After the Thoroughbred racing information website Equibase discovered that Hold Me Back’s running line in the chart of the 2009 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) was inaccurate, the company reported it had corrected its error and redistributed the chart.
As with any inquiry regarding the accuracy of Equibase data, the company researched the race thoroughly, in this case utilizing video and digital photographs. It then was determined that Hold Me Back’s running line was in fact erroneous at the half call (second call, made at the three-quarter pole), and has been corrected from fifth, 2 1/2 cumulative lengths behind, to 13th, 8 1/2 lengths behind.
The incorrect running positions were first noticed by Blood-Horse senior correspondent Steve Haskin, who noted the error in a pre-Travers Stakes (gr. I) column about Hold Me Back.
Upon further investigation of the position of all horses, the clerical error was uncovered. The running positions and margins at the half call and the three-quarters call had been transposed. The correction of this error did not result in a substantive difference to the running line of any horse.
Corrections to the Kentucky Derby chart have been made, and the corrected chart has been posted on equibase.com and distributed to all data customers.
Equibase’s policy is to research and, where warranted, correct any data errors regardless of the date of the race.
