Recently reading a novel by Alex Brown, I was made aware of another job at the racetrack. Although I know that horse races are timed and records set and broken, I was ignorant to one group of people. These people are known as clockers. They work at the racetrack to clock and make record of the time in which a horse runs in its morning workouts.
These official timings are recorded and published in the Racing Form, apparently. This information is utilised for handicapping.
It states in an article on clockers as a job:
“Clockers must keep an accurate record of the fractional and final times for each workout taking place on the track. A copy of the official clocker report (including horse, trainer, distance, fractional times, and final time) must be provided to the racing stewards and racing secretary each day.
All workouts must then be published for review by the handicapping public in the track program and Daily Racing Form.”
Clockers – Timing Horses as a Job
For those who may consider this as a potential horse career, there are a few things to note. One, early mornings are a given. Many start work at 5am to be able to catch the times of the first horses training. Two, the job also requires commitment 6 – 7 days a week. It does however, leave afternoons free to pursue a second job or other interests.
A search online reveals that no particular qualification is required to be a clocker. However, a high school certificate is encouraged. The individual also needs to be able to multitask and pay attention to detail. For those who want to pursue working in the racing industry in a different role, being a clocker may be of interest.
