Horse Racing Glossary
Below is a comprehensive glossary of horse racing terminology. This resource will continue to grow as we add terms, ensuring it remains robust and user-friendly.
A
- Across the Board
- A bet that combines Win, Place, and Show bets. If the horse wins, you collect on all three; if it places second, you collect Place and Show; and if it places third, you collect only Show.
- Age
- A horse's age is calculated from January 1 of the year it was born, regardless of its actual birth date.
- Allowance Race
- A race where horses carry weights based on specific conditions, such as previous wins or earnings, and no claiming is involved.
- Apprentice Jockey
- A jockey who is in training and receives a weight allowance to compete with more experienced riders.
- At the Post
- A phrase used when horses are lined up in the starting gate and ready to race.
B
- Backstretch
- The straight part of the track opposite the grandstand. Also used to describe the stable area where horses are housed.
- Beaten Favorite
- A horse that was favored to win but did not finish first.
- Blinkers
- A piece of equipment placed on a horse's head that restricts its peripheral vision, helping it focus on the race and avoid distractions. Blinkers are often noted in race programs with a 'b' or 'BL' designation. Some horses run better with blinkers, while others may not.
- Box
- A betting term indicating that all possible combinations of a wager (e.g., Exacta, Trifecta) are covered. For example, a boxed Exacta covers all possible orders of the top two finishers.
- Break
- Refers to how well a horse leaves the starting gate at the beginning of a race.
- Breezing
- A workout where the horse runs under minimal urging from the jockey or rider, indicating its fitness level.
C
- Claiming Race
- A race in which all horses are for sale at a predetermined price.
- Closer
- A horse known for its ability to finish strong in the latter stages of a race.
- Colt
- A male horse under four years of age.
- Condition Book
- A publication detailing the races to be run at a track, including conditions and eligibility requirements.
- Connections
- A term used to refer collectively to a horse's owner, trainer, and other team members.
D
- Daily Double
- A wager in which the bettor must select the winners of two consecutive races.
- Dead Heat
- A tie between two or more horses at the finish line.
- Distance
- The length of a race, measured in furlongs (1 furlong = 1/8 mile).
- DQ (Disqualification)
- The removal of a horse from its original placing due to a rule violation.
E
- Eased
- A term used when a jockey slows a horse during a race, often due to injury or fatigue.
- Exacta
- A wager requiring the bettor to correctly predict the first and second finishers in exact order.
- Entry
- Two or more horses owned by the same owner and running in the same race. They are considered a single betting entity.
F
- Furlong
- A unit of measurement for race distances, equal to one-eighth of a mile (220 yards).
- Filly
- A female horse under four years old.
- Finish Line
- The line on the racetrack indicating the end of the race.
- Flat Race
- A race without obstacles such as jumps or hurdles.
G
- Gait
- The manner in which a horse moves, such as walking, trotting, or galloping.
- Gallop
- A horse's natural, fastest gait, used during a race.
- Graded Stakes
- The most prestigious races, classified into Grade 1, Grade 2, and Grade 3 based on quality and purse size.
- Gelding
- A male horse that has been neutered.
H
- Handicap Race
- A race in which horses carry different weights assigned by the handicapper to equalize their chances of winning.
- Hand Ride
- When a jockey urges a horse forward without using a whip.
- Homestretch
- The final straight portion of the track leading to the finish line.
I
- Inquiry
- A review of the race by the stewards to investigate a possible rules violation.
J
- Juvenile
- A two-year-old horse.
K
- Key Horse
- A horse singled out in a combination bet (e.g., Exacta, Trifecta) to finish in a specific position.
L
- Lasix
- A diuretic medication (furosemide) commonly used in horse racing to prevent or reduce exercise- induced pulmonary hemorrhage (bleeding in the lungs). Horses running on Lasix are often marked with an 'L' in the race program. Its use varies by jurisdiction and is a subject of ongoing debate in the racing industry.
