(a) Silky Sullivan

A horse that makes a big run from far back. Named for the horse Silky Sullivan, who once made up 41 lengths to win a race.

(home) stretch

Final straight portion of the racetrack to the finish.

across the board



1) A horse’s manner of moving. 2) A term meaning wagering, for example, “The horse took a lot of action.”

added money

Money added to the purse of a race by the racing association or a breeding or other fund to the amount paid by owners in nomination, eligibility, entry and starting fees: for example, “the $1 million-added Kentucky Derby.”

added weight



All Thoroughbreds celebrate their birthday on Jan. 1.




Not running at best speed in a race.

all out

When a horse extends itself to the utmost.

all-age race

A race for two-year-olds and up.

allowance race








apprentice allowance

Weight concession given to an apprentice rider: usually 10 pounds until the fifth winner, seven pounds until the 35th winner and five pounds for one calendar year from the 35th winner. More rarely, a three-pound allowance is allowed to a rider under contract to a specific stable/owner for two years from his/her first win. This rule varies from state to state. Apprentices do not receive an allowance when riding in a stakes race. All jockeys going from track to track must have a receipt from the clerk of scales from their track verifying the jockeys’ most recent total number of wins. Also known as a “bug,” from the asterisk used to denote the weight allowance.



auxiliary starting gate


Average-Earnings Index (AEI)

A breeding statistic that compares racing earnings of a stallion or mare’s foals to those of all other foals racing at that time. An AEI of 1.00 is considered average, 2.00 is twice the average, 0.50 half the average, etc.

baby race

A race for two-year-olds.









bearing in (or out)




Beyer number


Big Red

Refers to either of two famous chestnut-colored horses: Man o’ War or Secretariat.

Bill Daly (on the)

Taking a horse to the front at the start and remaining there to the finish. Term stems from “Father Bill” Daly, famous old-time horseman, who developed many great jockeys.




A generic term describing a large, white vertical marking on a horse’s face. The Jockey Club doesn’t use blaze, preferring more descriptive words. See snip; star; stripe.

blind switch

A circumstance in which a rider’s actions cause him/her to be impeded during a race.


Short for “tote board,” on which odds, betting pools and other information are displayed.


A bad step away from the starting gate, usually caused by the track surface breaking away from under a horse’s hooves, causing it to duck its head or nearly go to his knees.




A winning horse sent off at extremely high odds.


1) The group of mares being bred to a stallion in a given year. If a stallion attracts the maximum number of mares allowed by the farm manager, he has a full book. 2) A term used to describe a jockey’s riding commitments with his agent: An agent handles a jockey’s book.





boxed (in)

To be trapped between, behind or inside of other horses.


To leave from the starting gate.

break maiden

Horse or rider winning the first race of its career. Also known as “earning a diploma.”




1) A horse is considered to have been bred in the state or country of its birth: Secretariat was a Virginia-bred. 2) The past tense of “breed.”



breeding fund


bridge jumper





During a race, two horses who slightly touch each other.

bug boy

An apprentice rider.


A small racetrack, usually less than one mile.




Running position of horses in a race at various points.


Una carrera para los no ganadores.



chalk player

Bettor who wagers on favorites.


A statistical “picture” of a race (from which past performances are compiled), that shows the position and margin of each horse at designated points of call (depending on the distance of the race), as well as the horses’ age, weight carried, owner, trainer, jockey, and the race’s purse, conditions, payoff prices, odds, time and other data.








The process of a licensed person purchasing a horse from a designated race for a predetermined price.

claiming race


clerk of scales






clubhouse turn



Colors accepted by The Jockey Club are bay, black, chestnut, dark bay or brown, gray, roan and white. See individual entries for definitions.


A male horse or altered/gelded male horse 3 years of age or younger.






Class of horses in a race He last ran in stakes company.

Comparable Index (CI)

Indicates the average earnings of progeny produced from mares bred to one sire when these same mares are bred to other sires. A CI of 1.00 is considered average, 2.00 is twice the average, 0.50 half the average, etc.

condition book(s)





Present at birth.

consolation double


county fair

A race meeting that is less than 10 days in duration, with or without pari-mutuel wagering, held in conjunction with an agricultural fair.

coupled (entry)



A single breeding of a stallion to a mare For example, “He covered 70 mares.”


