Horses' weights to appear soon in past performances

The Stronach Group announced Thursday that after monitoring, compiling and televising the weights of horses the past several months at its facilities in California, Florida and Maryland, the information is scheduled to be available in past performances by the end of summer.

Prior to be being saddled before a race, horses step on a scale in or near the paddock, where their weights are recorded by a racing official. The weights have been posted on in-house simulcast shows before each race. By the end of the summer, weights will also be available online and in racing programs with a plus/minus from the previous start, according to The Jockey Club.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club has been weighing and recording the weight of horses for several years. Tim Ritvo, Chief Operating Officer of The Stronach Group, believes the information, once it can be referenced, will help bettors and horsemen determine a horse’s optimal weight, monitor stress of competition, and how weight can vary due to age, environment and time between races.

“This is something we’ve been working on for quite a while,” Ritvo said. “We believe this is another tool for bettors to determine when a horse could be at his ideal weight. We also believe horsemen will look at weight to decide how training, feeding and environment affect a horse’s weight and performance.

“I think this information benefits everyone, from horsemen to bettors to track veterinarians, and it allows further transparency,” Ritvo said. “We hope the added element is beneficial to our customers since we have always considered them the economic engine of the sport.”