Abandoned

· A race meeting which has been canceled because a club did not receive sufficient nominations to be able to stage it, or because of bad weather which made racing on the unsafe horse race track. All bets placed on abandoned races are fully refunded.

o Ex) “Ladies and gentlemen we regret to inform you that races nine and ten have been abandoned due to lightning, all wagers we be refunded.”

Across the Board

· Betting a horse “across the board” is placing three different bets, all on the same horse and generally all of the same amount: one to win, one to place, and one to show. If the horse wins the race all three bets will be winners. If it comes in 2nd the place and show bets win and if it comes in 3rd only the show pays off.

o Ex) “I’m going to bet the winner of the Kentucky across the board at the Preakness.”

Allowance

· A race that is not a claiming race for which officials have drafted conditional weight reductions for qualifying horses. Horses carrying apprentice jockeys, females running against males, or young horses racing against older horses could all potentially be eligible for allowances.

o Ex) “The four horse has a small allowance because she’s running with an apprentice today.”

Apprentice

· A jockey who has not ridden a certain number of winners within a specified period of time. Generally, apprentices are granted weight allowances.

o Ex) “An apprentice just rode that horse wire-to-wire!”

B

Baby Race

· A race for two year old thoroughbreds.

o Ex) “The number six race today is a baby race.”

Backstretch

· The straight part of the track farthest from the spectators, between the two turns and opposite the finish line.

o Ex) “If he hadn’t been boxed-in in the backstretch he might have had a chance”

Bandage

· Strips of cloth wound around the lower part of a horse's legs for support or protection against injury.

o Ex) “Be wary of the six horse, I’ve never seen him run bandaged like that before”

Bat

· A jockey's whip.

o Ex) “He really started swinging the bat down the homestretch.”

Bearing In and Bearing Out

· A horse that deviates from a straight course. Caused by anything from poor jockey control to trackside distractions.

o Ex) “Before he was trained with blinkers that horse was always bearing out on the homestretch”

Beyer Rating

· A performance rating system for thoroughbreds based upon their times and the track conditions during each race. Every race is assigned it’s own number. This handicapping tool, popularized by author Andrew Beyer of the Washington Post, allows comparison between horses who have run in different conditions or on different tracks.

o Ex) “What’s the six horse’s Beyer Number from his last stakes run?”

Blinkers

· A device applied on the sides of a horse's head near the eyes meant to limit his vision thereby preventing swerving away from distracting objects or other horses on either side of him. Blinker cups come in various sizes and shapes to allow as little or as much vision as the trainer feels is appropriate.

o Ex) “Before he was trained with blinkers that horse was always bearing out on the homestretch”

Board

· The short term for the totalisator, or ‘tote board’, where the horse race results, odds, results, payoffs and other race information are displayed.

o Ex) “Check the board for the odds on race two.”

Box

· A wagering term for combination bets where all possible finishing combinations of a certain group of horses are covered.

o Ex) “I bet an exacta box on the three, six, and nine.”

Boxed-in (Boxed)

· A racing term referring to a horse that is unable to pursue a straight course because he is surrounded by other horses in front of and beside him.

o Ex) “If he hadn’t been boxed-in in the backstretch he might have had a chance”

Broodmare

· A female thoroughbred used for breeding purposes.

o Ex) “I think this is a maiden race for local broodmares”

C

Card

· Term used to refer to a day’s planned races.

o Ex) “Are there any interesting races on today’s card?

Call to the Post

· Special bugle call used to announce the horses’ approach to the starting gate.

o Ex) “They’re the call to the post and the horses are moving to the gate.”

Chalk and Chalk Player

· The ‘chalk’ is the favorite horse or horses in a given race. Chalk players tend to only bet on favorites.

o Ex) “Joe’s nothin’ but a chalk player.”

Checked

· A horse that is momentarily pulled up (reined up) because of being cut off or is in too close of quarters.

o Ex) “If he hadn’t been checked in the homestretch he would have come in the money.”

Claiming Race

· A race where horse entered are subject to claiming (purchase after the race) for a pre-set price.

o Ex) “The third race today is a $30,000 claiming race.”

Clocker

· A person who times horse workouts and races.

o Ex) The clocker said this horse hasn’t performed this well all year.”

