Track Visuals - Likes and Dislikes - Pace and Cap

vderdak · 03-10-2013, 12:13 PM

I am just wondering if anyone else out there feels like I do about certain track visuals( how the race is broadcast).

I know there are probably some good bets to be made at the Fair Grounds or Turf Paradise but those are two tracks that come to mind for me in which I hate to wager at if I am watching live, the view from the Fairgrounds is so vertical once they come down the stretch you can't see much until they almost pass the the finnish line.

With Turf Paradise the view is so washed out and soft it's not very appealing to the eye so I just hate to wager there.

Just wondering if anyone else has certain tracks they don't wager at much just due to the video presentation given them.

On the flip side the California tracks always do a great job along with Churchill Downs and others but those are some of my favorites visually.

JimG · 03-10-2013, 12:20 PM

Absolutely makes a difference to me. I watch races from home and stream to my 32 inch tv via hdmi cable. Some telecasts come in great and others look outdated, washy, etc. I tend to concentrate on the tracks that have a nicer presentation.

Interesting topic and one I do not think gets enough attention. All telecasts should be in hd for any major track.

Jim

Bill V. · 03-10-2013, 01:30 PM

Funny how the track visuals do make a difference.
I never did much betting at Fairgrounds, Why because I hate how they
show the horses in the stretch.

Yet on the other hand how visuals can make a track your life love.
When I first got into racing, when watching races on the monitors at
the Meadowlands I used to be drawn to Philly Park for its clean simple
clear look
All the other tracks had the horse name and saddle numbers
but for years Philly just had the top 4 numbers I thought that was
cool and different so I liked watching, then betting at Philly

Name: Philly clean.jpg
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Name: Philly clean.jpg
Views: 496
Size: 26.7 KB

Bill V. · 03-10-2013, 01:33 PM

Of course on the flip side often the 4 horses were the only 4 horses in the race

vderdak · 03-10-2013, 02:12 PM

Bill

Hahahahaha so true.

You would think management would look at what their betters see and see how poorly they present their product vs other tracks. It makes we wonder what else is managed so badly at the track.

Hoof 11 · 03-11-2013, 04:41 AM

- I love tracks with tree's along the backstretch on the infield, it's awesome trying to guess what the horses are doing.

- I love tracks that have a shakey cameraman, i know it's a big expense but you might want to cut a few purses and invest in some tripods.

- I love tracks that place their cameras about a mile away, and forget to explain to the cameraman how to use the zoom function.

- I love tracks with dirty old washed out saddlecloths and incorrect widgets, it's awesome thinking that you just scored a nice ticket only to find out you weren't even close.

For me, the betting table and the pool size of a track trumps the production value's mentioned above. In the end i'm playing to make money, not to be entertained with a glamorous show.

In my humble opinion, Woodbine has the best production team out there, i have a hard time finding fault with anything they do. As well, it's one of the few tracks that i actually listen to the track announcer, Dan Loiselle is the only announcer i can stomach next to Tom Durkin, everyone else is turned off, especially Fort Erie (he's awful). If they would upgrade to Hi-Def on a permanent basis then i would be in heaven, but that is only reserved for the big days.

Come to think of it, HPI's betting site sucks the big one, that needs a serious upgrade.

vderdak · 03-11-2013, 01:30 PM

It is about making money but if I can't make money it at all the other tracks I have to choose from then Fairgrounds and Turf Paradise are not gonna save me.

DaveEdwards · 03-24-2013, 11:17 AM

Worst on the US scene for me would have to be kentucky. There was some coverage last year on betfair and the way they used more than one camera in the stretch was just shocking to watch. I'd be watching the horses draw level with the camera thinking I was about to win and then it would switch to another camera further down the stretch that would then show the rest of the race. Not good.

One the plus side I'd agree with the point above, Woodbine I think are really good coverage as for me too is Penn National & Parx.

On the UK racing scene if any of you get a chance to see the National Hunt racing from Cartmel it has got to be one of the most picturesque racing tracks in the world. Set in the Lake District it really is a beautiful country track.

alydar_ David · 03-25-2013, 01:53 PM

DaveEdwards, I get a kick out of watching British and Australian turf races. Sometimes it looks like they're running through someone's backyard, then they cross a road (while still racing) to get back on the grass. LOL

I was thinking that would be a great time for a sharpshooter in an car to do a "drive by" ala Dick Francis.

By the way, I met Dick Francis at a book signing in Florida once. He was truly a delightful man.

DaveEdwards · 03-27-2013, 06:35 PM

David, I find most UK racing unwatchable these days. Now I've had a steady diet of fast out the gate US style I can do with the ambling UK style now.

One of the tracks with a road through it is Brighton racetrack, Wilson Avenue it is called & I have driven along it when racing isn't taking place. When the races are on the road is closed and they lay down (hay I think it is) for the horses to be able to run. I guess that's the thing with the UK racetracks, many were constructed years ago and are nothing like the standardised ovals that dominate US racing.

