New starting stall loading procedures

i apologise if there isa thread for this already.

i believe the horses are now loaded in sequence of their numbers and no longer by their grading.

is this then not the reason for some of the mess we are seeing at the starting stalls lately?

The problem horses will cause a major problem for the well behaved runners if this is the case

Sly those rules only apply to 3 yo horses. Started during last Season's juvenile Season. IMHO, it will never work here. All they have to do is be very strict when passing/certifying unraced horses. This seems to be too much effort or to complicated to comprehend.

As for last night, in my experience, we just saw the result of most horses being way above themselves due to a combo of having their work routines effected by rain/ flooded training tracks, more rain/potential thunderstorms around on the night which horses sense, gusting winds and the night racing effect on some.

It was spoken about at a Trainers meeting. We are trying to get everyone to school their horses properly. It was found that approximately 80% of the horses that messed around came from 20% of the trainers. There will be problems every now and then but in general ut works all over the world. Now they are forced to school them properly.

so if Marcus or Mr Angry Muzi, says to the starter your not loading my horse next, needs to go in late they will not listen to him?

seems a very unfair system and will only cause usually well behaved horses to get upset imo

Seems they want to do everything the jonesies do, hong Kong ,meydan?

I know the UK changed their stall numbers so they always go from the inside out, but don`t think they load horses in race card order

They certainly dont in Ireland and France

In the UK if a horse bursts through the front of it stalls it cannot be reloaded and therefore it becomes a scratching. This only applies if the horse itself caused the stall to open.

Off the Topic but worth a read

Warning System Not Used Before CT Collision


An investigation into a head-on collision that led to a horse being euthanized after a race at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races Dec. 13 didn't result from malfunction of an on-track warning system, officials said Dec. 15.

The incident occurred in the fourth race at the West Virginia track after Winningaswespeak, ridden by Carlos Marrero, clipped heels and lost the rider as the field made its way into the second of three turns in the 1 1/16-mile race. Winningaswespeak then turned in the other direction and ran along the rail through the stretch and around the first turn before colliding with Frisky Dixie, who was ridden by Carlos Castro.

Charles Town officials said neither jockey was seriously injured, though Shuler Stables' Frisky Dixie was euthanized from collision-related injuries.

Charles Town director of racing operations Erich Zimny said Dec. 15 that track officials met with West Virginia Racing Commission state steward Danny Wright and the clocker who times the races. He also exchanged emails with track announcer Jeff Cernik, who attempted to warn the jockeys via the public address system during the race.

The issue centers on the fact the track's warning system wasn't activated during the race.

"We have an alert system," Zimny said. "It's functional, with sirens and lights. It wasn't broken Saturday night. Up until two years ago we only had an audible warning system, but on our own volition installed warning lights on the four corners of the track. Both are activated from the same spot."

The warning system is activated by the clocker—but only if told to do so by the stewards, who are located about 20 feet away in another room on the roof of Charles Town.

"The clocker was told by the stewards (that the signal to activate the warning system) must come from them," Zimny said. "He was just following stewards' orders. Our guys did what they were told."

The stewards apparently didn't see the loose horse run back up the homestretch and into the path of the oncoming horses, or when they did, it was too late. Zimny said a WVRC official indicated the stewards told him they should have been more proactive and have requested Charles Town place a warning-system activation mechanism in their booth.

"We're not fully done vetting the system," Zimny said. "And we will install (the mechanism) in the stewards' room. But right now I cannot say that would have prevented what happened Saturday night."

In a statement released the evening of Dec. 15, parent company Penn National Gaming Inc. vice president of racing Chris McErlean said: "At no time during the incident in question were any of our personnel directed by the state racing stewards to deploy our warning system or to announce to the riders to pull their horses up, as has been the standard operating procedure during live racing.

"The safety of the jockeys and horses are of paramount concern to Charles Town Races, and in conjunction with the state racing stewards, we will be reviewing our policies again in light of what could have been an avoidable accident to ensure we can adequately address a similar situation going forward. We take the matter very seriously and the accident warning systems in place at all of our facilities meet or exceed the industry standards."

The matter could be discussed at the Dec. 16 WVRC meeting.

The stewards declared the fourth race the evening of Dec. 13 a no-contest, and all wagers were refunded. The official chart of the race has been removed from Equibase, and the race replay no longer appears at the Charles Town website.



Read more on BloodHorse.com: www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles...lision#ixzz3M9JXnuw7

I reckon is great idea, but should be barrier numbers, not saddle cloth. NO preferential treatment for unruly or stubborn loaders. Obviously this viewpoint is from the couch..... not a qualified view as I do not work with the horse

Craig Eudey wrote: It was spoken about at a Trainers meeting. We are trying to get everyone to school their horses properly. It was found that approximately 80% of the horses that messed around came from 20% of the trainers. There will be problems every now and then but in general ut works all over the world. Now they are forced to school them properly.

