Starting gate

A mechanical structure that holds racehorses in individual stalls and releases them simultaneously when a race begins.

Starting gate stall: An individual compartment in a horse-racing starting gate that confines one horse before the start. Each horse waits in a separate stall until the gate opens.
Flag start: A race-starting method in which a flag signal marks when competitors may begin. Flag starts preceded the widespread use of mechanical horse-racing gates.
Thoroughbred horse racing: Horse racing in which Thoroughbreds compete on flat tracks, over jumps, or in other regulated formats. The gate is a defining part of starts in flat Thoroughbred races.
Horse racing rules: Regulations governing race entry, conduct, starts, finishes, and results in organized horse racing. Rules define when the gate opens and how an irregular start is handled.
Starting gate door: A hinged front panel that closes a starting-gate stall and swings open to release its horse. The doors open together to begin the race.
Starting stalls: Enclosed compartments used to line up racehorses before a race begins. The gate developed as a way to hold horses in aligned stalls.
Quarter horse racing: A form of horse racing in which American Quarter Horses race short distances at high speed. Its short sprints depend on rapid, nearly simultaneous starts from the gate.
Starting handicap: A racing arrangement that gives competitors different starting positions or conditions to offset differences in ability. A common gate release contrasts with handicapped starts that intentionally vary conditions.
Starting bell: An audible signal used to mark the start of a race or other sporting event. The bell traditionally accompanies the release of the horses.
Clay Puett: An American inventor and horse trainer associated with developing the modern mechanical starting gate. His gate design helped replace less reliable starting arrangements.

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