STAKES HISTORIES



Across The Board Three equal bets, to win, place and show, on one horse.
Allowance Race A non-claiming race which has conditions to determine the horses that are eligible to enter. For example, an allowance race might be open to horses that have not won three races.
Also Eligible An entered horse that will only race if a scratch occurs in the field.
Also-Ran Finished out of the money.
Apprentice Rookie jockey who receives weight allowances.
Backstretch 1. The straightaway on the far side of the racetrack; 2. The area where the stables are located.
Bear Out To drift or veer out toward the outside of the track.
Bit The metal bar that fits in a horse's mouth and is attached to the reins.
Bleeder A horse that bleeds during heavy exertion (such as racing), usually from small vessels or capillaries in the respiratory system.
Blinkers A piece of racing equipment which contains eye cups that limit the horse's vision to prevent distractions.
Bloodlines The pedigree of a horse.
Blow Out A workout before a race intended to limber up the horse.
Bolt A sharp right or left-handed movement by a horse.
Book A jockey's calendar of riding engagements.
Break 1. The start of a race; 2. To train a young horse to accept the saddle, bridle, and rider.
Break Maiden When a horse gets his first win.
Breeze 1. To run easily, under a hold, without much encouragement; 2. The generic term for a morning workout.
Broodmare A female equine used for breeding purposes.
Broodmare Sire The father (sire) of the mother (dam) of an equine.
Call 1. To describe the running of a race; 2. A specific point in a race at which running positions are recorded; 3. A verbal contract between a trainer and a jockey.
Card A day's racing program.
Cast 1. A horse that has laid down or fallen and cannot risep; 2. Lost or thrown, such as a horseshoe.
Chalk The betting favorite.
Chart The result chart which shows all horses and their positions at various points in a race along with the time of the race.
Chute An extension of the track allowing for a long, straight run from the gate to the first turn.
Circuit Tracks whose meets are in sequence, allowing stables to follow the circuit.
Claiming Race A race in which the horses are entered for a specific price and may be purchased (claimed) before the race. The intention is to classify horses and keep the competition in a race fairly equal.
Clocker The one who times workouts.
Close To gain ground on the leader.
Clubhouse Turn Usually the turn found on the right-hand side of the track as seen when facing the track from the stands.
Colors The jockey silks and caps which are designed in an owner's colors and pattern.
Colt A male horse four years old or younger.
Common A reference given to a horse which lacks class and/or fails to give a full effort.
Condition Book A track publication for horsemen announcing conditions of upcoming races.
Coupled Two or more horses that have the same owner or trainer and are run as an entry (a bet on one horse automatically includes the other.
Cuppy A dirt track surface which is loose and dry, tending to break away from the horses as they run.
Cushion The top level of a racing surface.
Dam The mother of a horse
Dark Day Days a track is closed during a meet.
Dead Heat When two horses cross the finish line at the same time and are inseparable by the photo-finish camera, the result is a tie, or dead heat.
Derby A stakes race for three-year-olds.
Disqualify To officially lower a horse's actual finish position due to interfering with other horses, carrying too little weight, not conforming to conditions of eligibility, or having systemic substances above the allowed limits.
Dogs Rubber cones placed away from the inner rail on the turf course during morning workouts in order to prevent wear and tear on the main portion of the track. Also used occasionally on dirt tracks when they are muddy or sloppy.
Dwelt When a horse breaks too slowly from the gate.
Ease Up To slow a horse's stride to prevent undue exertion.
Eighth Pole Colored post inside the inner rail exactly one- eighth mile from the finish line.
Farrier The blacksmith, one who makes and attaches horseshoes.
Fast Track 1. A dry racing surface; 2. The description of a track which is producing faster than normal times.
Field 1. All the horses in a race; 2. When there are more starters in a race than the tote board is able to show odds for, the remaining horses run as a single betting entry, or field.
Filly A female horse four years old or younger.
Foal 1. A newborn equine; 2. To give birth.
Footing Condition of the racing surface.
Form 1. A horse's current condition; 2. Short for The Daily Racing Form.
Fractions Clockings of time at intervals in races or workouts.
Free-Running Type A horse which tens to take a strong hold of the bit and pull its way to the lead during the early stages of a race.
Freshening A vacation or layoff from racing.
Furlong One-eighth of a mile.
Game Determined.
Gelding A castrated male horse.
Genuine An honest horse, one who gives everything it has in races.
Going Away To win while increasing the lead.
Good Track A drying track surface, between sloppy & fast.
Graduate 1. To break maiden; 2. To describe a horse which has fulfilled one condition and moves on to a higher level.
Green A description of a horse which is temperamentally immature.
Groom A stable employee assigned to tend to a horse or horses, including bringing the horse to the paddock for a race.
Halter The strappy headpiece used to lead a horse.
Hand A horse's height is measured in four-inch increments, or hands.
Handicap 1. To study the background of horses to determine educated wagering decisions; 2. A race in which the horses are assigned specific weights in order to bring about an equal contest.
Handle The total amount of money wagered.
Heavy Track A running surface drier than muddy and quite slow.
Homestretch The stretch of a track from the final turn to the finish line.
Horse 1. Generic term for an equine; 2. An uncastrated male equine five years old or older.
Horsing A filly or mare in heat.
