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RACING 101
…A Guide to Racing Terminology
A
Across the Board - Three equal bets to win, place and
show on one horse.
Age - Every horse shares a “birthday” of January 1.
A horse becomes one year older on the first of
F
Filly - A female three years of age or less.
First Over - Refers to the first horse that travels
towards the lead on the outside. This is considered
a tough trip in that it is both racing a longer
January after he or she is born, no matter when distance (on the outside) and without having
the actual date of his or her birth. “cover” (a horse in front).
Foal - A newly born horse; also the act of giving birth.
B
Backstretch - The straightaway on the far side of the
racetrack; or the area where barns are located.
Bit - A metal bar that fits in the horse’s mouth and is
attached to the reins; used to help control and
Free Legged - A pacer that races without hobbles.
G
Gelding - A castrated male at any age.
Groom - A person hired by the trainer to care for horses.
steer a horse.
H
Boxed In - A horse that is racing on the rail and is Handle - The amount of money bet on a race, daily
surrounded by other horses in front, outside and card, meeting or year.
behind it. Harness - The gear that is used to attach the sulky to a
Brace Bandage - Bandages made of cloth that are horse to carry the hobbles and enable the driver to
three to six inches wide and generally six feet long. steer the horse.
Break - To start galloping and lose natural trotting or Hobbles - The straps that connect the front and rear
pacing rhythm. legs on the same side of the horse.
Broodmare - A female horse used for breeding purposes. Homestretch - The front straightaway from the last
Brush - A high burst of speed, especially in the latter turn to the finish line.
part of a race. Horse - A male horse that is at least four years old.
C
Card - Another term for program of racing.
Catch Driver - A driver who does not train his own
horse and is engaged by other trainers and owners
to drive their horses.
J
Jog Cart - A larger version of the race bike or sulky
used for training. It has longer shafts and allows
the driver a more comfortable ride behind the
horse. It is equipped with springs, larger wheels
Chalk - The favorite in a race. and more protection from the track surface kicked
Colors - The colorful jacket worn by drivers while up by the horse. Many horses are “warmed up”
competing in a race. Unlike thoroughbred racing, before a race with a jog cart.
drivers register their own colors and wear them in
every race.
Colt - A male horse between the ages of two and four.
Coupled - An entry of two or more horses entered in a
race by the same trainer or owner.
L
Lasix - A medication, which acts as a diuretic, used in
the treatment of bleeders, reducing pressure on the
capillaries; also known as Furosemide. Horses rac-
ing on Lasix are administered the drug four hours
prior to their scheduled post time, and their water
D
Dam - The mother of a horse.
Dead Heat - A situation in which the judges cannot
separate two or more horses while viewing the
outcome of a race.
intake is limited.
Layoff - A period of vacation or rest for a horse.
During a layoff, a horse usually loses whatever
competitive form it may have developed.
Distanced - A horse that finishes more than 25 lengths Length - The length of a horse from nose to tail.
from the winner. Locked In - A horse that is surrounded by other horses
during a race and cannot find clearance to move
E
Entry - Two or more horses with the same trainer or
owner that run as a unit in the betting.
forward is considered to be “locked in.”
RACING 101
…A Guide to Racing Terminology
M
Maiden - A horse that has not won a race.
Mare - A female horse that is at least five years old.
Q
Qualifier - A race without a purse or wagering that is
used to determine a horse’s ablility and manners.
Horses that have made repeated breaks during
O
Off-Track - A racing surface other than fast; or a facility
for wagering conducted away from the track.
races are required to re-qualify before being
allowed to return to the races. Also, a horse which
has been away from the races for a long period of
P
Pacer - A horse with a gait in which both legs on one time (usually six weeks or more) must race in a
side of its body move in the same direction at the qualifying race before being allowed to enter a
same time. Most pacers wear “hobbles” or loops betting race.
around their legs to aid them in staying on their
proper stride.
Paddock - The area where horses are kept before post
time.
Pari-mutuel - A form of wagering in which money is
R
Race Bike - The cart or sulky that a horse pulls during
the race. It is lighter and positions the driver up
closer to the horse than a training cart or “jog
cart.”
divided among those holding winning tickets. The Recall - A situation in which the starter delays the
participants bet among themselves and then decide start of a race for one of the following reasons:
the pool of their combined wagers to pay the winners. (1) A horse scores ahead of the gate; (2) There
Parked Out - A horse racing on the outside, with at is interference between horses behind the gate;
least one horse between it and the inside perimeter (3) A horse has broken equipment; (4) There is
of the track. The symbol for being “parked out” in a malfunction of the starting gate; (5) A horse
the program is a bubble or small circle next to the falls before the word “go” is given; or (6) A horse
position a horse has during the early part of a race. comes to the gate out of position. The “gate” or
Pocket - A horse racing directly behind the leader on starting car is equipped with red lights on top to
the inside perimeter of the track is said to be alert drivers when there is a recall in a race.
“in the pocket.” The pocket is also known as the
“garden spot” because it is considered to be the
best place to position a horse during the early part
of a race.
Post Parade - Horses parading in front of the stands
S
Scratch - To withdraw a horse from a race.
Sloppy Track - A running surface in which water
stands on the track surface prior to sinking in
and running off.
after leaving the paddock and before their final Sophomore - A three-year-old horse in its second
warm-up 8–10 minutes before the race. season of racing.
Post Position - A horse’s position behind the starting Stewards - The top officials at a racetrack. The
gate. position is similar to that of an umpire or referee.
Post Time - The assigned time to start a race or a race Sulky - Also known as the cart or race bike. The
card. horse pulls the sulky, which carries the driver
Purse - The cash prize won by the owner. The purse and is attached to the harness.
is usually paid to the first five finishers in a race in
the following manner: 50% is paid to the winner,
25% for second, 12% for third, 8% for fourth and
5% for the fifth-place finisher. T
Tote Board - A display board that reveals wagering
information located in the infield.
Trotter - A horse with a gait in which the front leg on
one side of his body moves in the same direction
as the hind leg on the opposite side of his body.
It is considered a diagonal stride.
Y
Yearling - A horse that is one year old. The universal
birthday for all race horses is January 1.
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