be a period of transition.

“What handicappers will notice is that opening fractional times will be decidedly slower. A first fraction that would have been 21 and 4 [seconds] might be 22 and 4 or 23,” he said.

That could initially prove challenging for horse players initially. “Canterbury will want to get out in front of this,” Moss said.

Canterbury’s racing director will do just that.

The rail installation will be completed by early November. Merz intends to eliminate the run-up and begin the new timing protocols when Canterbury’s 2024 season commences in May.

“Over the course of the next few months we will be putting out more materials on how times will be impacted with this move, doing our best to educate the bettors and public on what they can look forward to for our racing season.”

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