(LEX 18) — While spectators cheer from the grandstands at Keeneland, a crucial operation unfolds high above the track where chart callers meticulously document every moment of each race.
Mitch Gerson and Matthew Metz serve as chart callers for Keeneland races, working for Equibase, the official data provider for the thoroughbred industry in North America.
"The best way to explain it is we are the data keepers for the horse racing industry. Whether it's jockeys, the horses, the owners, the trainers, all their stats. We compile all that across the country," said Metz.
These professionals are part of a nationwide network tracking races and collecting vital statistics that inform everything from racing programs to betting decisions.
"We have an incredibly talented group of chart callers. We have 78 chart callers across the country that charted over 40,000 races last year in 2024. It's just an incredible amount of data that we're gathering and an incredible amount of experience and understanding of the workings of the racetrack," said McDoniel.
The chart callers track each horse's position throughout the race, providing data that helps bettors make informed decisions.
"We call them in order there. Every quarter mile you get the order of them there and then you're able to see that in the program and make your assumptions on which horse is better than which," said Gerson.
Modern technology has enhanced the precision of their work, with GPS systems now supplementing traditional observation methods.
"At about 30 different racetracks here in the U.S., we have a GPS system tied to sensors in the saddle towels of each horse that captures how quickly they go around the track which paths their in. These guys are also monitoring our GPS transponders that we have at 30 different tracks here in the U.S. so were able to really accurately track where the horses are on the track at any given time," said McDoniel.
This technology is visible to racegoers as well, appearing on displays around the track.
"We have Gmax which we do all the GPS and make sure everything is tracking. You'll see that information on the board. You'll see there will be chicklets at the bottom of each race and that will show you the running order of all the horses and that's all based through Gmax and GPS," said Metz.
Despite appearing simple – just two professionals with computers and binoculars – the job demands extraordinary attention to detail, especially during major racing events like the Kentucky Derby.
"It's 20 horses, not a small task to make sure you're keeping up with what all 20 horses in the field are doing and really understanding it. We want to make sure that we're belt and suspenders that all this gets taken care of the way it needs to be," said McDoniel.
The chart callers feel the weight of responsibility knowing millions rely on their data.
"You know that more people are looking at your stuff. You have millions of people look at your information so you want to make sure everything is tiptop. You want to make sure everything is absolutely, 1,000% correct and you get to see history every year," said Metz.
So the next time you're at the track studying your racing program, you'll know who to thank for providing the data that might just help you pick a winner.