At long last I am in agreement with you, Craig!

Sending half-baked, poorly schooled/intractable horses to the racecourse is an area where South Africa REALLY IS world class. No other racing jurisdiction that is regularly screened on Tellytrack comes even close to providing the number of 'bolters' that we are subject to here.

One wonders what the subsequent broadcasting 'gridlock' does to betting turnover once one of these (inevitable or so it seems) incidents occur.

It's a mystery to me why we don't simply adopt the UK rule which basically immediately disqualifies any runner which breaks through the stalls. This rule provides a predictable outcome and eliminates the debate that breaks out when a hot favourite is re-captured, re-loaded and then runs last. Bookmakers will tell you that they happily lay more of any horse that breaks through the front of a stall as they very seldom win.

The regulator might also like to consider imposing fines on any yards that exceed an agreed % of bolters in any season. Why should diligent trainers, owners & punters be expected to put up with the minority who school their horses shoddily?

Much of what constitutes a race meeting is already painfully boring without having to put up with these time wasting and yawn inducing incidents. Only scrum re-sets in rugby compare.

Do the trainers do all the stall training or do they have "pre training" work done before they arrive at yards?

I know trainers would still want to test and give them a bit more experience at the stalls before they race etc, but others just might not have the time or be tbh bothered imo.

Suppose this is why some yards have better behave horses?

The new loading system is for current 3 yo horses and younger. In mixed races it doesn't apply. It is based on the draw of the horse and has nothing to do with saddle cloth number. It is random per race. Load even numbers first then odd numbers,starting from lowest number to highest, eg 2 then 4 then 6 etc then start with odd numbers 1 the 3 then 5 etc. This is how I understand it.

Now this is where Craig and a few others who like this system are missing the point. (Garrick is correct in terms of our dropping standards.)
Firstly, there is absolutely no improvement under this system. Quite the contrary, in fact. We now have a bigger problem than before. Based on that, the new system has and is failing.
Secondly, this new system does not address the actual problem. This new system transfers the problem to race day and in so doing, creates a situation where the poorly schooled horse damages the chances of the well schooled horse. ( will explain this one later). Race days are now chaotic.
Thirdly, the fundamental problem has not been addressed. That problem is simply that we have too many fractious horses at the start. The majority of these are the product of rushed or poor schooling. And whilst these new loading rules are in place, the passing of horses for Racing has not altered. And this is the root of the problem.

In general, we all expect to have one or two difficult horses to work with at stalls. For instance, the vast majority of Var's offspring are very claustophobic. They are gentle souls in their stables and lovely to work with and handle. ....until they are in an enclosure, with something above their heads.... These horses take extra time and effort.
But, come starting stalls certification days and we are still seeing horses being bundled in by 6 or 7 grooms and getting a certificate.

I personally saw this coming and met with nhra, Larry Wainstein, Dave Durrant , the starter etc, some 2 years ago. I pleaded for a stricter system for certification and to have it documented, so that all Trainers could read it and know the rule etc. This was the basics of my input -
1 )At first presentation, a horse must walk into the stalls, rider on and may only be led in. Horse must stand for 3 minutes. If not, any hesitation, any nervousness or movement such as head , backing into back gate or suchlike etc - sorry, failed, come back next week.
2)At second presentation, the horse may be led in and ONLY two handlers may push the horse in. Any problem, takes too long, needs a head hold etc - sorry, failed, come back next week.
3)At third presentation, horse may be led and only two handlers may push with strap. (NEVER more than 2 pushers), horse may have a handler up. But horse must be behaved. Because this horse needed a push and a handler, it must come back next week to repeat, to confirm that this is ok.
4)Fourthly, any horse which needs a head hold or is a definite nervous horse, must then be certified after the last race on a race day. No nervous horse must be certified on normal non race day mornings at the back stretch of a racecourse.

Obviously this was too difficult for nhra and the simple way out, which would pass the buck, was to bring in this new system instead. In so doing, they have transferred the problem to race days. ...And made us all look stupid, including the innocent, well schooled but nervous type horse, who got the fright of his life when another horse went mad next to him in the stalls on race day. It is also worth noting that the old grading system is now gone under this system or due to the effects of this system. Less work for Nhra....Under this system, we ignore the fact that nervous horses exist, we don't care about them and the consequences of loading them first, on a number system.

Yet, the system might work, if the basics were in place. If passing was stricter, systematic and properly defined/documented. And the Trainers who make an effort would be rewarded.

This new system,as it stands, is like deciding that you don't need drivers licenses anymore. Just don't drive badly or speed or cause accidents and don't get caught....