How The Performance Tracking Methods Used in Thoroughbred Racing are Influencing Modern Sports Club Management

Horse racing has consistently been a sport that has been on the front foot when it comes to adapting new technology to practical uses. 

The sport relies on varying forms of tech in this modern day, with each playing a key role in safeguarding the equines involved. Tech also plays a key role in how followers watch the action, ranging from Win and You’re In Races to major events such as the Kentucky Derby. 

However, one of the most important pieces of technological advancement in the sport has come in the form of allowing trainers and owners to get a better understanding of horses using tracking methods. 

How Do Tracking Methods Work in Horse Racing?

Data is everything in horse racing, meaning that there is always vital importance for trainers to get the most accurate readings for the equines in their care. Wearables are commonplace in the sport in this modern day, with each runner typically carrying lightweight GPS devices and electronic chips to monitor performance. 

This allows trainers to get accurate and up-to-the-minute information surrounding sectional times, top speeds, stride patterns and distance covered. All will have a direct impact as to how a horse is trained. 

Not only this, but tracking methods are vitally important when it comes to comparing times, as negative performances could lead to something being amiss. Therefore tracking tech has had a profound impact on horse welfare, giving trainers an opportunity to address underlying issues before they become serious. 

Birth of Wearable Technology

Wearables are nothing new in sport, as they have been tested throughout generations. Stables in racing first began experimenting by carrying phone-sized devices in saddle clothes to track fractional times and recovery periods, but the results were typically inaccurate. 

Humans have also tested with wearable tech throughout generations, and the evolution of compressed pieces of tech to create a portable footprint has developed to become a seamless adaption in human sports. 

It is most common in athletic events, with wearables able to track the speeds covered by a sprinter, while distance can also be vitally important for marathon runners. The data will help pinpoint areas of weakness for those involved, indicating periods of races where more work should be done. 

Wearables are also common in team sports in this modern day, with football, soccer, and basketball teams typically wearing the kit in training in order for coaches to get a better understanding of the fitness levels.  

Shifting the Focus to Biomechanics 

The evolution of wearables has given sport areas to explore, with this being particularly important in horse racing. Nowadays, most stables will use the tech to track the stride length and stride frequency data, which could help identify trends such as fatigue. 

This could have a huge impact when it comes to the decision-making of a trainer, as it could indicate that an equine is better suited to running over shorter or longer distances. Similar approaches have also been taken in other sports, with modern clubs using the wearables to track changes in running mechanics over time. 

A subtle difference could pinpoint potential fatigue of a player, meaning that they may need to be rested. The tech can also pick up potential strains on muscles, which could impact the running style of athletes, allowing sportspeople to get treatment on niggling injuries before they become more severe. 

Workload Management 

There have never been more eyes on animal welfare, meaning that the development of wearable tech has been crucial. Data collected by the devices will give trainers and owners all the information required to carefully create dedicated training plans. 

Trainers are able to monitor real-time metrics such as heart-rate recovery and post-workout lactating, which will give an accurate reading on an equines fitness levels. Horses that are steady in their results will be given harder work, while those underperforming may be given rest periods. 

This is similar in other sports, especially given the player welfare concerns that have been raised in sports such as soccer. Coaches will be able to monitor daily heart rates of their players during practise, with biometric trackers able to generate a ‘readiness score’ for players. 

Those that show abnormal results are deemed not to be ready to play, with the data indicating that coaches could rest their fatigued players to avoid the risk of potential injury. All the metrics will give those involved in team sports the most accurate data, ensuring that a decision made with the welfare of the player in mind being at the forefront. 

Future of Tracking

Technology will continue to play a profound role in sport, both when it comes to maintaining the welfare of those involved and ensuring that athletes are able to reach their peak. 

It is also becoming increasingly popular in scouting. In horse racing, trackers are helping to identify potential future superstars with a data-driven approach. This is also a theme in team sport, with DNA and physiological profiling becoming a crucial part of the scouting process.