1) The number of foals by a sire in a given year. 2) A group of horses born in the same year. For example, “An excellent crop of three-year-olds.”


A dry and loose racing surface that breaks away under a horse’s hooves.


Top portion of a racetrack.

daily double

Type of wager calling for the selection of winners of two consecutive races, usually the first and second. See late double.

Daily Racing Form

A daily newspaper containing news, past performance data and handicapping information. Do not use definite article “The” when describing. For example, “According to Daily Racing Form…”

daily triple

A wager where the bettor must select the winner of three consecutive races. Not to be confused with “triple,” meaning trifecta in some regions.


The mother of a horse.

dam’s sire (broodmare sire)

The sire of a broodmare. Used in reference to the maternal grandsire of a foal.

dark bay or brown


dead heat

Two or more horses finishing a race in a tie.

dead track

Racing surface lacking resiliency.



deep stretch

A position very close to the finish line in race.


A stakes event for three-year-olds.


Abbreviation for dead heat.


Harness racing:Disqualified persons may not act as an official or start or drive a horse in a race. Disqualified horses shall not be allowed to start.
Thoroughbred racing: Change in order of finish by officials for an infraction of the rules.


A female horse.

distaff race

A race for female horses.




Rubber traffic cones (or a wooden barrier) placed at certain distances out from the inner rail, when the track is wet, muddy, soft, yielding or heavy, to prevent horses during the workout period from churning the footing along the rail. Used in the phrase, “The dogs are up,” or simply, “dogs up.”

Dosage index (DI)

A mathematical reduction of the Dosage profile to a number reflecting a horse’s potential for speed or stamina. The higher the number, the more likely the horse is suited to be a sprinter. The average Dosage index of all horses is about 4.0.

Dosage profile

A listing of Dosage points by category. Used to develop the Dosage index (DI).


Abbreviation for disqualified.


The process by which horses are selected to start in specific races and post positions for each race.


A licensed person who drives a horse in a race.



drop(ed) down





Extremely late in breaking from the gate.


A horse that is gently pulled up during a race.


Running or winning without being pressed by rider or opposition.


Qualified to start in a race, according to conditions.


1) Stakes nomination. 2) Riding commitment.



entry fee




equivalent odds

Mutuel price horses would pay for each $1 bet.


Neither gaining nor losing position 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. Called an “exactor” in Canada.

exacta box

A wager in which all possible combinations using a given number of horses are bet on. The total number of combinations can be calculated according to the formula x2-x, where x equals the amount of horses in the box. For example, boxing four horses would actually be 12 combinations (42-4). To arrive at the cost of the wager, multiply the total combinations by the cost of the individual wager.

exotic (wager)


false favorite



Footing that is dry, even and resilient.




The horses in a race.

field horse (or mutuel field)



Breeding: Female horse four-years-old or younger.
Harness racing: A female horse 3 years of age or younger.


A burst of acceleration by a horse in a race. For example, “The horse did (didn’t) fire when asked.”




Signal manually held at a short distance in front of the gate at the exact starting point of race. Official timing starts when flag is dropped by the “flagman” to denote proper start.

flatten out





A newborn horse under 1 year of age.


1) A horse of either sex in its first year of life. 2) As a verb, to give birth. Also known as “dropped.” 3) Can also denote the offspring of either a male or female parent.

Fontana safety rail

An aluminum rail, in use since 1981, designed to help reduce injuries to horse and rider. It has more of an offset (slant) to provide greater clearance between the rail and the vertical posts as well as a protective cover to keep horse and rider from striking the posts.

founding sires


fractional time

Intermediate times recorded in a race, as at the quarter, half, three-quarters, etc. The “quarter time,” for example, refers to the time after the first quarter-mile, not the first 25 percent of the race.

free handicap

A race in which no nomination fees are required. More recently, and more commonly, a ranking of horses by weight for a theoretical race.




A condition of a racetrack where any moisture present is frozen.

full-brother, full-sister

Horses that share the same sire and dam.






Harness racing: Either a trotting or pacing gait.



garrison finish

A close victory, usually from off the pace. Derived from “Snapper” Garrison, old-time rider given to that practice.

gate card



A neutered (castrated) male horse of any age.