Colors

· The racing outfit, also called silks, worn by a jockey. The pattern and colors are often specific to the horse owner but can be generic.

o Ex) “I always see that jockey in Calumet Farms colors.”

Colt

· A male horse under 5 years old.

o Ex) “This is a race for colts with less than three wins.”

Coupled Entry

· Two horses entered as one betting entity. Either horse coming in the money would count towards wagers and odds are adjusted accordingly.

o Ex) “The six and nine are a coupled entry in this race.”

Correct Weight

· The weight of the horse’s burden is weighed after the race and no bets can become official until ‘correct weight’ is called or signaled to the proper officials.

o Ex) “The six-horse was disqualified because he didn’t run with correct weight.”

D

Daily Double

· A wager where the bettor must pick the winner of two consecutive races, usually the first and second.

o Ex) “I won the daily double!”

Dead Heat

· A race where two horses finish at the exact same moment, a tie. A dead heat can be called on any finishing position and is determined by photo examination (photo finish).

o Ex) “The second race ended in a dead heat for the place position.”

Disqualification (DQ)

· The changing of the order of finish after the race has completed due to rules infractions ranging from weight violations to interference and beyond.

o Ex) “The three-horse has been disqualified (DQ’ed) due to jockey interference.”

Distaff

· A race for female horses (fillies and mares).

o Ex) “The Breeder’s Cup Distaff is a premier event in American thoroughbred racing.”

Driving

· Strong urging of the horse by the jockey.

o Ex) “That jockey was really driving him in the second turn.”

E

Eighth

· 1/8th of a mile. Also called a ‘furlong’. Equivalent to 220 yards or 660 feet.

o Ex) “He ran the last eighth poorly.”

Exacta

· A combination wager where the bettor tries to pick the win and place horses in order and for increased odds.

o Ex) “I bet a 3 – 2 exacta.”

Exotic

· Any wager other than a bet on win, place, or show. Includes exactas, quinellas, daily doubles, trifectas, superfectas, pick 3, and pick 6 wagers.

o Ex) “Did you bet any exotics on this race?”

F

Favorite

· The most popular horse among the betting public. This horse will have the lowest odds in the race due to heavy support.

o Ex) “The favorite went off at 5/2.”

Field

· All the horses in a race.

o Ex) “The sixth race has a quality field.”

Field Entry

· Two or more horses entered as one betting entity. Any of the horses coming in the money would count towards wagers and odds are adjusted accordingly. Generally used when the totalisator board cannot handle the number of horses in the race.

o Ex) “The six, seven, and nine are a field entry in this race.”

Filly

· A female horse less than five years old.

o Ex) “This race is only open to fillies.”

First Turn

· The initial bend in the track after the starting gate.

o Ex) “That horse was boxed-in in the first turn.”

Foal

· A newborn thoroughbred or, sometimes, any thoroughbred until January 1 following its birth.

o Ex) “The winner of that last race has three foals back at the ranch.”

Furlong

· 1/8th of a mile. Also called an ‘eighth’. Equivalent to 220 yards or 660 feet.

o Ex) “The fifth race will be six furlongs.

G

Gate

· Slang term for the starting position of the track or the starting gate itself.

o Ex) “The horses are approaching the gate.”

Gelding

· A male horse that has been castrated.

o Ex) “This horse is for four-year-old geldings.”

Graded Race

· System established in North America in 1973 to classify the select stakes races. The grade is denoted by a roman numeral. See also Group Race.

o Ex) “The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race.”

Groom

· The person who cares for the horse in the stable.

o Ex) “The grooms have led the horses to the paddock.”

Group Race

· System established in Europe to classify select stakes races outside of North America. They are collectively referred to as “Pattern Races”. This grading is equivalent to Graded Racing in North America. The group is denoted by Arabic numerals.

o Ex) “The Epsom derby is a Group 1 stakes race.”

H

Half

· ½ of a mile. Equivalent to four furlongs or 880 yards.

o Ex) “He ran the first half two seconds faster in his last race.”

Hand

· 4 inches. Hands are the unit of measure used to express a horse’s height from the top of his shoulders (the withers) to the ground. Thoroughbreds are generally 15 or more hands high.

o Ex) “That horse is over seventeen hands high!”

