Equibase, the company that controls data collection at North American racetracks, began publishing an updated glossary of terms on its website on Thursday that standardizes the definitions used in chart footnotes and comments, the company announced. The updated glossary was developed over the past several months to ensure that chartcallers were using the same terms to describe similar incidents or developments within a race, according to Equibase officials. A link to the glossary will be provided within each chart page on the website, along with a general link on the “Results” menu. The glossary includes notes on when during a race the terms are “generally” used. For example, the term “angled out” includes a note that the action “generally occurs when the horse is entering the stretch and is a gradual move.” The term “faltered” is described as “when a horse loses ground after becoming a factor during the race and backs off the leaders.” Equibase currently employs approximately 80 chartcallers at tracks across North America, and some can have individual styles when producing comments and footnotes. “Our track and field team spent considerable time reviewing and updating current terminology to be more consistent across all results charts and to reflect current norms,” said Scott Little, the vice president of racing services for Equibase. “We are trying to make it easier for people newer to the game, as well as seasoned handicappers, to read the charts and get a better understanding of how chartcallers see a race progress from start to finish.” :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. Equibase announced the updated glossary several days after releasing a statement describing a company initiative to establish a centralized charting location that may be used to produce charts remotely. According to officials, the location will be based in Lexington, where Equibase is based. Equibase began experimenting with remote charting during the pandemic, according to officials, due to restrictions during the lockdown that made it difficult for some chartcallers to work on-site. Charts for Delaware Park’s 2020 meet, for example, were produced remotely. Equibase officials have described the centralized charting facility as being a work in progress, and that remote charting will not lead to a reduction in its chart-calling work force, even if the effort is able to produce charts that are as accurate as those produced ontrack. Chartcallers generally watch a race live at the track while taking copious written and audio notes. They then rely on replays of the race from multiple angles to refine those notes and produce the written footnotes and comments. Equibase also collects voluminous data at some tracks from on-site GPS systems, sometimes augmented by other video technologies, though those systems have not proven to be as reliable as desired. Chartcallers at the remote facility will have access to all of the video and data feeds available at the track, according to Equibase officials. The officials also said that the teams working at the remote facility will be able to assist each other on individual charts if a question arises. :: Get the Inside Track with the FREE DRF Morning Line Email Newsletter. Subscribe now.  “Building a centralized team of charting experts will help us more efficiently train new chartcallers, share best practices, and provide more complete and consistent coverage,” the statement said. “Other benefits of a centralized charting center will be the ability to streamline the data collection process with our track partners and thereby reduce the number of potential points of failure.” The statement said that the development of the remote charting facility was proceeding cautiously. “We have and will continue to take a measured approach as we slowly roll out remote charting to ensure we continue to produce the highest quality data to support our industry,” the statement said. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.