The Startup Race: Emerging Companies Revolutionizing Horse Racing Through Technology

Even though horse racing might be one of the oldest sports in the world, it is also one of the most technologically forward sports. Yes, it is unexpected to see a sport that is so carefully tied to tradition diving into the rough waters of technological innovations.

Over the last couple of decades, we’ve seen many new technological innovations that reshaped the entire horse racing industry. Horse racing might look the same, but if we peel back the first layer we can see that technology powers many of the aspects when it comes to organizing a horse racing event.

That’s why we decided to dig deeper and find out the technologies that might change the future of the horse racing industry. Most people are surprised by the fact that there are many startup companies that invest in tech innovations in the horse racing industry.

Betting and Blockchain

Blockchain isn’t something new, and many startup companies in the horse racing industry were one of the early adopters of this technology. What’s the most important aspect of horse racing? I would say betting, right?

After all, horse races are exciting to watch but they only last for a couple of minutes. This means there isn’t much entertainment compared to other sports. This leads us to betting, which is the main reason why horse racing is so popular at the moment.

But what if we merge horse racing betting and blockchain technology? Well, it wouldn’t be the first time seeing a company that allows crypto betting on horse races. This will improve the transparency of the process, introduce the sport to more fans, and open up borders that were closed before.

On top of that, blockchain technology isn’t only limited to betting. It introduces a new and innovative way of storing data digitally, making it very easy to track horse health data, training process, or lineage.

With blockchain, we also have the birth of virtual horse races, where companies like Zed Run created an entire online ecosystem with NFTs and betting abilities using cryptocurrencies.

Smart Stables

Think of it as a stable that can monitor a horse’s health 24/7. That’s not science fiction; it’s a reality thanks to smart stable technology. 

Nowadays, there are high-tech stables that have the ability to track feeding patterns, control temperature, and alert owners to any signs of stress or illness in their horses. 

Smart stables are a whole industry within horse racing. It includes horse wearables, track maintenance solutions, health scans, and much more. Companies like Arioneo or StrideSAFE already push this technology up and it is already in use by smart stables.

AI and Predictive Analytics

Horse racing is a sport that relies on data. Since we are talking about a data-driven sport, AI will make some huge changes. AI systems can be deployed in many different ways, whether it is to track a horse’s health, movement to predict injuries, jockey’s performance, and even weather conditions.

AI can also help stables with multiple horses to improve their efficiency and it can also be used in betting for analyzing large piles of data and finding patterns. 

So, this means that the next time you head over to TwinSpires.com to make a bet remember that a lot of the algorithms used for the odds are done through predictive analytics and data.

Horse’s Health

One of the biggest steps forward we’ve seen in terms of technology use in the horse industry is aimed at improving the overall well-being of these incredible creatures. Companies like Equine MediRecord already revolutionized how we collect and handle horse’s medical records, ensuring that they are all up-to-date and easily accessible.

We also have companies like Piavet, which offers a remote monitoring system that tracks a horse’s vital signs continuously. This technology helps in the detection of health issues, which can help owners in identifying possible problems early. 

Big Data

We’ve already talked about big data with companies like MediRecords, but health isn’t the only way data will impact horse racing. We also have betting, track maintenance, horse’s diet, and much more.

We are now capable of collecting vast amounts of data and deploying machine learning technology to analyze the data and find patterns that are invisible to the naked human eye.

Drone Technology

Drones are offering a bird’s-eye perspective of horse races and are producing excellent videos that can be examined to enhance results. Teams may use this technology to better understand how their horses navigate bends and interact with other competitors on the track—information that can be quite useful when developing a plan. Drones also improve the spectator experience, adding to the thrilling and immersive nature of racing.

Enhanced Betting Odds and Spectator Engagement

Remember, trainers aren’t the only ones that will benefit from the use of big data. We as normal people, fans of the sport will also have some benefit. The availability of information makes horse racing more interesting, and researchable and helps us make better betting decisions.

Bookmakers on the other hand can offer more accurate odds thanks to the large piles of data, and bettors can make more informed wagers.

Online Platforms and Equestrian Education

Lastly, we have online platforms that transform the internet into a huge encyclopedia. We have online coaching making it easier to spread horse racing knowledge and give beginners a chance to learn the sport from legends.

We also have blogs that cover every data of the sport which later feeds the algorithms and introduces more data waiting to be analyzed.