Handicap

· A race for which the track handicapper assigns a different weight load for each horse running in the hopes of evening any disparities and making a closer race.

o Ex) “The next race is a handicap.”

Handicapper

· (1)The track official who assigns weights for handicap races. (2)A person who studies past performance statistics in determining their wagers.

· Ex)(1) “The handicapper assigned the correct weights for a fair race. (2) “My uncle was an avid handicapper, he always won at the track.”

Handicapping

· The art of studying the previous racing statistics, known as ‘past performances’, of each horse in a race in order to divine the most advantageous wagering propositions.

o Ex) “Meticulous handicapping is the only way to win at the track.”

Handle

· The total amount wagered. The amount can be per race, per day, per month, year, etc.

o Ex) “Today’s track handle was a new record.”

Head

· A distance measuring the length a horse’s head.

o Ex) “He is leading by a head.”

Homestretch (Homestraight)

· The final straight run from the last turn to the finish line.

o Ex) “He really broke away in the homestretch.”

I

In the Money

· A horse that wins, places, or shows in a particular race.

o Ex) “Longshots usually pay well the they finish in the money.”

Infield

· The area inside the inner rails of the track.

o Ex) “The infield at the Preakness Stakes is a giant party.”

Inquiry

· Official review of a finished race to check for possible rules infractions. Bets are not official until any inquiries are completed. An inquiry instigated by a jockey is referred to as an objection.

o Ex) “Please hold all tickets until the inquiry is complete.”

J

Jockey

· Rider for horse races.

o Ex) “The jockeys are waiting in the paddock.”

Judge

· The track official who determines the official order of finish for each race.

o Ex) “The track judge has declared the race official.”

Juvenile

· A two year old horse.

o Ex) “This is a race for juveniles with no previous wins.”

K

Key (Key-horse)

· A horse determined by a handicapper to be most likely to win and is therefore used as a primary winning component in combinations for exotic wagers.

o Ex) “This trifecta has the six-horse keyed over 4-5-9 and 4-5-9-3.”

L

Late Double

· Any Daily Double bet that is not the first and second race, generally it is a second daily offering although some parks will only offer a late double.

o Ex) “Did you win the late double?”

Length

· A unit of measurement used in describing distances during a horserace, equal to approximately eight feet, or the length of a horse from nose to tail.

o Ex) “Secretariat set the margin of victory record at the Belmont Stakes by winning by 31 lengths.”

Lock

· A slang term for a ‘sure-thing’ bet.

o Ex) “There’s no such thing as a lock.”

Longshot

· A horse with high odds that is not expected to finish in the money.

o Ex) “Some handicappers make a living betting longshots.”

M

Maiden

· A horse that has never won a race. Jockeys without any wins are also referred to as maidens.

o Ex) “The six-horse in this race is a maiden.”

Maiden Race

· A race limited only to those horses that have never won a race.

o Ex) “The third race today is a maiden race.”

Mare

· A female thoroughbred that had either 1) been bred; or 2) reached its fifth birthday

o Ex) The Breeders Cup Distaff is open only to fillies and mares.”

Morning Line

· The odds released by the official track handicapper on the morning of a race day.

o Ex) “The morning line has different favorites and longshots than my handicapping indicates.”

N

Neck

· A unit of measurement used in describing distances during a horserace, equal to approximately two feet, or the length of a horse’s neck.

o Ex) “He’s leading by a neck going into the final turn.”

Nod

· A method of winning a horse race whereby one horse’s natural nod of the head during its stride pushes its nose out in front to just barely defeat another close-running horse.

o Ex) “He won by a nod.”

Nose

· The smallest unit of measurement used in describing the margin of win in a horserace, called a ‘short-head’ in Britain.

o Ex) “He won by a nose.”

O

Objection

· A claim of a rules infraction by a jockey.

o Ex) “An objection is holding up the race going official.”

Odds

· The fractional number used to denote the potential winnings if a bet is successful.

o Ex) “What are the odds on the six-horse?”

Oddsmaker

· Individual who converts information from past performances, future expectations, and many other sources, both objective and subjective, into fractions of probability used for determining wager payouts in horse race betting.

o Ex) “The oddsmakers are very accurate when comparing historical predictions against actual outcomes.

Official

· Sign on the tote board signifying that all bets for the previous race are final as displayed and bets will be paid accordingly. Also, a general term referring to track officials.

o Ex) “Is the race official yet?”

