Q: Are races like these run in other parts of the world?
A: We've got a couple of examples on video of the racing style that's very European and then we've got a race from Quebec. The race from Quebec is actually a good example of what makes a very poor race, because they just line up in singe file, but its and example of horses starting eight and eight in a line. It's not done in very many places in the world, but it's done in Europe. They will sometimes start nine in a front tier and five or six in a second tier, but it's never done that they start on a mobile gate. They'll start 25 in a race overseas, but it's done generally at a standing start or a barrel start or some other variety of starting positions.
So, the only real place in the world where it's done is in Canada, and its only done in Quebec at this point. Initially, about a year an a half ago when we had our first meeting, we discussed doing a standing start and we just don't have the expertise of how to do it properly, so we abandoned it.
One thing I think we all want to take into consideration is we're not going here for speed, other than the short distance races. These long-distance races are just about putting on a good show. Being parked three wide and things like that, we're not worried about how fast we go. Nobody knows what the world record is for three and a half miles, and fans could care a less. They're looking for some enthusiasm, big packs of horses racing, and who knows who is going to win, it could be the longest shot on the board at 60-1. That's the essence of X-treme Horsepower day.
Q: What are the European races like?
A: The driver's in Europe, they race a very tactical race. They don't gun out the fast quarters. The races in Canada generally, the one's that I've seen, the drivers do try and go a 28 second quarter. They try and clear the lead, and what happens basically is you get a strung out field and usually the winners do come from the back. So, if everyone could buy into it that it was a tactical race, then it wouldn't be as important to be stuck down at the rail and be 16. You certainly don't want to be stuck in 18th if it's a single file race, so guys are going to have to move, but hopefully they take that into account and start and don't do 27 and 28-second quarters.
Q: Will there be anything signalling how many laps of the track are left in the race?
A: We will ring a bell because you can lose count if you're in a race. That's what we'll definitely do. In fact, as you cross the finish line each time we'll have somebody signalling either through a large sign or with a bell or something, and for your last lap. I can definitely see somebody losing track.
Q: Will anyone be put on the qualifying list that day?
A: If they make breaks. If they makes breaks then that doesn't really make a difference if they're going a mile and half or three miles. If they've got a break on their card they have to run. As far as time, its up to the driver to make sure his horse doesn't get exhausted at three, and the judges will make sure there's a time on that chart, whatever it may be, whether its 25 minutes, whatever it is. We'll be talking to the judges about the charting of that race, the timing of that race. If the horse pulls up and doesn't finish then there must be a reason why he didn't finish, and that will go on his chart. We'll definitely work with the horse as much as possible to make sure he has success when we don't have people that don't want to come back.
Q: What about the sprint race?
A: The starting procedure for the sprint will be a little bit different. We'll gather the horses for the sprint midway down the backstretch and they'll follow the gate in the standard way. The eighth pole here is about 30 yards into the stretch, which is not a lot of room, but once the horses straighten up. But the biggest problem is, of course, when your coming off the turn, horses on the outside are going considerably faster than the horses on the inside, about five miles per hour Donny tells me here. So, obviously you can't continue a steady speed off the turn. Your horses on the outside will be making considerable headway where your horses on the inside will be slower. The idea is to bring them around the turn at a conformable pace, straighten into the stretch and go a constant speed through the stretch so that all horses can at least attain the same speed.
Once you've moved forward for seven or eight strides in the stretch at a constant speed, then the gate will just take off. If you come off the turn at 20, hit the stretch at 25 and move away at 30, your horses on the outside are going to win everyone of them. Your horses on the outside are going to be going considerably faster and have a considerable advantage. The idea will be that once you hit straight, once you hit horizontal as your coming down the stretch, they will continue to move at a relatively slow speed, I mean we're not talking about 15 mph or anything like that, you know 20-22. Once they straighten up and ensure all horses have a chance to get on the gate, get equal with one another and then your gone. So you will start that race potentially just before the eighth mile position or what not. But I mean that's a 12-13 second race.
Q: What is the whipping rule for the sprint?
A: Don't be excessive because there will be a lot of new fans there and we sure don't want to drive them away because of whipping, that's for sure. We don't want them leaving the gate and whipping them for and eighth of a mile. I don't think you likely have three or four whipping fines here in a month, so I don't think it will be any different than any other races. I'm sure we'll talk about it that day, and I'm sure the drivers will respect it. We will have 7-8000 people here and that's why. Just like in a thoroughbred or quarter horse race at a quarter of a mile, whipping is more of and issue because they tend to go to the stick a little faster and a lot more often. So it's up to the judges, but I can't see why it would be any different than the stretch of a normal race.