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| Across The Board: | Three equal bets, to win, place and show, on one horse. |
| Allowance Race: | A non-claiming race which has conditions to determine the horses that are eligible to enter. For example, an allowance race might be open to horses that have not won three races. |
| Also Eligible: | An entered horse that will race only if a scratch occurs (at or prior to scratch time) in the body of the field. |
| Also-Ran: | Finished out of the money. |
| Apprentice: | Rookie jockey who receives weight allowances. |
| Backstretch: |
1) The straightaway on the far side of the race track. 2) Area where stables are located. |
| Bear Out: | To drift or veer out toward the outside of the track. |
| Bit: | Metal bar that fits in horse's mouth and is attached to the reins; used for control. |
| Bleeder: | Horse that bleeds during heavy exertion, usually from small vessels or capillaries in respiratory system. |
| Blinkers: | A common piece of racing equipment that contains eye cups which limit a horse's vision and prevent distraction. |
| Bloodline: | Pedigree of a horse. |
| Blow Out: | Workout before a race to limber up a horse. |
| Bolt: | A sharp left- or right-hand movement by a horse. |
| Book: | Jockey's record of riding engagements. |
| Break: |
1) The start of a race. 2) To train a young horse to accept saddle, bridle and rider. |
| Break Maiden: | When a horse gets his first win. |
| Breeze: |
1)To run easily, under a hold, without much
encouragement. 2) A generic expression for a morning workout. |
| Broodmare: | Female Thoroughbred used for breeding purposes. |
| Broodmare Sire: | The sire of the dam of a Thoroughbred. |
| Call: |
1) To describe the running of a race. 2) A specific point in a race at which running positions are recorded. 3)A verbal contract between a jockey and a trainer. |
| Card: | A day's racing program. |
| Cast: |
1) A horse that had laid down or fallen and is unable
to rise. 2) Lost or thrown, such as a horseshoe. |
| Chalk: | The betting favorite. |
| Chart: | Result chart that shows all horses and their positions at various points in a given race along with the time of the race. |
| Chute: | Extension of the stretch allowing for long, straight runs from the gate to the first turn. |
| Circuit: | Tracks whose meets are in sequence, allowing stables to follow a circuit. |
| Claiming Race: | A type of race in which the horses are entered for a specific price and may be purchased (claimed) before the race. A claiming price helps to classify horses and keep the competition in a race fairly equal. |
| Clocker: | One who times workouts. |
| Close: | To gain ground on the leader. |
| Clubhouse Turn: | Usually the turn found on the right-hand side of the track as seen when facing the track from the stands. |
| Colors: | Jockey silks and cap done in horse owner's colors and pattern. |
| Colt: | A male horse that is four years old or younger. |
| Common: | A reference to a horse which lacks class and/or one which fails to give a full effort. |
| Condition Book: | Track publication for horsemen announcing conditions of upcoming races. |
| Coupled: | Two or more horses that have the same owners or trainers are said to be coupled. These horses run as an "entry," and a bet on one horse automatically includes the other. |
| Cuppy: | A description of a dirt track surface which is loose and dry, therefore tending to break away from the horses as they run. |
| Cushion: | The top level of the racing surface. |
| Daily Racing Form: | Daily newspaper of racing which provides statistics, racing news and past performance records of horses competing in races that day. |
| Dam: | The mother of a horse. |
| Dark Day: | A day when a track does not conduct racing during their regular season. |
| Dead Heat: | When two horses cross the finish line at the same time and are inseparable by the photo-finish camera, the race is declared a tie, or dead heat. |
| Dead Weight: | Tack and lead slabs that bring rider up to the horse's assigned weight. |
| Derby: | Stakes races for three-year-olds. |
| Disqualify: | To officially lower a horse's actual finish position due to interfering with other horses, carrying too little weight, not conforming to conditions of eligibility of having systemic substances above allowed limits. |
| Dogs: | Rubber cones placed away from the inner rail on the turf course during morning workouts in order to prevent wear and tear of the main portion of course; also sometimes used on dirt tracks when they are muddy or sloppy. |
| Dwelt: | When a horse breaks very slow from the gate. |
| Ease Up: | To slow a horse's stride to prevent undue exertion. |
| Eighth Pole: | Colored post inside the inner rail exactly one-eighth mile back from the finish line. |
| Equine: | A horse. |
| Farrier: | Blacksmith, one who makes and attaches horseshoes. |
| Fast Track: |
1) Dry racing surface. 2) Description of a dirt surface on which faster than normal times are being recorded. |
| Field: |
