Do we need sprint lanes?

That’s a question we as an industry, especially in Victoria, need to genuinely ask ourselves.

Don’t assume, don’t listen to a few opinions, let’s do some serious homework on it.

What sparked asking the question was news last week that the USA’s renowned Hoosier Park track in Indiana was removing its sprint, or passing lane, as they call it before it opened for its upcoming season of racing.

This track is no backwater. It’s relevant and it’s mainstream.

Hoosier Park hosted the huge US Breeders Crown in 2017 and again in 2023. It is also home to the big Dan Patch Stakes.

A few weeks ago Gabe Prewitt, vice president of the company that owns Hoosier Park, asked fans and participants the one thing they would like changed at the track for the new season.

Many of them said to remove the passing lane.

Prewitt then doubled down, asking if anyone liked the passing lane?

The overwhelming majority said no, but it should be noted many sighted the size of the Hoosier Park track (1400m like Menangle) as a key reason for disliking the “lane.”

Prewitt and his crew settled on a 60-day trial and removed the passing lane.

He posted on X (Twitter): “After lengthy discussions with our horsemen & gamblers, we have decided to ‘Pass’ on the passing lane to open up the new season at Hoosier. Track crew completed the removal of the passing lane today (last Wednesday). We agreed w/horsemen to do a 60 day trial, we can reassess it if we are happy in May.”

We are not the US and while we can learn some things from them, we do others much better.

But what’s wrong with exploring a trial period at Melton without a sprint lane?

When sprint lanes were first introduced, the then HRV chiefs told us it was a trial and a full analysis would be done into the metrics of them.

If those studies were done, I never saw them.

Sprint lanes just became a thing, at almost every Victorian track.

They were touted as being good for the “perception” of the sport, addressing the belief too many horses were stuck in pockets with nowhere to go in harness racing.

Maybe there’s some substance to that.

But there isn’t a shred of evidence to say sprint lanes have helped turnover in Victoria.

Sure, there’s lots of factors at play, but harness racing’s share of the racing dollar has dropped significantly in the time sprint lanes have been in use.

If the "perception" is better with sprint lanes, it doesn't seem to translate to turnover.

Do they actually make for better racing?

That’s a polarizing question.

An old friend told me he stopped betting on harness racing when sprint lanes were introduced, but another argued it’s easier to convince his mates to have a bet on the sport now sprint lanes are a thing.

Do they really help more horses have a winning chance? Or do they make the racing less competitive with drivers mindful of not doing much midrace work because of the horse getting the “suck run” and a guaranteed shot at winning from behind the leader?

From the racing I watch, the most spirited and competitive racing is at Gloucester Park, Mildura and Albion Park.

Two of the three (Gloucester Park and Mildura) don’t have sprints lanes, but it should be noted they are smaller half-mile tracks, too.

It’s healthy to pause and think about these things.

Let's give a trial period a go without a sprint lane at Melton, I say.