HORSEPLOP.COM
General Category => Harness Racing => Topic started by: Bogeyman on November 22, 2025, 10:38:08 AM
-
For handicapping purposes, when looking at times, how do 1/2-mile, 5/8-mile and mile tracks compare to one another. I have been using a two-second difference between 1/2 mile and mile track times and one-second difference between a 5/8 track and a mile track. Example, a horse going from a half-mile track to a mile track - I assume, given all things being equal (such as a decent post position), that horse has the ability to pace up to two-seconds faster at the mile track. Agree or disagree on this thought process?
-
There is no general rule that will serve you well. Experts like Dave Little would disagree but the real answer is everything is circumstantial.
-
For handicapping purposes, when looking at times, how do 1/2-mile, 5/8-mile and mile tracks compare to one another. I have been using a two-second difference between 1/2 mile and mile track times and one-second difference between a 5/8 track and a mile track. Example, a horse going from a half-mile track to a mile track - I assume, given all things being equal (such as a decent post position), that horse has the ability to pace up to two-seconds faster at the mile track. Agree or disagree on this thought process?
I'd say about 0.75 seconds (three quarters of a second) slower for each added turn in general.
However track surfaces, distance to finish line, make all the difference.
I.e. Western Fair is a slow track, you won't find many horses blasting from the 7 hole. So slow (narrower too) the 8 is a second tier horse. Northfield in comparison when weather and other conditions are the same is faster.
Take of these what you will they are the track speed ratings for NA:
https://www.harnessracing.ws/Speed-Ratings-for-US-Harness-Tracks.htm (US)
https://standardbredcanada.ca/content/track-speed-ratings-standardbred-canada.html (CAD)
-
The track speed ratings haven't been updated too.
Grand River (GRVR) in Canada is a 5/8's track now.
-
Thanks for the info. Sounds like there are more variables concerning time conversions than I have been considering to this point.
-
I go by the Trackmaster numbers to an extent. Supposedly, they are like the Beyer numbers in tbreds.
They compare race times with a norm and figure out a variant for the days races, i.e. track faster or slower than average.
Then each horse gets a number for that race they ran in.
In general, I use 5/8s to be 2 seconds faster than a 1/2, and 1 second slower than a 7/8 or 1 mile track.
Don’t shoot the messenger.
-
Catch some of those capable Canadian horses that come south and race like it's Spring in 20-40 degree weather.