Taking yet another step to prevent the unauthorized use of the industry’s data, Equibase Company LLC, the Thoroughbred industry’s Official database for racing information, has reconstituted its electronic race result charts in a secure Portable Document Format (PDF) on equibase.com.
Invented by Adobe, PDF is the published specification used by standards bodies around the world for more secure, reliable electronic document distribution and exchange.
“The switch to secure PDF race result charts is the latest action we have taken to protect our data from theft,” said Phil O’Hara, the president and chief executive officer of Equibase. “The redesigned race result charts make it more difficult for data thieves to use computer programs that ‘scrape’ information off our web pages and then re-publish Equibase® data on other sites.
“In a test earlier this year we changed one data element in one of our data distribution channels and found that eighteen off-shore bookmakers had published the data on their web sites,” continued O’Hara. “Obviously those entities are not licensed to use Equibase® data and that’s when we knew we had to take additional steps to increase security.”
Result charts from the preceding seven days are still provided as a free service in this new printer-friendly format. In addition to security improvements, the new PDF format has enabled enhancements to the race result charts available through ChartPlus, the premium race result charts service available on equibase.com.
ChartPlus contains virtually all of the information that appears in the traditional Equibase® race result charts, as well as the following new features:
Official Equibase® Speed Figure earned by each horse in the race
Running line preview that displays each horse’s running line as it will appear in the past performances for its next race
Brief trip comments to the right of each horse’s running line
Split times between each fractional time during the race
Date, track, race number and finish position for each horse’s previous race
Full jockey names
Expanded race header that includes the track record time for that distance
“ChartPlus significantly enhances the information that is available to handicappers, fans and other industry participants,” said Equibase product development manager David O’Neill.
“Essentially, we’ve redesigned the entire chart around their needs by adding new and valuable information, such as the Official Equibase Speed Figure for each horse, split times and a running line preview. The chart is also easier to read as a result of the PDF format and superscripted margins in the running lines.”
ChartPlus is accessible through the Handicapper’s Store on equibase.com approximately 30 minutes after the last race on the card has been declared official. Official Equibase Speed Figures are generally available within 24 hours after conclusion of the racing card.
ChartPlus is available for all Thoroughbred and American Quarter Horse races since January 1, 1999, for $1.50 per card. Monthly subscription pricing is also available. Additional information about ChartPlus is available on the company’s web site at http://www.equibase.com.
Equibase Company LLC is a partnership between The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Racing Associations of North America. Through its web site, http://www.equibase.com, the company provides an ever-increasing menu of handicapping products and racing information for handicappers and fans of all skill levels.
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