It's a Tuesday morning in late November and you find yourself with a free day. As a horse player, you decide to explore what's running at Zia Park in New Mexico. You quickly realize the importance of past performances and how Equibase provides this valuable information at your fingertips.

Equibase: The Sole Record Keeper

Equibase has been collecting data on every race run at officially sanctioned racetracks in North America since 1991. It dates back to 1976 and has become the go-to source for horse players worldwide. In 1998, when The Daily Racing Form decided to cease data collection, Equibase took over as the sole record keeper for Thoroughbred racing.Equibase is based in Lexington, Kentucky, with track and field personnel at most racetracks. The process of compiling information begins at the track. For example, Del Mar writes a condition book, and each day's entry files are sent to Equibase. They process this information, couple it with past performance data, and send it back to the track for programs.During a race, chart caller Curtis Treece calls the race by numbers followed by margins at each point of call. Meanwhile, chart taker Ken Davis writes the information down on a worksheet and inputs it into the computer. They also use replays to adjust margins and gather equipment information during the post parade.There are many moving parts to this process, but it typically goes off without a hitch. Once everything is complete, Davis validates the chart and sends it to Equibase, which makes it available online almost immediately.

The Technology Behind Equibase

One would expect Equibase's computer center to be filled with banks of computers. However, it's a small row of machines on the third floor of the building in Lexington. Technology has evolved to allow them to store information on smaller machines. They also have redundancy centers in case of a catastrophic event.Chuck Scaravelli, former vice president of track and field, used to strive to have all data input into the computer and ready by the time a horse ran back. Today, they collect the data and have the chart available within 30 minutes after the race, except for the Kentucky Derby.Equibase.com averages two million pageviews a day, providing free information to the industry and race fans. This includes leaders' lists and individual statistical profile pages, which were developed at a high cost but are worth it for promoting the sport.In conclusion, Equibase has revolutionized the way horse players access information. With its efficient data collection and processing system, it has become an essential part of the racing industry. Whether you're a seasoned horse player or a casual fan, Equibase provides the tools you need to understand and enjoy the sport.