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[Jeff P]

Below is screenshot taken from track video of Fairgrounds race 2 earlier today Thurs 02-20-2020 (that's a whole lot of 2's) shortly after the start --

I realize it's raining --

But maybe be proactive and have somebody take a paper towel and wipe off the camera lens BEFORE the race goes off?

Fyi, during the stretch run, track announcer John Dooley used the words "As you can see" while making the call that the favorite was pulling away.

"As you can see" --

That's a phrase I don't recall him using before.

I'm wondering - did he do that because maybe he realized 'no they can't really see?'

Taken in isolation, this incident (a race you can't really see because no one thought to wipe off the camera lens beforehand with a paper towel) is a small thing.

This thread is about the 1000's of annoying little things tracks are constantly doing that can be improved upon.

And this incident is certainly one of those things.

I started this thread because I was hoping there might be somebody out there in track management, a horsemen's alphabet group, or a state regulatory body with decision making authority who believes that quality control matters and that incremental improvement is not only possible - but might actually be a good thing.

Everywhere I look, every area of the game where quality control has the even the slightest chance to result in incremental improvement --

From the widely varying volume settings (can barely hear it to blast o' matic) from one track signal to another that prompted me to start this thread in the first place... to hiding the horses during post parades and prerace warmups with outrider ponies and track graphics that take up an ever increasing percentage of the available screen real estate... to a never ending series of races with timing errors that are caught by players instead of track personnel... to track stewards who are actively engaged in sweeping things under the rug --

Imo, tracks are skimping and cutting corners in just about every area imaginable where quality control could make a difference.


-jp

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