Progeny of sire.



good bottom





See second dam.


The grandfather of a horse; father (“sire”) of the horse’s dam or sire.



half-brother, half-sister




hand ride

Urging a horse with the hands and not using the whip.


Harness racing: A race in which performance, sex or distance allowance is made. Post positions for a handicap may be assigned by the racing secretary. Post positions in a handicap claiming race may be determined by claiming price.







hard boot

Denotes a well-traveled breeder whose boots are caked with mud and therefore hard. By extension, a breeder or trainer whose methods are characterized as old-fashioned. Generally used in the phrase, “Kentucky hard-boot.”



head number

The wagering number for the horse or, in the case of a coupled entry, the wagering number of all horses that make up the coupled entry.

head of the stretch

Beginning of the straight run to the finish line.


A single race or a single trial of a race that is one of a series of races that make up an event (race).



high weight

Highest weight assigned or carried in a race.


A leg harness used for controlling the gait of a pacer or trotter.

home stretch

The final stretch where the finish line is situated.


A horse bred by its owner.




Weight carried or assigned.

in foal

Pregnant mare.

in hand

Running under moderate control, at less than top speed.

in the money

A horse that finishes first, second or third.


Area encompassed by the inner rail of the racetrack.




Intertrack wagering.



jockey fee

Sum paid to rider for competing in a race.

jockey’s race



Slow, easy gait.


An official licensed by the USTA to perform specific duties as outlined under Rule 6.


Two-year-old horse.

key horse

A single horse used in multiple combinations in an exotic wager.


A term used to describe a horse that is limping, has difficulty walking or is sore.



late double


lead [LED]


leaky roof circuit

Minor tracks.



listed race



Slang for a “sure” winner.


Breeding: A female that has never been bred.
Harness racing: A stallion, mare or gelding that has never won a heat or race at the gait at which it is entered to start and for which a purse is offered.
Thoroughbred racing: A horse or rider that has not won a race.

maiden race

A race for non-winners.


Long hairs growing on the crest of the horse’s neck, which are usually kept clipped to about six inches in length for neatness, or decoratively braided.


A female horse 4 years of age or older.


Female horse five-years-old or older.

mare’s month

September. In theory, because mares that have not run well during the summer often “wake up” in September.


A substance, medicine or remedy used for healing or masking pain.

middle distance


minus pool


money rider

A rider who excels in rich races.

morning glory


morning line



Horse that races well on muddy tracks. Also known as a “mudlark.”



mutuel pool

Short for “parimutuel pool.” Sum of the wagers on a race or event, such as the win pool, daily double pool, exacta pool, etc.

name (of a Thoroughbred)

Names of North American Thoroughbreds are registered by The Jockey Club. They can be no longer than 18 characters, including punctuation and spaces. The words “the,” “and,” “by,” “for,” “in” and “a” are almost always lower case unless they are the first word in the name. Examples “Love You by Heart,” “Go for Wand” and “Strike the Gold.”

near side



Unit of measurement. About the length of a horse’s neck; a little less than a quarter of a length.



Nom de Course

Name adopted by an owner or group of owners for racing purposes.


One who owns a horse at the time it is named to compete in a stakes race.


Smallest advantage a horse can win by. Called a short head in Britain.


A stakes event for three-year-old fillies (females).




Odds of less than even money.

off side

Right side of horse.

off-track betting




on the bit

When a horse is eager to run. Also known as “in the bridle.”

on the board

Finishing among the first three.

on the muscle

Denotes a fit horse.

on the nose

Betting a horse to win only.


Abbreviation for off-track betting.

out of the money

A horse that finishes worse than third.


Racing wide throughout, outside of other horses.




A sheet published by the racing secretary’s office listing the entries for an upcoming racing card.

overnight race





The full owner or part owner of a registered Standardbred.


