Glossary of Racing Terms

Term

Definition
Allowance Race
 Similar to a claiming race, except the horses are not for sale
Across the board
 A win, place and show bet on a horse
Apprentice
 A jockey who has ridden for less than a year and who receives weight allowances
 
Backside
 The racetrack's barn area
Bay
 A color ranging from tan to dark chestnut with black mane, tail and points
Beyer speed rating
 A measure of performance popularized by Andy Beyer of The Washington Post
Blinkers
 Devise to limit horse's vision to prevent it from shying from objects or other horses
Bolt
 Suddenly veering from a straight course
Bounce
 An exceptionally poor performance on the heels of an exceptionally good one
Break
 Harness horse changing to a different gate than the one specified in the race in which they are competing
Breed
 An equine group whose members have been selectively bred for consistent characteristics over a period of time and with pedigrees recorded in a stud book
Broodmare
 Female horse used for breeding
Broodmare sire
 A sire whose female offspring become producers of exceptional performers
Bullet
 Fastest workout of the day at a particular distance
Bug
 Apprentice Jockey who is allowed a reduced weight as they gain experience
 
Call to the post
 A special call played on a Bugle used to signal the horses to the starting gate
Chalk
 Horse favored in a race
Chestnut
 Yellow-red, red-yellow to golden yellow horse with red main and tail
Claiming Race
 A race in which any horse may be purchased at a predetermined price
Colt
 Ungelded male horse under five years of age
Conformation
 The shape of a horse
 
Dam
 The mother of a horse
Dead Heat
 To or more horses finishing in a tie at the wire
Derby
 Stakes race for three year olds
Distaff
 A race for female horses
Driver
 A person driving a harness horse in a race
Driving
 Strong urging by the rider
 
Early foot
 Good speed at the start of a race
Entry
 Two or more horses representing the same owner or trained by the same person and running together as a single betting entity
 
Fast Track
 Track condition with footing at its best. Dry and even
Favorite
 Horse having the most money wagered on it to win
Filly
 Female horse under five years old
Foal
 A horse under one year old
Furlong
 A distance equal to 1/8th of a mile
 
Gait
 Used to describe the manner in which a horse moves
Gallop
 A fast gate in which all four feet are off the ground at once
Gelding
 Castrated male horse
Groom
 A person who cares for a horse in the stables
 
Hand
 Unit of measurement to describe a horse's height, which is approximately 4 inches
Handicap
 Race A race in which weights have been assigned by the racing secretary after evaluating entrant's past races
Handicapping
 The art of evaluating a horse's past performance to determine the outcome of a race
Handily
 The art of evaluating a horse's past performance to determine the outcome of a race
Handle
 Money wagered
Hopples
 A part of harness racing tack used to help the horse keep on it's proper gait
Horse
 Ungelded male horse five years old or older
Hot Walk
 Cooling out a horse by walking after a race or workout
 
Jockey
 Rider of a horse in a thoroughbred race
Juvenile
 A two year old horse
 
Lasix
 Diuretic medication given to horses which bleed
Length
 About eight feet, the length of a horse from nose to tail
Longshot
 Entry not well regarded by bettors, resulting in the possibility of longer odds and higher payoffs
 
Maiden
 A horse that hasn't won a flat racein any country
Maiden Race
 A race for horses which have never won a race
Mare
 Female horse five years old or older
Match Race
 A race between just two horses
Morning Line
 An estimate of the final race odds, as determined by the track's handicapper
Mudder
 A horse which races well on an off track
Muddy Track
 Track condition where there is substantial water in the track making footing less than ideal
 
Nose
 Smallest winning margin at the finish
 
Off track
 A track that is not fast
Official
 Final results of a race have been confirmed by the stewards
OTB
 Off Track Betting location where horses can be wagered via Simulcast (Satellite Wagering Facility / SWF)
Overlay
 A horse whose odds are greater than itspotential to win
 
Pace
 Relative speed of the leaders of a race at various stages during the race
Pacer
 A harness racing gait in which the legs on one side of the horse move together
Paddock
 Area where the horses are saddled and paraded before post time
Pari-mutuel
 The form of wagering used at Colonial Downs whereby players wager against each other, not against the "house"
Parked Out
 Term for a harness horse which is not able to race near the inside rail due to the position of other horses
Pedigree
 The details of a horse's ancestry
Photo Finish
 A finish between two or more horses which is so close a still photograph must be used to determine the order of finish
Pole Distance
 Marks placed around the track, usually every 1/16th of a mile
Post Parade
 When the horses leave the paddock and go toward the starting gate
Post Time
 The designated time for a race to begin
Purse
 The total prize money awarded in a race
 
Recall
 When the first attempt at starting in a harness race is nullified by the official in charge of the start
Roan Horse
 With a red and white hair mixture, Horse with white hairs mingledthroughout its coat
 
Scratch
  
Sealed Track
 A sealed track is 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
Silks
 Jacket representing the owner of a horse which is worn by the jockey
Simulcast
 Simultaneous broadcast of a race to betting facilities away from the live track
Sire
 The male parent of a horse
Stakes
 Race Highest class of race, reserved for the best horses
Stallion
 Ungelded male horse used specifically for breeding
Standardbred
 A breed of horse which participates in harness racing
Starting Gate
 A mechanical device which allows each horse to begin a race at the same time
Steeplechase
 A race over a course with artificial obstacles
Stewards
 The highest level officials overseeing the races who work to maintain the integrity of the sport
Stick
 A jockey's whip
Stretch
 The straightaway portion of a race track
Stud
 Stallion
Stud Book
 A book kept to record the pedigrees of purebred horses.
Sulky
 A two wheeled conveyance carrying the driver and pulled by a horse in harness racing
 
Tack
 Equipment used for riding and driving a horse
Thoroughbred
 A horse specifically bred for racing that can trace their lineage back to three original horses
Trainer
 Person in charge of conditioning horses in preparation for races
Trotter
 In harness racing, horses which move with a diagonal gait
Turf course
 Grass covered race course
 
Underlay
 Horse whose odds are more promising than his potential to win
 
Valet
 A person who helps jockeys keep their wardrobe and equipment in order
 
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 which is one year old