Impost The weight a horse is assigned to carry during a race.
Infield The area within the inner racing surface.
In Hand Running under restraint to conserve energy.
Inquiry Investigation by officials to determine if the race was won fairly and without interference.
In The Money For fans, a win, place or show finish resulting in a mutuel payoff; for owners, a finish resulting in receiving a portion of the purse.
Irons The stirrups.
Jail Refers to the first month a claimed horse is in a new barn (new owner and trainer) whereby racing rules require it to be entered at a claiming price above that which it was claimed, should the new owner wish to race it.
Jockey Agent Someone who secures riding assignments for a jockey in return for a percentage of the jockey's earnings.
Journeyman A licensed jockey who has completed his apprenticeship.
Juvenile A two-year-old equine.
Lead Pad Saddle pad with pockets to hold lead weights should they need to be inserted to bring a jockey up to the assigned weight.
Lead Pony 1. A horse which escorts racers onto the track and to the starting gate; 2. Any horse on th etrack which will not be racing.
Leg Up 1. To help a rider up on a horse; 2. To build a horse's stamina and speed through exercise.
Length Refers to the length of the average horse, used to describe the distance between horses during a race.
Live Weight The jockey's weight.
Lock A "sure thing" - used to describe a horse's chance at winning.
Lugging In Used to describe a horse which is pulling strongly to the inside while running.
Maiden A horse of either sex which has never won a race.
Mare A female horse five years old or older.
Morning Glory A horse which works fast in the morning but fails to perform to expectations when racing in the afternoon.
Mudder A horse that prefers muddy or sloppy tracks.
Muddy Track A surface with a good deal of moisture in it, but little or no standing water.
Objection Interference complaint made by a jockey or trainer.
Off the Board 1. Finished out of the money; 2. Describes the betting action on a horse which is being very heavily bet.
One-Paced A description of a horse with acceleration.
One-Run Type A horse which tends to lag toward the back of the pack during the early stages of a race before mounting a late run.
Outrider An official on a lead pony who leads the horses onto the track and to the gate; the outrider enforces the rules regarding conduct on the track.
Overlay Odds higher than they should be based on the horse's chances of winning.
Overnight A listing of the next day's racing entries.
Overweight Weight over the amount officially assigned a horse because the jockey is too heavy.
Pace The tempo set by the leaders in the early and middle stages of a race.
Paddock The area where horses are saddled prior to the race.
Pari-mutuel A system of wagering in which the total money wagered is distributed to winning ticket holders, less a fixed percentage returned for race track management, state tax and the racing industry.
Photo Finish The practice in which a photo is used to determine the official order of finish in a race.
Plodder A slow horse, one which lacks acceleration.
Pool Total amount of money wagered on a type of bet.
Post 1. The starting gate; 2. The time the race will begin.
Post Position The horse's position in the starting gate, numbered from the inside rail out.
Quarter 1. A quarter-mile; 2. The side of a hoof.
Rabbit A horse which is entered in a race to insure a fast pace.
Racing Secretary The race track official who writes the conditions for races and also assigns weights in handicap races.
Rank A description of a horse which fights the rider's attempts to relax it during the early and middle stages of a race.
Ridgling A male equine with one testicle.
Route A long race, usually a mile or more.
Salute The wave of the whip by a jockey to the stewards after a race in customary request to dismount.
School To train a horse, especially in the paddock or starting gate.
Scratch Withdraw a horse from a race.
Set Down 1. To ask a horse for speed; 2. To suspend a jockey, trainer, etc., from racing for a specific period of time.
Sex Allowance Weight allowance given to females in races against males.
Shadow Roll A roll of sheepskin strapped across a horse's nose to keep it from looking down and shying from shadows.
Shed Row The track barn area.
Shoe Board A sign listing the kind of shoes to be worn by each entrant.
Shut Out Failing to get a bet in before the race begins.
Silks The jockey's jacket and cap, also called colors.
Sire The father of a horse.
Sloppy Track A surface in which water stands on the surface prior to sinking in or running off.
Slow Track A surface wetter than good but not as thick as muddy or heavy.
Sophomore A three-year-old Thoroughbred.
Sound Free of physical problems.
Sprint A short race, usually 7 furlongs or less.
Stewards Three racing officials who apply racing law to human and equine conduct at a race meet.
Stud A breeding stallion.
Tack The equipment that goes on a horse.
Take Out The percentage of money deducted from the wagering pool for the track and taxes.
Take Back To restrain a horse back off the pace.
Take Up To pull a horse up sharply during the running of a race in order to avoid contact with another horse.
Teletimer The electronic timer that flashes the fractional and final times of races on the tote board.
Tongue Tie A cloth or leather band used to tie down a horse's tongue to keep it from interfering with breathing.
Tote Board Located in the infield, it provides the odds on each entrant in a race, plus individual and total amounts wagered to win, place, and show. Also provides fractional times of the race, minutes to the next race and other information.
Turn of Foot Acceleration.
Ungenuine Refers to a horse which fails to put forth full effort in a race.
Unsound Suffering from physical ailments.
Valet One who takes care of a jockey's clothing and equipment and delivers his tack to the paddock.
Weanling A newly weaned horse.
Weight Refers to the weight assigned a horse which includes the jockey, his saddle and other equipment.