03-10-2013, 12:13 PM	#1
vderdak Grade 1 Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 130	Track Visuals - Likes and Dislikes I am just wondering if anyone else out there feels like I do about certain track visuals( how the race is broadcast). I know there are probably some good bets to be made at the Fair Grounds or Turf Paradise but those are two tracks that come to mind for me in which I hate to wager at if I am watching live, the view from the Fairgrounds is so vertical once they come down the stretch you can't see much until they almost pass the the finnish line. With Turf Paradise the view is so washed out and soft it's not very appealing to the eye so I just hate to wager there. Just wondering if anyone else has certain tracks they don't wager at much just due to the video presentation given them. On the flip side the California tracks always do a great job along with Churchill Downs and others but those are some of my favorites visually.

03-10-2013, 01:30 PM	#3
Bill V. The egg man Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Carlsbad, California Posts: 10,005	Parx Funny how the track visuals do make a difference. I never did much betting at Fairgrounds, Why because I hate how they show the horses in the stretch. Yet on the other hand how visuals can make a track your life love. When I first got into racing, when watching races on the monitors at the Meadowlands I used to be drawn to Philly Park for its clean simple clear look All the other tracks had the horse name and saddle numbers but for years Philly just had the top 4 numbers I thought that was cool and different so I liked watching, then betting at Philly

03-10-2013, 01:33 PM	#4
Bill V. The egg man Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Carlsbad, California Posts: 10,005	only 4 Of course on the flip side often the 4 horses were the only 4 horses in the race

03-10-2013, 12:20 PM	#2
JimG Grade 1 Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 992	Absolutely makes a difference to me. I watch races from home and stream to my 32 inch tv via hdmi cable. Some telecasts come in great and others look outdated, washy, etc. I tend to concentrate on the tracks that have a nicer presentation. Interesting topic and one I do not think gets enough attention. All telecasts should be in hd for any major track. Jim

03-10-2013, 02:12 PM	#5
vderdak Grade 1 Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 130	Bill Hahahahaha so true. You would think management would look at what their betters see and see how poorly they present their product vs other tracks. It makes we wonder what else is managed so badly at the track.

03-11-2013, 04:41 AM	#6
Hoof 11 Grade 1 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Woodbine Posts: 761	- I love tracks with tree's along the backstretch on the infield, it's awesome trying to guess what the horses are doing. - I love tracks that have a shakey cameraman, i know it's a big expense but you might want to cut a few purses and invest in some tripods. - I love tracks that place their cameras about a mile away, and forget to explain to the cameraman how to use the zoom function. - I love tracks with dirty old washed out saddlecloths and incorrect widgets, it's awesome thinking that you just scored a nice ticket only to find out you weren't even close. For me, the betting table and the pool size of a track trumps the production value's mentioned above. In the end i'm playing to make money, not to be entertained with a glamorous show. In my humble opinion, Woodbine has the best production team out there, i have a hard time finding fault with anything they do. As well, it's one of the few tracks that i actually listen to the track announcer, Dan Loiselle is the only announcer i can stomach next to Tom Durkin, everyone else is turned off, especially Fort Erie (he's awful). If they would upgrade to Hi-Def on a permanent basis then i would be in heaven, but that is only reserved for the big days. Come to think of it, HPI's betting site sucks the big one, that needs a serious upgrade.

03-11-2013, 01:30 PM	#7
vderdak Grade 1 Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 130	It is about making money but if I can't make money it at all the other tracks I have to choose from then Fairgrounds and Turf Paradise are not gonna save me.

03-24-2013, 11:17 AM	#8
DaveEdwards Grade 1 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: England Posts: 489	Worst on the US scene for me would have to be kentucky. There was some coverage last year on betfair and the way they used more than one camera in the stretch was just shocking to watch. I'd be watching the horses draw level with the camera thinking I was about to win and then it would switch to another camera further down the stretch that would then show the rest of the race. Not good. One the plus side I'd agree with the point above, Woodbine I think are really good coverage as for me too is Penn National & Parx. On the UK racing scene if any of you get a chance to see the National Hunt racing from Cartmel it has got to be one of the most picturesque racing tracks in the world. Set in the Lake District it really is a beautiful country track.

03-25-2013, 01:53 PM	#9
alydar_ David Grade 1 Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 2,654	DaveEdwards, I get a kick out of watching British and Australian turf races. Sometimes it looks like they're running through someone's backyard, then they cross a road (while still racing) to get back on the grass. LOL I was thinking that would be a great time for a sharpshooter in an car to do a "drive by" ala Dick Francis. By the way, I met Dick Francis at a book signing in Florida once. He was truly a delightful man.

03-27-2013, 06:35 PM	#10
DaveEdwards Grade 1 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: England Posts: 489	David, I find most UK racing unwatchable these days. Now I've had a steady diet of fast out the gate US style I can do with the ambling UK style now. One of the tracks with a road through it is Brighton racetrack, Wilson Avenue it is called & I have driven along it when racing isn't taking place. When the races are on the road is closed and they lay down (hay I think it is) for the horses to be able to run. I guess that's the thing with the UK racetracks, many were constructed years ago and are nothing like the standardised ovals that dominate US racing.