AI can help race secretaries write more competitive races
by Bob Duff
New technology, such as artificial intelligence, is going to help race secretaries write more competitive races. Beyond that, it possesses the capabilities to do much more to make the sport of harness racing better, safer, and more entertaining.
Software developed by 1/ST called Racehorse 360 is designed to make use of artificial intelligence (AI) to enable race secretaries to write better races and to fill out more entertaining race cards.
This advancement in technology can initially act as a method for the race secretary to keep tabs on the inventory available for their track. The software identifies all of the horses that are housed in each trainer’s stalls, and in what conditions they are a best fit for based on the horse’s current performance charts.
It will also identify which of the races the software assembles figures to deliver the most profitable handle, so that those races can be carded earlier in the night, when they are more likely to generate the most profit for the track. This information is also generated through past performance data.
“It can identify eligible horses for carded races — specifically identifying those horses who are eligible for a particular race — and in conjunction with the health and welfare portion, it can identify horses who could potentially be scratched from the race due to veterinary reasons, allowing us to write safer races with fewer scratches,” 1/ST Racing chief veterinary officer Dr. Dionne Benson said while speaking at the recent 72nd Annual Round Table Conference on matters pertaining to racing.
FINNISH HARNESS RACING RELIES HEAVILY ON AI
In Finland, Suomen Hippos, the governing body for harness racing in the country, dove heavily into reliance on AI for all aspects of the sport, with glowingly-positive outcomes.
Finnish technology company HiQ developed an AI-driven race calendar for Suomen Hippos.
The problems facing Finnish harness racing aren’t any different from what North American tracks deal with on a steady basis.
“The number of racing horses is declining, so we needed to ensure that the number of races matches regional demand,” said Arto Hytönen, director of harness racing at Suomen Hippos. “Additionally, we wanted to shorten travel distances to races, reducing the carbon footprint, improving horse welfare, and increasing cost efficiency for owners and trainers.”
As a data-driven sport, harness racing is a natural to draw benefits from what AI can offer. In Finland, the AI-driven race calendar created by HiQ for Suomen Hippos utilizes information such as horse statistics, stable locations, audience numbers, and betting turnover from races.
The company analyzed data on 700,000 horses and racing outcomes dating back to 1984 to arrive at its solution. HiQ developed a multi-phase algorithm that constructs the best possible race calendar by scoring race days and favoring local horses that have not competed too recently.
Jukka Niskanen, CIO of Suomen Hippos, pointed out that AI isn’t replacing race secretaries. It is providing them with a tool to enable them to do their job more efficiently.
“In addition to reducing manual work, the new calendar allows us to justify decisions based on analyzed data from races and horses instead of relying on opinions and intuition,” Niskanen said. “AI-assisted scheduling makes data-driven decision-making a daily practice.
“We gain valuable factual insights from the data to support decisions, such as the total number of race days. The algorithm distributes race days evenly and flexibly across Finland, while also considering the preferences and criteria of racetracks, professionals, and hobbyists.”
AI WILL ALSO MAKE RACING SAFER
The components of Racehorse 360 include tools to help veterinarians more easily identify lame horses that could be in danger of suffering further and more serious injuries.
The program uses AI to analyze video footage and identify horses on a track, providing veterinarians with real-time information on each horse.
CHANGE IS COMING QUICKLY
This new technology is going to change the way racing operates in all manners, and it’s going to happen quickly. Industry leaders are projecting that due to advancements brought about through AI, there will be more changes in horse racing over the next three years than in the previous 30 years. Expectations are that by 2028, at least 25 per cent of all racing-related decisions will be made with the assistance of AI.
AI isn’t going to replace the human element in the sport. However, it’s a guarantee that the humans who don’t embrace the presence of AI and what it can do to benefit horse racing are going to be replaced.
And as those in the industry in Finland have been witness to, it is proving to be a change for the betterment of the sport.
“The AI tool strengthens the fact-based foundation for decision-making and the national placement of race days,” Hytönen said. “This supports not only the well-being of the horses but also that of their owners and the entire industry.”