1) Used to describe all the horses in a race. 2) Also when there are more starters in a race than the tote board is able to show odds for, the remaining horses run as a single betting option, or "field." |
| Filly: | A female horse that is fours years old or younger. |
| Foal: |
1) Newborn equine. 2) To give birth. |
| Footing: | Condition of racing surface. |
| Form: |
1) A horse's current condition. 2) Short for Daily Racing Form. |
| Fractions: | Clocking of time at intervals in races or workouts. |
| Free-Running Type: | A horse which tends to take a strong hold of the bit and pull its way to lead during the early stages of a race. |
| Freshening: | Layoff or vacation from racing. |
| Furlong: | One eighth of a mile; most races are measured in furlongs. |
| Game: | Determined. |
| Gelding: | A castrated horse. |
| Genuine: | Refers to an honest horse; one which gives everything it has in races. |
| Going Away: | To win while increasing lead. |
| Good Track: | A drying track surface between sloppy and fast. |
| Graduate: |
1) To break maiden. 2) To describe a horse which has fulfilled one condition and moves on to a higher level. |
| Green: | A description of a horse which is temperamentally immature. |
| Groom: | Stable employee assigned to tend to a horse or horses, including bringing the horse to the paddock for a race. |
| Halter: | Strap or rope by which horses are led. |
| Hand: | A horse's height is measured in "hands." A hand equals four inches. |
| Handicap: |
1) To study the background of racehorses to determine
educated wagering choices. 2) A type of race in which horses are assigned specific weights in order to bring about an equal contest. |
| Handle: | The total amount of money wagered. This term could refer to a particular race, day or season. |
| Heavy Track: | A running surface drier than muddy and quite slow. |
| Homestretch: | The stretch of track from the final turn to the finish line. |
| Horse: | The term applied to an un-castrated horse that is five years old or more. |
| Horse's Birthday: | All horses become one year older on January 1 of each year for purposes of competition. |
| Horsing: | A filly or mare in heat. |
| Infield: | The area within the inner racing surface. |
| In Hand: | Running under restraint to conserve energy. |
| Inquiry: | Investigation by officials to determine if a race was won fairly and without interference. |
| In The Money: |
1) For fans; a win, place or show finish resulting in a
mutual payoff. 2) For owners; a finish resulting in receiving a portion of the purse. |
| Irons: | Another name for stirrups, where jockeys place their feet when riding. |
| Jail: | Refers to the first month a claimed horse is in a new barn (new owner and trainer) whereby racing rules require it to be entered at a claiming price above that which it was claimed, should the new owner wish to race it. |
| Jockey Agent: | One who secures riding assignments for a jockey in return for a percent of the jockey's earnings. |
| Journeyman: | A licensed jockey who has completed his apprenticeship. |
| Juvenile: | A two-year-old equine. |
| Lead Pad: |
Saddle pad with pockets to hold lead weights; inserted to bring jockey up to assigned weight. |
| Lead Pony: |
1) Horse on which outrider or pony person escorts
Thoroughbreds onto track and to starting gate. 2) Any horse on the track that will not be racing. |
| Leg Up: |
1) To build a horse's stamina and speed through
exercise. 2) To help a rider up on a horse. |
| Length: |
1)Refers to the length of the average horse. 2) Used to describe the distance between horses when a race is being run. |
| Live Weight: | A jockey's weight. |
| Lock: | An apparent "sure thing," used to describe a horse's chance of winning. |
| Lugging In: | Used to describe a horse which is pulling strongly to the inside while running. |
| Maiden: | A horse of either sex that has never won a race. |
| Mare: | A female horse that is five years old or more. |
| Morning Glory: | A horse which works fast in the morning, but fails to perform to expectations when racing in the afternoon. |
| Morning Line: | The track handicapper's estimate of the probable odds in a race. These odds are printed in the program and posted on the tote board. |
| Mudder: | A horse that prefers muddy or sloppy tracks. |
| Muddy Track: | A surface with a good deal of moisture in it, but little or no standing water on it. |
| Objection: | Interference complaint made by a jockey or trainer. |
| Off The Board: |
1) Finished out of the money. 2) Describes the betting action on a horse which is being very heavily bet. |
| Off Track: |
1) A running surface other than fast. 2) Wagering conducted away from the track. |
| One-Paced: | A description of a horse with acceleration. |
| One-Run Type: | A horse which tends to lag toward the back of the pack during the early stages of a race before mounting a late run. |
| On The Nose: | A bet to win. |
| Outrider: | An official on a lead pony who leads the Thoroughbreds onto the track and to the gate; the outrider enforces the rules regarding conduct on the track. |
