Does anyone know what would happened if the power went off in the middle of the backstretch?

Question

in the Preakness, K. Derby, or Belmont...If it happened in the Superbowl for example, I'm sure generators would kick in shortly and the officials would adjust the clocks and play would resume but in a race there would be some awfully tired horses if they re-ran the race.

Answer 1

An interesting question.  Of course they wouldn't re-run the race, that's completely out of the question.  

I'd be willing to bet that the photo-finish camera that's used probably has a battery-powered back-up, so I don't think there would be a problem with the photo, even if the power did go out.  So I don't think there would be a problem.  

I'm also sure that if something did happen to any official cameras, the stewards and placing judge at Churchill Downs would turn to the media and ask for photos and film footage to try to decide the placings.  It's dollars to donuts that with all the media focusing on the finish of the race, there would be several hundred pictures, from a variety of different impeccable sources, that could be used to decide the race.  

The stewards and placing judge are the ultimate authorities when it comes to declaring the finish of a race official for pari-mutuel purposes, and given the millions of dollars that are wagered on the Derby, they aren't going to declare the race "no contest" like they might if it was the tenth race at Dustbin Downs for 7-year-old and up maidens, claiming price $2500. ;-)

FWIW, there have been some trials and travails regarding photo finishes that have caused near-riots at racetracks.  At Santa Anita some years ago, well before the advent of the digital camera, the stewards and placing judge made a major faux pas in a race.

At that time, in order to speed the process of declaring the winner, the stewards and placing judge were in the habit of getting the photo negative from the photo finish guy and looking at the negative to declare the winner, rather than taking the time to wait for the print of the photo to be made.  Well, on this occasion, the stewards and placing judge looked at the negative and declared the winner, posted the "official" sign and allowed the mutuel clerks to start paying off.

At that point the guy who was responsible for printing the photo came running in to tell them they'd made an awful mistake.  And sure enough, they had:  when the print of the photo was examined, it could be seen that the horse that they had posted as the winner-- and who the clerks were now paying off patrons on-- had actually come in second.

Uh-oh. :-0

The stewards are required to post all photos of photo finishes, and the Santa Anita stewards knew that once they posted this photo, all h**l would break loose, because of course the people who had bet on the horse that really had finished first would want to know why the heck their horse had been placed second.

And there was a heck of a stink.  Security had to be called in, because some of the people who felt they were robbed wanted to do some damage to sublimate their frustration.  As I recall, the placing judge lost his job over this mess and I think a couple of other people got canned.  The stewards ever after that waited to have a print of the photo before posting the results as official.

Answer 2

if the power went out, there is a good chance the stewards would award the finishers as best as they saw it.  the parimutual may be a refund.  lol :)

Answer 3

um...  they probably have generators that would start right away if the race was at night.  And the horses would just keep going.  If it's during the day, the jockeys could see and they'd keep running.  the wouldn't re-run a race just because they couldn't time it...  Secretariat doesn't hold the record for the fastest Preakness time because the timing system malfunctioned because of people walking over it on the way to the infield.  Their not rerunning a race for that.  I doubt there would ever be a situation that would require the rerunning of a race.  If it's a triple crown race, it's during the day, if the clock doesn't work, that's too bad...  one of the horses crossed the line first and that horse won (assuming it didn't cheat and get disqualified).

The winter olympics in (i think) 2002...  Apolo Anton Ohno got knocked down and all the skaters crashed into each other and the wall and slid across the finish line and that's how the race ended...  it was official...  it counted.  Horse racing is a lot like that...  so long as all the weight is still on the horses and they cross the line, it's official.

Answer 4

IF THE BACKUP UTILITY LIGHTS DON'T KICK ON IT WOULD BE A NON RACE, BUT WITH THAT MUCH MONEY ON THE LINE YOU BET THEY WILL TURN ON ASAP...AND THE RACE IS OFFICIAL...

Answer 5

They would declare a winner, but all bets are null and void.  Does anyone not read the small print on their betting slips?

Answer 6

It has happened in races, the jockeys are urged to pull up SAFELY if they can.

Answer 7

I would assume most tracks have a back up generator but as I work on the backside I wouldn't know for sure. I would say as long as it was a day time race it probably won't matter. The race would continue as the clocker would be using a battery operated stop watch and the photographer who catches the photo finish as well as the winner's circle picture would be using a be using a battery operated camera.  So I really don't think it would affect the race at all.  Now a night time race under the lights would be different the would probably stop the race or it would be a non race and if it was a stakes race it would probably be rescheduled for a another day. Never in the last 5 years that I have worked with race horses has the power went off during a race.  Now I have been places where races have been canceled do to the weather causing unsafe track conditions but they would not cancel the race in progress just the rest of the day's racing card.

Answer 8

There is no delay.....it's immediate.  There would be no change in history, but nice try.