Horse Racing Glossary and Terms

Terms for Horse Racing BettingThe sport of horse racing and the associated betting both use a fair amount of jargon.

If you want to be successful at horse racing betting then it pays to have an understanding of all the various terms used. We have compiled this glossary of terms which covers all the words and phrases you should need to know. Please note that due to the comprehensive nature of this glossary many of the terms are region specific; for example some may be used in the United Kingdom but not in the United States, and vice versa.

If you are a new player who enters the world of online betting, you should know that there are a lot of Horse racing terms to learn.



Also Eligible or “AE”: Horses entered into the field that will not run unless other horses are scratched.








Broodmare: A female thoroughbred that is used for breeding.



Bug Boy: An apprentice jockey





Clocker: A person that times and/or rates workouts.


Colt: A male horse.

Condition: To train a horse




Dam: The mother of a horse.


Derby: A stakes race for three year old horses.






Filly: A female horse


Foal: A newborn horse.




Furlong: One eighth of a mile.

Gelding: A castrated male horse.







Hand ride: A jockey that is urging a horse on by “scrubbing” his hand up and down its neck. A horse under only a hand ride was not whipped by the jockey.


Horse: Technically, a male horse five years old or greater is a “horse”. A male horse under five years of age is technically a “colt”.

In hand: A horse running under restraint.


In the money: To finish in the top four; this generally entitles the owner to a share of the purse. In betting terms “in the money” means to finish in the top three.

Irons: Stirrups

Jockey agent: An individual that obtains rides for a jockey.

Juvenile: A two year old horse.




Marathon: A race longer than 1 ¼ miles long.

Mare: A female horse aged five or older.






Oaks: A stakes race for three year old fillies.



Odds $2 Payout Odds $2 Payout Odds $2 Payout
1-9 $2.10 3-2 $5.00 5-1 $12.00
2-5 $2.80 9-5 $5.60 8-1 $18.00
1-2 $3.00 2-1 $6.00 10-1 $22.00
3-5 $3.20 5-2 $7.00 12-1 $26.00
4-5 $3.60 3-1 $8.00 15-1 $32.00
Even $4.00 7-2 $9.00 20-1 $42.00
6-5 $4.40 4-1 $10.00 30-1 $62.00
7-5 $4.80 9-2 $11.00 50-1 $102.00










Post: Starting gate.

Quarter crack: An injury to the hoof of a horse.




Route: Generally a race that is run around two turns.


Scratch: To withdraw a horse from a race.

Shadow roll: A roll of cloth placed across a horse’s nose in order to block its vision of the ground and prevent it from jumping shadows.




Sloppy track: A track that is wet, covered with puddles, but not yet “muddy”.

Spit the bit: When a tired horse stops running hard.

Sprint: A short race, seven furlongs or less.



Tag: Claiming price. A horse entered for a “tag” is entered in a claiming race.



Trip: The course followed by a horse and rider during the running of a race and describes the “trouble” encountered. A horse that had a “good trip” did not encounter any unusual difficulty. A “bad trip” might involve racing wide, or being boxed in by other horses.

Turf course: A grass covered course.


Washed out: A nervous horse that is sweating.