How many lengths does a 5 furlong sprinter travel per second?

Answer 1

In response to

"There is no exact measurement for a length but it is widely recognised to be around 8ft. e.g A horse is beaten in to second place by the length of the winner, it lost by a length regardless of whether the winner was 6ft long or 9ft long.

1 furlong = 220 yards = 660 feet. Sharing the 660 feet by 8 (1 length) = 82.5

We now have worked out that there are 82.5 lengths in a furlong. Times this by 5 = 412.5 lengths in 5 furlongs.

Every track has its own median times over various distances. Rule of thumb would be that 5 furlongs would take 60 seconds. Divide the 412.5 lengths by 60 seconds gives you 6.875 lengths per second.

Hope this helps."

There is a specific measuerment for a length - at least in racing in the UK. A length is defined as a unit of time depending on a scale laid down by the British Horseracing Authority. The number varies according to theground at the racecourse and, in the case of all-weather tracks, the specific racecourse. It is four lengths per second on soft ground on a jump course and goes up to six on good ground or quicker on flat turf courses. The full scale can be found here http://www.britishhorseracing.com/resources/media/Lengths_Per_Second_Scale_Tables.pdf.