| Overlay: | Odds higher than they should be, based on horse's chances of winning. See keep's Handicapping tips for more information. |
| Overnight: | A listing of the next day's entries. |
| Overweight: | Weight over the amount officially assigned to a horse because the jockey is too heavy. |
| Pace: | The tempo set by the leaders in the early and middle stages of a race. |
| Paddock: | The area where horses are saddled prior to a race. |
| Pari-mutuel: | A system of wagering in which the total money wagered is distributed to winning ticket holders, less a fixed percentage returned for race track management, state tax and the racing industry. So, fans are wagering against each other and not the track. |
| Photo Finish: | Practice in which a photo is used to determine order of finish in a race. |
| Plater: |
1) Claiming horse. 2) A farrier. |
| Plodder: | A slow horse; one which lacks acceleration. |
| Pool: | The total amount of money wagered on type of bet. |
| Post: |
1) The starting gate. 2) The time a race will begin. |
| Post Position: | The horse's position in the starting gate, numbered from the inside rail. |
| Quarter: |
1) Quarter mile, or two furlongs. 2) The side of the hoof. |
| Rabbit: | A horse which is entered in a race to insure a fast pace. |
| Racing Secretary: | The race track official who writes the conditions for races, and also assigns weights in handicap races. |
| Racing Times: | A daily racing publication providing statistics, feature stories and analysis. |
| Rank: | A description of a horse which fights the rider's attempt to relax it during the early or middle stages of a race. |
| Ridgling: | A male equine with one testicle. |
| Route: | A long race, usually a mile or more. |
| Salute: | The wave of the whip by jockeys to the stewards after a race in customary request to dismount. |
| Scale of Weights: | Official listing of weights carried in a race by horses according to sex, age, distance of the race and the season. |
| School: | To train a horse, especially in the paddock and starting gate. |
| Scratch: | Withdraw a horse from a race. |
| Set Down: |
1) To suspend a jockey, trainer, etc., from racing for
a specific period of time. 2) To ask a horse for speed. |
| Sex Allowance: | Weight allowance given to females in races against males. |
| Shadow Roll: | Roll of sheepskin strapped across a horse's nose to keep it from looking down and shying from shadows. |
| Shed Row: | Track barn area. |
| Shoe Board: | A sign listing the kind of shoes to be worn by each entrant. |
| Shut Out: | Failing to get a bet in before the race begins. |
| Silks: | Jockey's jacket and cap, also called colors. |
| Sire: | The father of a horse. |
| Sloppy Track: | A running surface in which water stands on the surface prior to sinking in and running off. |
| Slow Track: | A running surface wetter than good but not as thick as muddy or heavy. |
| Sophomore: | Three-year-old equine; termed a sophomore because horses don't start racing until they are two years old. |
| Sound: | Free of physical problems. |
| Sprint: | A short race, usually 7 furlongs or less. |
| Stewards: | Three racing officials, who apply racing law to human and equine conduct at a race meet. |
| Stud: | A breeding stallion. |
| Sucker: | Refers to a horse which has the ability to win races but fails to go through with its run when faced with the prospect of taking the lead. |
| Tack: | The equipment that goes on a horse along with the jockey. |
| Take Out: | The money deducted from each wagering pool and apportioned to the state and the track. |
| Take Back: | To restrain a horse back off the pace. |
| Take up: | To pull a horse up sharply during the running of a race in order to avoid making contact with another horse. |
| Teletimer: | Electronic timer that flashes on the tote board; it is activated by breaking a light beam. |
| Tongue Strap or Tie: | A cloth or leather band used to tie down a horse's tongue to prevent the tongue from interfering with breathing during a race or workout. |
| Tote Board: | Located in the infield, it provides odds to win on each entrant in a given race, plus individual and total amounts wagered to win, place and show; also provides fractional times of race, minutes to next race and other information. |
| Turn of Foot: | Acceleration. |
| Unerlay: | An underlay is a over bet horse. See Keep's handicapping tips for more information. |
| Ungenuine: | Refers to a horse which fails to put forth a full effort, especially during the critical stages of a race. |
| Unsound: | Suffering from physical ailments. |
| Valet: | One who takes care of a jockey's clothing and equipment and delivers his tack to the paddock. |
| Weanling: | A newly weaned horse. |
| Weight: | Refers to the weight assigned to each horse. Includes the jockey, his saddle, and other equipment. Lead weights are carried in saddle bags if needed. |
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