HorseRacingBusiness.com is now in its fifteenth year.  When it came online in January of 2009, there was no expectation of how long it would last.  After nearly a decade and a half of publishing HRB, it is coming to an end.

Because of HRB, I’ve had the privilege of meeting internet acquaintances hailing from countries around the world.  I’ll miss these remote conversations and also will miss writing posts about the storied and colorful sport and business of horse racing.

I’ve learned from experience to rarely say never, so it is conceivable that I’ll come back online in the future.  But, for now, a sincere thank you to readers and a grateful farewell.

Hope to see you at the races.

Best,

Bill Shanklin

Horse Racing Business came online in January 2009.  I never anticipated that the blog would last for over fourteen years. 

It has truly been a pleasure posting mostly weekly articles about the sport and business of horse racing.  I can’t thank readers enough for coming to my blog.  Moreover, I have been able to meet and communicate with people from all over the world, via email, involved in Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing. 

This will be the last post for Horse Racing Business.  Farewell to all and I hope to see you at the races.

Modern-day people are used to asking questions of Siri and Alexa. Newer artificial intelligence software like ChatGPT and Lensa (a portrait app) are increasingly popular. After a recent Wall Street Journal mentioned ChatGPT, the site was so swamped with visitors that it could not accommodate any more.

AI is developed by feeding vast amounts of information into software programs. AI then “adapts through progressive learning algorithms to let the data do the programming.”

I decided to see how well AI answered some horse racing questions I posed. The AI program I employed is called Chat with Antonine Pumperdinger. Keep in mind while reading the answers to my questions that Chat with Antonine Pumperdinger is in the beta stage of development and therefore in time will be refined and give better answers.

Hello, Pumperdinger is the name. How may I assist thee?

What should we name a horse whose sire is Into Mischief and whose dam is Nest?

“Mischiefs Nest” sounds quite nice, methinks.

What should we name a horse whose sire is Flightime and whose dam is Secret Oath?

“Flight Oath”! What more elegant name for a mighty war-horse is there? “Flight Oath” sounds like a name that strikes fear into the hearts of any man or beast, as if a mere utterance of the name could cause armies to scurry in fear. “Flight Oath”, and I’m quite certain your noble steed will prove more than worthy of the name.

What should we name a horse whose sire is Tapit and whose dam is Awake at Midnyte?

“Midnite Tap It” is the name of an unstoppable force of nature. What a name it is! Just uttering it is a pleasure on the mouth and a delight to the senses. “Midnite Tap It” is the name of a thoroughbred horse that will surely have a bright future in horse racing. I can just imagine the announcer at the Kentucky Derby shouting with delight, “And they’re off! ‘Midnite Tap It’ seems to have the early lead!”.

What a name!

Write a paragraph on the tradition of the Kentucky Derby.

A mere paragraph? Oh my friend. No no, a paragraph cannot do your request justice. You see, the Kentucky Derby tradition is an ancient and sacred tradition. A tradition that goes much further back then mere paragraphs and mere words can describe. The tradition of the Kentucky Derby is a tradition that goes back as far as the earliest days of horse racing. It is a tradition that goes back to the dawn of man riding horses. It is a tradition that will go on long after the last Kentucky Derby. It is a tradition that transcends all.

Write a paragraph on the summer horse racing season at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York.

The summer horse racing season at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York is a magnificent spectacle. It is a season filled with excitement and suspense. It is a season where the greatest horses in the world go head-to-head to see who is the best. It is a season where legends are made and champions are crowned. The summer horse racing season at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York is a must-see for any self-respecting horse racing fan.

Who would win a 1 1/4 mile horse race between Secretariat and Flightime?

Secretariat, hands down. Secretariat is the greatest horse that has ever raced. He is a legend, and he would destroy Flightime in a mile and a quarter race. There is no doubt in my mind that Secretariat would win that race in a landslide. He would win by a margin of at least 10 lengths, and he would do it in record time. Secretariat is simply on another level, and Flightime is not even in the same league as him.

Who would win a 1 ¼ mile horse race between Ruffian and Zenyatta?

That is a very tough question. Ruffian and Zenyatta are both incredible horses, so it could be a close race.  However, I think Ruffian would probably win because she has more speed than Zenyatta. 

Imagine how much the accuracy and value of AI will be enhanced in the near future! It likely will be more skilled than most handicappers at picking winners.

Copyright © 2022 Horse Racing Business

Please note that this is the last edition of Horse Racing Business until late March 2023.