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Horse racing terminology
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| ACROSS THE BOARD |
A bet on
a horse to win, place and show. If the horse wins, the player collects
three ways; if second, two ways; and if third, one way, losing the win
and place bets. |
| ALL OUT |
A horse
who is trying to the best of his ability. |
| ALLOWANCE RACE |
A race
where weights and eligibility to enter are determined by conditions set
by the racing secretary |
| ALSO-ELIGIBLE |
A horse
entered in the race but who cannot start unless another horse is
scratched |
| ALSO-RAN |
A horse
who finishes out of the money |
| BABY RACE |
A race for
2-year-olds |
| BACKSTRETCH |
The straight way on
the far side of the track |
| BLANKET FINISH |
When the horses
finish so close for the win you could theoretically put a single blanket
across them |
| BOARD |
The tote board on
which odds, betting pools and other race information is displayed |
| 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 |
| BULL RING |
Small racetrack less
than one mile around |
| CHUTE |
Extension of the
backstretch or homestretch to allow a longer straight run at the start |
| CLAIMING RACE |
A race where horses
are entered for a specified price and can be claimed (purchased) from
the race for that price. Claimers are horses who generally run only in
claiming races |
| CLASSIC |
A race for
three-year-olds, such as a Derby or Oaks, that has a long standing
tradition behind it. The American classics are the Kentucky Derby,
Preakness and Belmont Stakes |
| CLOSER |
A horse who runs best
in the latter part of the race, coming from off the pace |
| CLUBHOUSE TURN |
Generally the turn
immediately after the finish line and closest to the clubhouse |
| COLORS |
Racing silks, the
jacket and cap worn by jockeys. Silks can be generic and provided by the
track or specific to one owner |
| CONDITIONED RACE |
Eligibility to enter
is determined by a set of conditions such as age, sex, races won, etc. |
| COUPLED |
Two or more horses
running as an entry in a single betting unit |
| CUPPY |
A track surface which
breaks away under a horse's hoof |
| DAILY DOUBLE |
Type of wager calling
for the selection of winners of two consecutive races, usually the first
and second |
| DEAD-HEAT |
Two or more horses
finishing in an exact tie at the finish |
| DEAD TRACK |
Racing surface
lacking resiliency |
| DERBY |
A stakes race for
three-year-olds |
| DISTAFF RACE |
A race for fillies,
mares, or both |
| DISTANCED |
Well beaten,
finishing a long distance behind the winner |
| DRIVING |
Strong urging by
rider |
| EVENLY |
Neither gaining nor
losing position or distance during a race |
| EXACTA (or PERFECTA) |
A wager in which the
first two finishers in a race, in exact order of finish, must be picked |
| FAST TRACK |
The optimum condition
for a dirt track, dry, fast and even |
| FIELD HORSE (or MUTUEL
FIELD) |
Two or more starters
running as a single betting unit, when there are more entrants than
positions on the totalisator board can accommodate |
| FIRM |
A optimum condition
for a turf course corresponding to fast on a dirt track |
| FIRST TURN |
Bend in the track
beyond the starting point |
| FRONT-RUNNER |
A horse who usually
leads (or tries to lead) the field for as far as he can |
| FURLONG |
One-eighth of a mile;
220 yards; 660 feet |
| GOOD TRACK |
Condition between
fast and slow, generally a bit wet |
| GRADED RACE |
The most important or
prestigious races in North America are assigned grades (I, II, or III)
based on the quality of previous winners and the race's influence on
other races or championships |
| GROUP RACE |
European equivalent
to North American graded races |
| HANDICAP |
Race where the racing
secretary or track handicapper assigns the weights to be carried |
| HEAD OF THE STRETCH |
Beginning of the
straight run for the finish |
| HEAVY |
Condition of track
when wet similar to muddy but slower |
| IN THE MONEY |
Finishing first,
second or third |
| INQUIRY |
Reviewing the race to
check into a possible infraction of the rules. Also, a sign flashed by
officials on tote board on such occasions |
| INVITATIONAL |
A stakes race open
only to horses who are invited to enter. Generally no entry fee is
charged |