A gait in which the legs of a horse move in lateral pairs.





paddock judge

Official in charge of paddock and saddling routine.

paddock/receiving barn

Areas enclosed by a fence or other means, at which all entrances are secured, and entrance to such structure is limited.

pari-mutuel wagering



A form of wagering originated in 1865 by Frenchman Pierre Oller in which all money bet is divided up among those who have winning tickets, after taxes, takeout and other deductions are made. Oller called his system “parier mutuel” meaning “mutual stake” or “betting among ourselves.” As this wagering method was adopted in England it became known as “Paris mutuals,” and soon after “parimutuels.”



part wheel


past performances


pasteboard track

A lightning fast racing surface.

patrol judge(s)


photo finish

A result so close it is necessary to use the finish-line camera to determine the order of finish.

photo finish


pick (number)

A type of multi-race wager in which the winners of all the included races must be selected. Pick Three (sometimes called the “Daily Triple”), Pick Six and Pick Nine are common.



pinched back

A horse forced back due to racing in close quarters.




Second position at finish.

place bet

Wager on a horse to finish first or second.

placing judge

Official who posts the order of finish in a race.


1) A prize for a winner. Usually less valuable than a cup. 2) Generic term for lightweight (usually) aluminum horseshoes used during a race.


1) Claiming horse. 2) A farrier.


A position in a race with horses in front and alongside.

point(s) of call






positive test

Finding by an approved laboratory that a blood or urine sample indicates the presence of a drug, medication or other prohibited substance.


1) Starting point for a race. 2) An abbreviated version of post position. For example, “He drew post four.” 3) As a verb, to record a win. For example, “He’s posted 10 wins in 14 starts.”

post parade

Horses going from paddock to starting gate past the stands.

post position

The position assigned or drawn for a horse from which it will start the race.

post position

Position of stall in starting gate from which a horse starts.

post race test

A blood or urine sample, taken after the completion of a heat or dash, that indicates the presence of a drug, medication or other prohibited substance.

post time

The time set for the start of a race.

pre-race test

A blood or urine sample, taken prior to the completion of a heat or dash, that indicates the presence of a drug, medication or other prohibited substance.

preferred list





Una muestra de sangre u orina, tomada antes de la finalización de una carrera preliminar, que indica la presencia de una droga, medicamento u otra sustancia prohibida.

pull up



La posición de un caballo en varios lugares de la pista donde su posición de carrera se anota en una tabla. Las ubicaciones varían según la distancia de la carrera.


The monetary amount that is distributed to the finishers of a race.

qualifying race

A race in which a horse must establish its ability to participate at a race meeting, consistent with the qualifying standards establish for that class of horse.





race secretary

An official licensed by the USTA to perform specific duties as outlined under Rule 6.20.

racing secretary



The barrier on either side of the racing strip. Sometimes referred to as the “fence.”

rail runner

Horse that prefers to run next to the inside rail.




Used in the expression, “He likes to hear his feet rattle,” a horse that likes a firm turf course.


The reason that the horse was scratched out of the race was that he was either a) entered in another race on that day, either at the same track or another track and opted to race in the other race OR b) was scratched out of this race to run in another race in the next few days.

receiving barn





A minimum price, set by the consignor, for a horse in a public auction. For example, “The horse did not reach its reserve.”

ridden out


ride short

Using short stirrups.




Ill-tempered horse.


Broadly, a race distance of longer than 1-1/8 miles.


Horse that performs well at longer distances.


When a horse bites another horse or a person.

scale of weights



To be taken out of a race before it starts. Trainers usually scratch horses due to adverse track conditions or a horse’s adverse health. A veterinarian can scratch a horse at any time.

second call


second dam

Grandmother of a horse. Also known as a “granddam.”

set down

1) A suspension. For example, “The jockey was set down five days for careless riding.” 2) When a jockey assumes a lower crouch in the saddle while urging the horse to pick up speed. For example, “The horse was set down for the drive to the wire.”

shadow roll

A (usually sheepskin) roll that is secured over the bridge of a horse’s nose to keep it from seeing shadows on the track and shying away from or jumping them.




Stable area. A row of barns.




Third position at the finish.

show bet


shut off

Unable to improve position due to being surrounded by other horses.








Solid white markings extending from the top of the hoof to the ankles.



solid horse




speed figure

A handicapping tool used to assign a numerical value to a horse’s performance. See Beyer number.

spit the bit

A term referring to a tired horse that begins to run less aggressively, backing off on the “pull” a rider normally feels on the reins from an eager horse. Also used as a generic term for an exhausted horse.


Short race, less than one mile.