Off-Track Betting (OTB)

· Wagering at licensed locations where the bets made are included in the general pari-mutuel pool a the track and all payouts are equivalent to those paid at the track itself.

o Ex) “The odds fluctuate due to the handle at Off track betting locations.”

On the Board

· A horse that finishes in the top four in any given race.

o Ex) “I don’t even think that horse will be on the board.”

On the Nose

· Wagering on a horse to win only.

o Ex) “I took the six-horse on the nose.”

Out of the Money

· Any horse that does not win, place, or show.

o Ex) “My horse was out of the money.”

P

Paddock

· Area where horses are saddled up and they wait before post time.

o Ex) “The horses are waiting in the paddock.”

Pari-mutuel

· A betting-pool-style system of wagering that originated in France. All monies wagered are collectively subject to taxes and other withholdings before being dividing accordingly among winning ticket holders. This system of wagering is used at most racetracks, including simulcasting and OTB.

o Ex) “The pari-mutuel handle for today’s card was over $1 million.”

Part-Wheel

· The uses of a key horse (or horses) in some, but not all, combinations of an exotic wager.

Past Performances

· The collected information regarding a horse’s prior racing record that includes most of the data needed for successful handicapping.

o Ex) “That horse’s past performances record is impressive.”

Patrol Judge

· Track officials who oversee races from various look-out spots around the track.

o Ex) “The patrol judge called foul and an inquiry is in progress.”

Photo Finish

· Result when a race is determined by examining the photographic evidence that is automatically taken along the finish line.

o “Ex) The ninth race was a photo finish.”

Pick 6 (Pick 3)

· Wager type that involves selecting the winners from the given number of races, often involving a progressive, rollover jackpot if there are no winners.

o Ex) “Did you bet the Pick 6?”

Picks

· Expert betting selections, often published in newspapers or sold at the track.

o Ex) “Did you buy a picks sheet?”

Place

· A bet that a horse will come in first or second. Place also refers to the horse that runs second in a race.

o Ex) “I had the six-horse to place.”

Poles

· Distance indicators placed around that mark the distance to the finish, not from the start. The ½ pole would mark ½ mile left in the race, not since it started.

o Ex) “The six-horse was leading at the ¼ pole but got beat in the stretch.”

Pool

· The total accumulated amount bet on a race or event. The collected money is redistributed, less expenses, based on outcome.

o Ex) “The show pool in race three was small.”

Post

· Term for the starting gate.

o “The horses are at the post.”

Post Position

· Starting gate stall number for a horse. Sometimes simply “post”. Horses are often referred to by their post position number (i.e. six-horse). The numbers start at 1 on the inside rail and continue outward.

o Ex) “An inside post is preferred by many bettors.”

Post Time

· Appointed starting time for a specific race.

o Ex) “What’s the post time for the fourth race?”

Price

· Term for the odds on a given event or participant.

o Ex) “What’s the price on the six-horse?”

Purse

· Prize money distributed to the winning owner and other owners whose horses qualify for a portion based on finishing position; sometimes up to the first five spots are included.

o Ex) “This race has a small purse and hasn’t attracted very high quality horses.”

Q

Quarter Pole

· Marker signifying ¼ mile is remaining until the finish line.

o Ex) “The horses are charging past the quarter pole into the stretch.”

Quinella

· Wager on the first two horses to cross the finish line, in any order.

o Ex) “The 4-2 quinella pays off if the result is 4-2 or 2-4.”

R

Rail Runner

· A thoroughbred that prefers to run on the inside of the pack, along the inner guard rail.

o Ex) “The eleven-horse is going to have a hard time, he’s a rail runner.”

S

Scratch

· To be taken out of a race before it starts. Trainers may withhold their horses for reasons varying from health to weather conditions. The track veterinarian has the right to scratch a horse at any time.

o Ex) “The six-horse was scratched from the eighth race.”

Show

· A bet that a horse will come in first, second, or third. Show also refers to the horse that runs third in a race.

o Ex) “I had the six-horse to show.”

Silks

· The racing outfit, also called colors, worn by a jockey. The pattern and colors are often specific to the horse owner but can be generic.

o Ex) “I always see that jockey in Calumet Farms silks.”

