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 Understanding the talk of the track is important for horseplayers. There are scores of racing terms from "A" to "Y" that play a part in handicapping races. While you'll find various racing glossaries online, here's a sample of thoroughbred lingo to get you started.
Horseplayers must know the language of racing in order to handicap the horses.
For example, it’s helpful to ascertain what kind of trip a thoroughbred enjoyed or endured. For bad trip handicappers, like myself, the “B,” “C” and “S” words are essential:
Bobbled: A bad step at or near the gate in which a horse appears to stumble.
Checked: A runner pulled up by his jockey for an instant because of being cut off or racing in tight quarters.
Steadied: A horse being taken in hand by his rider, usually while in close quarters.
Racing jargon could fill a mini-dictionary and runs the gamut from:
“A”: Acey-deucy -- Uneven stirrups, popularized by Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Arcaro, who rode with his left (inside) iron lower than his right to achieve better balance on turns.
to:
“Z”: Zantac -- Trade name for the drug ranitidine, a medication used to treat ulcers.
So here are other terms that should prove helpful:
Across the board: When you bet a horse to finish first, second and third (win, place and show). You collect on wherever the horse finishes.
Airing: Not running at best speed in a race.
Also-ran: All horses that don’t finish in the money.
Bit – A bar in the horse’s mouth that aids in steering and controlling the animal.
Box: When you bet on all possible combination that horse can finish in exotic wagers.
Chart: A box score of a completed race.
Claiming race: A contest in which a horse can be purchased. If a horse is claimed, the new owner takes ownership after the race. Any money made from the race goes to the previous owner.
Closer: A horse that saves the best for last and typically wins when those in front get into a fast pace and run out of energy.
Exacta: A wager in which the bettor must select the top two finishers in correct order to collect.
Field: All the runners in a particular race.
Hung – A tiring horse that holds position.
In the money: Finishing first, second or third.
Maiden: A horse that has never won a race.
Morning line: What the track’s linesmaker believes the final odds of horses might be based on talent and public perception.
On the muscle: A fit horse; an eager equine pulling on the bit.
On the nose: When you bet only to win.
Overlay: When a horse goes off at a higher price that it should, usually based on past performances.
Past performances: A record of races by horses, how they finished and what happened in the contests.
Photo finish: When two or more horses cross the wire finishing too close to call. A photo is reviewed to see in what order they ran.
Post time: When a race starts.
Quarter pole: It marks one-quarter mile from the finish.
Quinella: Wager in which the first two finishers must be picked in either order.
Rabbit: A speed horse entered to set a fast pace for a stablemate that’s usually a closer.
Rail (horse): Barrier on either side of racing strip; horse that prefer to run next to inside rail.
Rank --When a horse refuses to settle under a jockey’s handling and runs in a headstrong manner without respect to pace.
Refuse: When a horse won’t break from the gate.
Reserved: Held for a particular engagement or race; held off the pace.
Ridden out: Horse that finishes a race under mild urging.
Route: Race distance of a mile or longer,
Run-out bit: Special type of bit to prevent a horse from bearing out (or in).
Saddle cloth (pad): Cotton cloth that goes under the saddle to absorb sweat that usually shows the horse’s program number; piece of felt, sheepskin or foam rubber used as a base for the saddle.
Schooling: Process of familiarizing a horse with the starting gate and teaching racing practices; may also involve being schooled in the paddock.
Scratch: To be taken out of a race before it starts. Trainers usually scratch horses due to adverse health or track conditions while the track veterinarian can do so at any time.
Shadow roll: Usually a sheepskin roll secured over bridge of a horse’s nose to keep animal from seeing shadows on the track and shying away from or jumping them.
Shut off: Unable to improve position due to being surrounded by other horses.
Simulcast: A simultaneous live television transmission of a race to other tracks, off-track betting offices or other outlets for the purpose of wagering.
Sloppy (track): Racing surface saturated with water; with standing water visible.
Soft (track): Condition of a turf course with a large amount of moisture that has horses sinking very deeply into it.
Speed figure: Handicapping tool used to assign a numerical value to a horse’s performance.
Sprint: Short race less than a mile.
Stakes: Race for which the owner usually must pay a fee to run a horse. Fees can be for nominating, maintaining eligibility, entering and starting, to which the track adds more money to make up the total purse.
Stakes horse: Runner whose level of competition includes mostly stakes races.
Starter race: Allowance or handicap race restricted to horses that have started for a specific claiming price or less.
Starting gate: Partitioned mechanical device having stalls in which horses are confined until the starter releases front doors to begin the race.
State-bred: Horse bred in a particular state and eligible to compete in races restricted to state-breds.
Step up: Horse moving up in class to meet better competition.
Stretch call (runner): Position of horses at eighth pole: horse that runs fastest nearing finish line.
Superfecta: A wager in which the first four finishers must be selected in order to collect.
Taken up: Horse pulled up sharply by rider because of being in close quarters.
Tightener: Race used to give a horse a level of fitness that can’t be obtained through morning exercises alone.
Track bias: Racing surface that favors a particular running style or position.
Track condition: Racing surface that can be described as fast, good, muddy, sloppy, firm, yielding, etc.
Trifecta: A bet that must have the top three finishers in order for a payoff.
Trip: Individual horse’s race with specific reference to difficulty (or lack of difficulty) encountered during competition, whether the horse was repeatedly blocked or had an unobstructed run.
Underlay: Horse racing at shorter odds than seems warranted by past performances.
Under wraps: Runner under stout restraint in a race or workout to prevent pulling away from competition by too large a margin.
V.M.D.: Veterinary medical doctor.
Walkover: Race in which only one horse competes.
Washed out: Horse that becomes so nervous that the animal sweats profusely.
Wheel: Betting all possible combinations in an exotic wager using at least one horse as the key.
Work: To exercise a horse by galloping a pre-determined distance.
Yielding: Condition of a turf course with a great deal of moisture.
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