| LENGTH |
Length of a horse
from nose to tail, about 8 feet |
| LOCK |
Slang for a "sure
thing" winner |
| MAIDEN RACE |
Horses who have not
yet won a race are referred to as maidens, hence a race for non winners |
| 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 |
Approximate odds
quoted before wagering begins |
| MUDDY |
Deep condition of
racetrack after being soaked with water. Horses who run will on wet
tracks are generally referred to as mudders |
| NECK |
Unit of measurement,
about the length of a horse's neck; a quarter of a length |
| OAKS |
A stakes race for
3-year-old fillies |
| OBJECTION |
Claim of foul lodged
by rider, patrol judge or other official. If lodged by official, it is
called an inquiry |
| ODDS-ON |
Odds of less than
even money. In England it is simply called "on," thus a horse "5-4 on"
is actually at odds of 4-5 |
| OFFICIAL |
Sign displayed when
result is confirmed. Also racing official |
| ON THE NOSE |
Betting a horse to
win only |
| OVERLAY |
A horse going off at
a higher price than he appears to warrant based on his past performances |
| OVERNIGHT RACE |
A race where entries
close a specific number of hours before running (such as 48 hours), as
opposed to a stakes race where nominations close far in advance |
| OVERWEIGHT |
Surplus weight
carried by a horse when the rider cannot make the assigned weight |
| PADDOCK |
Area where horses are
saddled and kept before post time |
| PASTEBOARD TRACK |
Lightning fast racing
strip |
| PHOTO FINISH |
A result so close it
is necessary to use a finish-line camera to determine order of finish |
| PLACE |
Second position at
finish |
| PLACE BET |
Wager on a horse to
finish first or second |
| POLE |
Markers at measured
distances around the track, marking the distance from the finish. The
quarter pole, for instance, is a quarter of a mile from the finish, not
from the start |
| POOL |
Mutuel pool, the
total sum bet on a race or a particular bet |
| POST |
Starting point or
position in starting gate |
| POST PARADE |
Horses going from
paddock to starting gate past the stands |
| POST POSITION |
Position of stall in
starting gate from which a horse starts |
| POST TIME |
Designated time for a
race to start |
| QUINELLA |
Wager in which first
two finishers must be picked, but payoff is made no matter which of the
two wins and which runs second |
| ROUTE RACE |
A race run at a mile
or longer, generally around two turns |
| SADDLE CLOTH |
Cloth under the
saddle on which number denoting post position is displayed |
| SCALE OF WEIGHTS |
Fixed weights to be
carried by horses in a race according to age, distance, sex, and time of
year |
| SCRATCH |
To be taken out of a
race |
| SHOW |
Third position at the
finish |
| SHOW BET |
Wager on a horse to
finish in the money; third or better |
| SLOPPY |
A track that is wet
on surface with firm bottom |
| SLOW |
A track with some
moisture in it that is not fast, between good and heavy |
| SPRINT RACE |
A race run at less
than a mile, generally with only one turn |
| STAKE |
A race for which an
owner must pay an entry fee to run his horse. The fees can be for
nominating, maintaining eligibility, entering and starting, and are
generally added to the amount put up by the track to make up the total
purse |
| STARTING GATE |
Mechanical device
with stalls for horses to stand in until the starter releases the doors
in front to begin the race |
| STRAIGHT |
Betting to win only |
| STRETCH |
Final straight
portion of the racetrack to the finish |
| STRETCH RUNNER |
Horse who finishes
fast in the stretch |
| STRETCH TURN |
Bend of track into
homestretch |
| TAKE (or TAKEOUT) |
Commission deducted
from mutuel pools which is shared by the track and local and state
governing bodies in the form of tax |
| TOUT |
Person who professes
to have, and sells, advance information on a race |
| TRACK RECORD |
Fastest time for a
distance at a particular track |
| TRIFECTA (or TRIPLE) |
A wager picking the
first three finishers in exact order |
| TURF COURSE |
Grass course |
| UNDERLAY |
A horse racing at
longer odds than he should |
| WARMING UP |
Galloping horse on
way to post |
| WIN |
Cross the finish line
first |
| WIN BET |
Wager on a horse to
finish first |
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