Across
The Board: A bet on a horse to win, place and show. If a horse wins, the
player collects three ways; if second, two ways; and if third, one way, losing
the win and place bets.
Allowance Race: A race, other than claiming, for which the Racing Secretary
drafts certain conditions to determine weights.
Also-Eligible: A horse officially entered, but not permitted to start unless
the field is reduced by scratches below a specified number.
Also-Ran: A horse who finishes out of the money.
Backstretch: Straight of far side of track between the turns. Also the stable area.
Backside: Stable area.
Bit: Bar in horse’s mouth by which he is guided and controlled.
Bleeder: Horse who bleeds during or after a workout or race due to ruptured
blood vessels.
Blinkers: Device to limit a horse’s vision to prevent him from swerving from
objects or other horses on either side of him.
Bounce: An exceptionally poor performance on the heels of an exceptionally good
one.
Box Bets: Betting all possible combinations in a multi-horse wager such as an
Exacta or Trifecta.
Breakage: In pari-mutuel payoffs which are rounded out to a nickel or dime,
those pennies that are left over. Breakage is generally split between the track
and state and, in some cases, breeding or other funds, in varying proportions.
Break Maiden: Horse or rider winning first race of career.
Bullet: Fastest workout of the day at a particular distance.
Calk: Projection on the bottom of a shoe to give a horse greater traction, especially
on a wet track.
Call (the): Running position of horses in a race at various points.
Chart: A statistical “picture” of a race (from which past performances are compiled),
which shows the position and margin of each horse at designated points of call
(depending on distance of the race), age, weight carried, owner, trainer, purse,
conditions, pay-off prices, odds, time and other data.
Claiming Race: A race in which the horses are for sale at a price specified
before the race. Claims are made before the race and the new owner assumes
possession immediately following the race.
Classic: Race of traditional importance. In the U.S. specifically the KentuckyDerby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes for colts, and Coaching Club American Oaks for fillies.
Clocker: One who times the workouts and races.
Colt: Male horse under 5 years of age.
Condition Book: Book used by the Racing Secretary which sets forth conditions
of races to be run.
Condition Race: An event with conditions limiting it to a certain class of
horse. Such as Fillies, 3 year olds, non-winners of two races other than maiden
or claiming, etc.
Daily Double: A wager in which the winners of two consecutive races must be picked.
Dead Heat: Two or more horses finishing in an exact tie at the wire.
Disqualification: Change of order of finish by officials for an infraction of
the rules.
DQ: Disqualified.
Distaff: A race for female horses.
Eligible: Qualified to start in a race, according to conditions.
Entry: Two or more horses representing the same owner or trained by the same person and
running together as a single betting entity.
Exacta: A wager in which the first two finishers in one race, in exact order of
finish, must be picked.
Fast Track: Track condition with footing at its best – dry and even.
Favorite: Horse having the most money wagered on it to win.
Filly: A female horse less than 5 years old.
Furlong: One-eighth of a mile.
Handicapping: The study of factors in the past performances which determine the
relative qualities and abilities of horses in a race.
Handle: Money wagered.
Inquiry: Official investigation of rule infractions.
Jumper: Steeplechase or hurdle horse.
Juvenile: A two year old horse.
Maiden Race: A race for horses which have never won a race.
Mare: A female horse 5 years or older
Minus Pool: A mutuel pool caused when one horse is so heavily played that, after
deductions of state tax and commission, there is not enough money left to pay
the legally prescribed minimum on each winning bet. The racing association
usually makes up the difference.
Morning Line: The starting odds set by the race track handicapper.
Muddy Track: A condition where there is substantial water in the track making footing
less than ideal.
Oaks: A classic stakes event for 3-year-old-fillies.
Objection: Claim of foul lodged by rider, patrol judge or other official. If
lodged by an official, it is called an inquiry.
Overlay: A horse whose odds are greater than its potential to win.
Paddock: Structure or area where horses are saddled and kept before going to
the track.
Pari-Mutuel: A form of wagering in which all money bet is divided up among
those who have winning tickets, after taxes, takeout and other deductions are
made.
Past Performances: A compilation of a horse’s record, including all pertinent data,
as a basis for handicapping.
Photo Finish: A result so close it is necessary to use a finish-line camera to
determine the order of finish.
Pick Six (or more): A type of wager in which the winners of all the included races
must be selected.
Place: A horse that is in second position at finish.
Pool: Mutuel pool. Total sum bet on a race.
Post Parade: Horses going from paddock to starting gate past the stands.
Post Position: Position of the stall in a starting gate from which a horse starts.
Post Time: Designated time for a race to start.
Prep (or Prep Race): A workout or a race to prepare a horse for a future engagement.
Purse: A prize of money, to which owners do not contribute.
Quarter Horse: Breed of horse especially fast for a quarter of a mile, from which its
name is derived.
Quinella: A wager in which the first two finishers of one race must be picked,
but a payoff is made no matter which of the two wins and which runs second.
Racing Secretary: Official who drafts conditions of races and assigns weights for
handicap events.
Saddle Cloth: Cloth under the saddle on which the number (and sometimes the horse’s
name) denoting the post position is displayed.
Scratched: To be taken out of a race.
Sealed Track: A dirt track that has been packed down. Dry tracks are sealed so that
water runs off the track, reducing the amount of precipitation absorbed into the surface. Wet tracks are sealed to provide a safe and even racing surface.
Seven Furlongs: Seven-eighths of a mile.
Show: A horse that is in third position at the finish.
Silks: Jacket and cap worn by jockeys which designate the owner of the horse.
Six Furlongs: Three-quarters of a mile.
Sloppy Track: Track wet on the surface but with a firm bottom.
Stake: A race for which the owner must pay a fee to run a horse. The fees can be for
nominating, maintaining eligibility, entering and starting to which the track
adds more money to make up the total purse. Some stakes races are by invitation
and require no payment or fee.
Stewards: Top officials of the meeting responsible for enforcing the rules.
Steeplechase: A jumping race over high obstacles.
Stretch: Final straight portion of the racetrack to the finish.
Take (or Takeout): Commission deducted from mutuel pools which is shared by the
track and local and state governing bodies in the form of a tax.
Track Bias: A racing surface that favors a particular running style or position.
Track Record: Fastest time at various distances recorded at a particular track.
Trifecta (or Triple): A wager in which the first three finishers in exact order
in one race must be selected.
Triple Crown: In the United States, the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.
Turf Course: Grass covered race course.
Underlay: Horse whose odds are more promising than his potential to win.
Weight: The assigned weight for a horse, including the jockey, equipment and
lead weights, if needed.
Workout: Exercise session at a predetermined distance.
Yearling: A horse that is one year old. The universal birth date of horses is
January 1st.
