Fraser Downs Parimutuel

Here are the steps to measure any symmetrical track’s  approximate dimensions using Google Earth.
The example below is my local high school’s 1/4 mile track.

In Earth, navigate to the track: Zoom in to fill your monitor and click on the measuring tool (the ruler).

Spend a litle time getting comfortable using ” the ruler”. ( RTFM) Read the help file.

Measure width, Inside rail -to- rail. Then drag each point an additional 4 feet on each side. ( You may add a value appropriate to approximate actual paths travelled on the track). Half of that value is the turn’s radius. See image #1 (210 feet/2 = 105)

Drag one of the points back to that radius value ( 105). That newly positioned point rests on the track’s logitudinal (left-right) axis. See image #2 (105 feet)

Leave the (infield) longitudinal axis  point in place  and drag the other point to the inside apex of the turn ( + 4 feet ). Then adjust ( drag) the longitudinal axis point so that the it’s line distant value equals the radius value of 105.  See image #3. That newly adjusted point defines the turn’s circle center ( 105 feet radius ).

Leave the circle’s center point in place and drag the other point to the opposite turn’s inside apex + 4 feet. See image below. (434 feet)

You are done measuring , now time for some math.
Subtract one radius from the value above ( 434-105 = 329), the reult is the straight-away lengths. So the track has a left turn radius of 105 + two 329 straight-away values + a 105 right trun radius. Multiply Pi ( 3.142) times the the two radii [ 3.142 * ( 105 + 105)  ] = 659.82 to determine the distance around both turns. ( Remember to do this for three radii if appropriate ).

Voila! What we have here is a 1/4 mile track.
two turns = 659.82 feet total,  equals aprox one furlong < 660 feet >
two straight-aways  [2 * 329 feet) = 658 feet, equals aprox one furlong < 660 feet>.

Start & Finish points:

At 5/8 mile tracks: like FRD, the race covers three turns, two complete sraight-aways and two partial straight-aways. The first partial  is the distance from the start to the beginning of the first turn and the 2nd is the distance from the end of last turn to the finish. These start & finish points are at different ponts on opposite straight-aways, and can be measured with Google Earth.

The absolute (horizontal) distance between those points can be used to double check the accuraccy of your partial straight-away measurments.

At FRD ,as I stand at the finish line I can see that the race starting point on the backstrech is slightly to my right ( East). Google Earth’s ruler measured the absolute distance as 106 feet further East.  Therefore, the distance from the start to the beginning of first turn is 106 feet more than the distance from the end of the last turn to the finish. ( Applicable to N. American , counter-clockwise racing ).

At 7/8 mile tracks: like Woodbine ( harness) ; the mile covers  two turns, and one full back straight-away . But the front straight-away is divided into two  segments where the finish is located 1/8 of a mile past the start. Therefore, the stretch run distance is 1/8 longer than the distance from the start to the beginning of first turn.

At 1/4, 1/2, & 1 mile tracks: the start and finish points should be the same

Please see this Blog’s post contrasting dimensions at FRD with Cal-X Harness (with links to other track design information)

Many tracks outside of N. America are not symetrical and their measurement methods await discovery.

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