A race that will be contested in a year subsequent to its closing, in which the money given by the track member conducting the same is added to the money contributed by the nominators.

stakes horse

A horse whose level of competition includes mostly stakes races.


Finished second or third in a stakes race.

stall walker

Horse that moves about its stall constantly and frets rather than rests.


A male horse used for breeding.

stallion season

The right to breed one mare to a particular stallion during one breeding season.

stallion share

A lifetime breeding right to a stallion; one mare per season per share.


Any type of condition, unless specifically so stated, that includes only those performances in a purse race. Qualifying and matinee races are excluded.



starter race


starting gate

A mobile device used to start horses in a race.

starting gate

Partitioned mechanical device having stalls in which the horses are confined until the starter releases the stalls’ confined front doors to begin the race.




A horse that can race long distances.



step up

A horse moving up in class to meet better competition.




Solid white markings extending from the top of the hoof to the knee or hock.

stretch call

Position of horses at the eighth pole.

stretch runner

Horse that runs its fastest nearing the finish of a race.

stretch turn

Bend of track into the final straightaway.




A white marking running down a horse’s face, starting under an imaginary line connecting the tops of the eyes.



stud book

Registry and genealogical record of Thoroughbreds, maintained by the Jockey Club of the country in question. Use lower case when describing a generic stud book, all words, including “The,” are capitalized when describing “The American Stud Book.”


Fee paid by owner to nominate a horse for a stakes race or to maintain eligibility for a stakes race.

substitute race

Alternate race used to replace a regularly scheduled race that does not fill or is canceled.


A foal in its first year of life, while it is still nursing.


When a horse refuses to extend itself.


A groom.

take (takeout)


taken up





Special facility for showing simulcast races.

The Jockey Club

An organization dedicated to the improvement of Thoroughbred breeding and racing. Incorporated Feb. 10, 1894 in New York City, The Jockey Club serves as North America’s Thoroughbred registry, responsible for the maintenance of “The American Stud Book,” a register of all Thoroughbreds foaled in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada; and of all Thoroughbreds imported into those countries from jurisdictions that have a registry recognized by The Jockey Club and the International Stud Book Committee.


A Thoroughbred is a horse whose parentage traces back to any of the three “founding sires” the Darley Arabian, Byerly Turk and Godolphin Barb, and who has satisfied the rules and requirements of The Jockey Club and is registered in “The American Stud Book” or in a foreign stud book recognized by The Jockey Club and the International Stud Book Committee. Any other horse, no matter what its parentage, is not considered a Thoroughbred for racing and/or breeding purposes.


Ready to race.

top line

A Thoroughbred’s breeding on its sire’s side.


An automated parimutuel system that dispenses and records betting tickets, calculates and displays odds and payoffs and provides the mechanism for cashing winning tickets. Often shortened to “tote.”

tote board


track bias


track condition

Condition of the racetrack surface. See fast; good; muddy; sloppy; frozen; hard; firm; soft; yielding; heavy.

trail off

Used to describe a fit horse losing its competitive edge.


In Thoroughbred racing, a preparatory race created in tandem with a subsequent, more important stakes race to be run a few days or weeks hence The Derby Trial.


A wager picking the first three finishers in exact order. Called a “triactor” in Canada and a “triple” in some parts of the U.S.

trifecta box

A trifecta wager in which all possible combinations using a given number of horses are bet upon. The total number of combinations can be calculated according to the formula x3-3×2+2x, where x equals the amount of horses in the box. The sum of the formula is then multiplied by the amount wagered on each combination.




A gait in which the legs of the horse move in diagonal pairs.




A stallion that has not been bred.


A person employed by a racing association to clean and care for a jockey’s tack and other riding equipment.


A race in which only one horse competes.

washed out

A horse that becomes so nervous that it sweats profusely. Also known as “washy” or “lathered (up).”





weigh in (out)

The certification, by the clerk of scales, of a rider’s weight before (after) a race. A jockey weighs in fully dressed with all equipment except for his/her helmet, whip and (in many jurisdictions) flak jacket.






A horse color, extremely rare, in which all the hairs are white. The horse’s eyes are brown, not pink, as would be the case for an albino.


The finish line of a race.


A horse in its second calendar year of life, beginning Jan. 1 of the year following its birth.




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