- Length
- A unit of measurement in horse racing, representing the length of a horse (approximately 8 feet), used to describe the distance between horses in a race.
- Lug In/Out
- When a horse veers toward the inside or outside rail, often indicating fatigue or discomfort.
M
- Maiden
- A horse that has never won a race.
- Morning Line
- The odds assigned by the track handicapper before betting begins, representing an estimate of how the public will bet.
N
- Nose
- The smallest margin of victory in horse racing, determined by a photo finish.
- Nomination
- The act of entering a horse in a race, typically requiring a fee.
O
- Odds
- The likelihood of a horse winning, as determined by the betting public.
- Off Track
- A track surface that is not fast, typically due to rain or moisture.
P
- Pari-Mutuel
- A betting system where wagers are pooled, and payouts are based on the total pool minus track fees.
- Pick 3
- A wager where the bettor must correctly select the winners of three consecutive races.
- Pick 4
- A wager requiring the bettor to correctly select the winners of four consecutive races.
- Pick 5
- A wager requiring the bettor to correctly select the winners of five consecutive races.
- Pick 6
- A wager where the bettor must correctly select the winners of six consecutive races. This bet typically has a larger minimum wager and can offer substantial payouts, especially if there is a carryover from a previous unclaimed pool. Some tracks offer a variation called Jackpot Pick 6, where the full payout is only awarded if a single ticket wins.
- Photo Finish
- A close race where the winner is determined by a photograph taken at the finish line.
Q
- Quarter Horse
- A breed of horse known for its speed in short distances, typically races of a quarter mile or less.
- Quinella
- A wager where the bettor selects two horses to finish first and second in any order.
R
- Rate
- The act of a jockey controlling a horse's speed to conserve energy for later in the race.
- Route
- A race that is a mile or longer.
- Run-Out Bit
- A type of horse bit designed to help keep a horse running straight during a race.
S
- Scratch
- The removal of a horse from a race before it starts, often due to illness, injury, or other concerns.
- Silks
- The colorful jackets and caps worn by jockeys, representing the owner of the horse.
- Sprint
- A short race, less than one mile.
- Stakes Race
- A high-level race with significant prize money, often restricted to horses meeting specific qualifications.
- Stewards
- Officials responsible for enforcing racing rules and reviewing inquiries or objections during a race.
- Stretch Drive
- The final effort by horses in the homestretch.
- Superfecta
- A wager requiring the bettor to predict the first four finishers in exact order.
T
- Taken Up
- When a jockey slows down a horse, often to avoid trouble or prevent injury.
- Track Bias
- A tendency for a track to favor certain running styles (e.g., speed or closers) or post positions.
- Trifecta
- A wager requiring the bettor to select the first three finishers in exact order.
- Turf
- A grass racing surface.
U
- Underlay
- A horse that is perceived as overbet and has lower odds than its chances of winning suggest.
- Under Wraps
- When a jockey restrains a horse from running at full speed.
V
- Valet
- A person responsible for maintaining a jockey's equipment, such as saddles and silks, and assisting with race preparation.
- Variant
- A measure of the speed of a track surface on a particular day, used to adjust speed figures.
W
- Walkover
- A race in which only one horse competes, making it the automatic winner.
- Weight for Age
- A condition in which horses carry weights based on their age and the race distance.
- Win Bet
- A wager placed on a horse to finish first.
- Work
- A timed exercise session for a horse, used to gauge its fitness and readiness for a race.
X
- X-rays
- Commonly used in the veterinary evaluation of horses, particularly for diagnosing injuries.
Y
- Yearling
- A horse that is officially one year old but has not yet raced.
- Yielding
- A turf track condition where the surface is soft due to moisture.
Z
- Zed Horse
- A term occasionally used for digital or virtual horse racing platforms, where horses are represented digitally.
- Zero Odds
- A rare situation where there is no betting interest in a horse, often due to unusual circumstances.