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  #1  
Old 01-05-2019, 05:09 PM
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jnunan4759 jnunan4759 is offline
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Default Mysterious Santa Anita question

If you watch a 6 1/2 F Turf (Hill) race at SA. You see a thin red and white striped pole just off the track to the right of the gate. It has a fairly large yellow hoop on top. It's at least 15 feet tall. I've asked a lot of people there and never got an answer beyond speculation. It must serve a purpose because it always looks painted and maintained.

Any answers ?
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Old 01-05-2019, 07:10 PM
robfla robfla is offline
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more speculation: probably where they start timing the race?
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Old 01-06-2019, 09:21 AM
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jnunan4759 jnunan4759 is offline
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Not sure, but that IS the thing I'm talking about.

TV does not give a good perspective on that course. They call it "The Hill" for a reason. Somebody there told me it's a 75 foot decent but I wouldn't be surprised if it's more.

They use part of that hill for two other turf distances, 1 1/4th and 1 1/8th. It is amazing to watch the crew manipulate the rails during the running of those races.
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Old 01-08-2019, 10:58 PM
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ElPrado ElPrado is offline
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I think that is used when they set up races on the hill. You can see that the top of the frame of the gate is pretty much centered inside the ring.
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Old 01-08-2019, 11:16 PM
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jnunan4759 jnunan4759 is offline
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That is an interesting thought, but not sure. I actually was taken up there years ago for a race start. The gate barely fits there and there is only less than 10 feet behind.
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Old 01-09-2019, 03:53 AM
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ElPrado ElPrado is offline
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It's pretty much a spot where they get the mid point of the gate to. If the box fits, they have it square and straight. There's likely a spotter on phone or radio at the booth or an office telling them it's right or it may be a computer. Knowing tracks, more likely a spotter. It's easy to see, directly under the "S" in Santa Anita.😀
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Old 01-14-2019, 07:33 PM
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philcski philcski is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by robfla View Post


more speculation: probably where they start timing the race?
I believe it's the 6.5F pole. At least that's the most common explanation I've heard.
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  #8  
Old 01-14-2019, 07:48 PM
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jnunan4759 jnunan4759 is offline
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Yes, I'll agree on that as ElPrado has mentioned. However, we have to keep in mind that timing is not always done from poles. They have "run-ups" and differing ways of timing races. They move those devices at times. Craig Milkowski is a big critic of the deviations of them.

Not sure the electric eye is near that pole, but it probably is.

That does not account for the hoop. It explains the pole. Which is fine. Not the hoop.

I reached out to Gary Young who has been around there for a very long time and he told me he doesn't know (but always wondered) and doesn't know anybody who knows.

Maybe we'll get an answer, maybe not.
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  #9  
Old 01-15-2019, 06:16 PM
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Also reached out to Gary Young. He said he doesn't know what it is, but like us, have always wondered.

This may be worse than the riddle of the Sphinx.

Somebody has to know.
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  #10  
Old 01-17-2019, 09:29 PM
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jnunan4759 jnunan4759 is offline
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Got another reply. Reached out to Mary Forney of the TOC who I was told knew a lot about Santa Anita, now and then. Here is her replay:

"That is the 16th pole. Makes it 6 and 1/2 furlongs to the wire. The reason they say “about” six and a half is that the gate placement doesn’t allow for our normal run-up distance before the timer kicks in. Not enough room up there to move the gate any farther back. The big yellow ring made it easy to see for hand timing."



Hmmm.
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