Simulcast

· The simultaneous broadcast of horseraces to off-location betting sites such as other horse racing tracks, OTB offices, and television/home betting services.

o Ex) “In addition to a full race card this track also offers simulcasting from other tracks in the state.”

Sophomores

· Term for three-year-old thoroughbreds, refers to the second year of racing eligibility.

o Ex) “This is a race for sophomores.”

Stakes Horse

· A thoroughbred capable of competing in stakes events (races).

o Ex) “Who Doctor Who was a stakes horse.”

Stakes Race

· A races that is run by higher caliber horses (stakes horses) that many times involve a nomination fee by the owner that is used to increase the prize for winners.

o Ex) “Many stakes races lead up to the annual Breeder’s Cup.”

Starter

· Track official responsible for opening the starting gate.

o Ex) “The starter has signaled ’ready’”

Starting Gate

· Mechanical stall and gate apparatus used hold the horses in line before the race, allowing a simultaneous start.

o Ex) “The horses have reached the starting gate.”

Steam

· Condition when the odds on a horse, or other wagering event, swiftly change due to heavy betting action.

o Ex) “The steam really brought down the odds on that underdog.”

Step Up or Step Down

· Moving from one racing classification to a different one above or below the current classification.

o Ex) “The six-horse stepped up a class for this race.”

Stick

· A jockey's whip.

o Ex) “The six horse really got the stick in that race.”

Stewards

· Name for the track officials responsible for enforcing the rules.

o Ex) “A steward’s objection is underway.”

Straight (Straight-up)

· Betting to win only.

o Ex) “I bet the six-horse straight-up.”

Stretch (The Stretch)

· The final straight run from the last turn to the finish line.

o Ex) “He was gaining ground in the stretch.”

Stretch Turn

· The final bend in the track leading into the last straight run of a race, the homestretch.

o Ex) “He was boxed in the stretch turn.”

Superfecta

· Combination wager where the bettor must pick the first four finishers of a horse race, in order.

o Ex) “I won the superfecta in the seventh race!”

T

Take

· The amount deducted from the pari-mutuel wagering pool that is used to pay taxes, track expenses, and purses.

o “The tax portion of the track’s take is spent on problem gambling prevention.”

Ticket

· Receipt given to a bettor as proof of a wager.

o Ex) “Save all tickets until the race is official.”

Tote Board

· Term for the totalisator, or ‘the board’, where the odds, results, payoffs and other race information are displayed.

o Ex) “Check the tote board for the odds on race two.”

Tout

· Individual who sells ‘picks’, supposed expert handicapping information, on wagering events, including horseracing.

o Ex) “Beware of touts and learn to read the Daily Racing Form.”

Trifecta

· Combination wager where the bettor must pick the first three finishers of a horse race, in order.
o Ex) “Are you going to bet any trifectas today?”

Turf or Turf Course

· A grass race track.

o Ex) “Some horses are experts on the turf.”

U

Unbackable

· A horse whose odds are so short that no one bets because the gain is so little as compared to the risk.

o Ex) “It’s bettor to wait for the next race than to play an unbackable horse.”

Underlay

· A horse whose odds are lowered than warranted when considering past performances.

o Ex) “Ignorant public betting is often a cause of underlays.”

V

Valet

· Individual who cares for riding equipment.

o Ex) “The valet carried out a different saddle.”

W

Walkover

· Race with only one horse eligible to start due to scratches or infractions. The horse and jockey must run the race alone as a rules formality although there is no betting.”

o Ex) “I’ve never seen a walkover.”

Weight-for-age

· An allowance condition where each horse is assigned a weight according to ages, and, usually, sex.

o Ex) “Is this a weight-for-age allowance?”

Wheel

· Betting all combinations of certain horses with at least one keyed horse.

Whip

· Stick-like implement used by jockeys to physically coerce the desired performance from a horse during a race.

o Ex) “I think that jockey is a little too quick with the whip.

Win

· A bet that a horse will come in first. Win also refers to the horse that runs first in a race.

o Ex) “I bet the six-horse to win.”

Wire

· The finish line of a race.

o Ex) “That race came down to the wire.”

X Y Z

Yearling

· Term for a thoroughbred in the year after the first January 1 of its life.

o Ex) “That horse is a yearling.”