time

Question
When calling a race they will say  they ran the first quarter in 23 and 2. Does it mean 23.2 seconds

Answer
Good question. This is confusing to many. Races are typically called in 5th second intervals. 23 and 2 was actually rounded down to the nearest 5th fraction. The time is 23 and 2 fifths or 23 and 40/100 or 23.4. The program may publish anything from 23.40 and 23.59. The official time is always recorded in the normal decimal system, in hundreds. The reason that the races are called in 5ths is because 1/5 is approximately the timed distance of a horse length at race speed. If a horse wins by ten lengths, then he beat the horse behind him by 2 seconds.