Management at Kentucky Downs plans to review the performance of its new timing system after errors were detected in the times for the four graded stakes run on its Aug. 30 card.
All four of the initially reported times have been revised to slower marks. Three of those races initially appeared to be track records and still could be, pending review and a decision on whether to reset all the track's records beginning with this year.
The new timing system—a partnership between StrideSAFE and McLloyd, which specializes in GPS tracking—was installed for the current meeting, which features 18 stakes worth more than $30 million over seven race dates.
READ: Kentucky Downs to Use New Timing Mechanism
"Kentucky Downs, after every meet, scrutinizes all its operations and how they performed, and the new timing system will certainly be part of that," Kentucky Downs vice president of racing Ted Nicholson noted in a statement sent to BloodHorse.
The most significant change occurred in the $3.5 million Nashville Derby (G3T), where Wimbledon Hawkeye's originally reported time of 2:03.74 for 1 5/16 miles on the turf has been changed to 2:06.76 in Equibase.
Ag Bullet's time in winning the Ladies Turf Sprint Stakes (G2T), initially reported as 1:13.13 for 6 1/2 furlongs, has been revised to 1:14.38. Ag Bullet already held the track record from winning the same race in 2024 when she finished in 1:14.19.
Kentucky Downs officials said because of the new timing system, they plan to reset all track records beginning this year. They currently do not plan to recognize track records at this meeting, only fastest times at the meet.
Also from the Aug. 30 card, Bear River's time for winning the six-furlong Turf Sprint Stakes (G2T) has been changed from 1:06.91, initially reported as a track record, to 1:07.71. The previous track record was 1:07.41 set by Bran in the 2022 Turf Sprint.
Special Wan's victory in the Ladies Turf Stakes (G3T) was reported initially as 1:31.74 for the mile and would have been a track record. The new time is 1:32.40, a hundredth of a second slower than Saratoga Flash's time of 1:32.39 when winning an overnight handicap in 2023.
Grass race times can be further impacted at many North American tracks due to the position of a temporary rail and the placement of the starting gate. Tracks use different rail settings to preserve portions of a course from divots created by horses racing over it.
Kentucky Downs has four dates left at this meeting: Sept. 4, 6, 7, and 10.
