Wanna Bet?

General Pari-Mutuel Glossary of Terms

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

— A —

Across the Board - A win, place, and show bet, all on the same horse.
Age - All thoroughbreds have a birthday of January 1 in the year they were born (foaled), regardless of the date the horse was actually born.
Apprentice - A rookie jockey typically in his or her first year of racing.
Apron - The paved area between the grandstand and the racetrack.

— B —

Backside - The area where the stables are located.
Backstretch - The straightaway on the opposite side of the grandstand.
Blanket Finish - A close finish between two or more horses at the line.
Bleeder - A horse that appears to bleed from the nose or mouth during or after heavy exercise. (Lasix is the medication that is used to treat this bleeding. Horses have very delicate nasal membranes and it is not a sign of serious distress when the bleeding occurs. The medication is used to control the bleeding as horses cannot breathe through their mouths.)
Broke Sharply - Term used at the start when horses break MUCH quicker than the rest of the field. There should not be more than one or two horses that break sharply in the same race. Broke Slowly - Term used at the start when horses break later than the rest of the field for no other reason.
Bullet Work - The best workout time for a particular distance on a particular day indicated by a "bullet" (•) in the Daily Racing Form.
Bute (butazolidin, phenylbutazone) - An anti-inflammatory medication used on race horses. (Similar to aspirin used by humans.)

— C —

Chute - A straightaway extension to the oval section of a racetrack.
Closed Fast - When a horse is finishing the race with good speed, gaining lengths on the leaders.
Closed Gap - When a horse gains ground on the leaders through the stretch run.
Clubhouse Turn - Name given to the first turn of a racetrack because the clubhouse overlooks that section.
Colors - The racing silks worn by a jockey.
Colt - A male horse under five years of age.
Conditions - The eligibility rules for horses to be entered into a certain race.
Coupled - An entry of two or more horses entered in a race by the same trainer or owner (depending upon the jurisdiction). Also see entry.

— D —

Dam - The mother of a horse.
Dead Heat - A tie between two or more horses in a race.
Derby - A major stakes race for three-year-olds.
DRF - The Daily Racing Form, a newspaper of past performance and other racing information.

— E —

Entry - Two or more horses with the same owner or trainer that run as one betting interest. Also see coupled.

— F —

Faded - When a horse races in contention during the early stages of a race, then drops back.
Fast Pace - When the leading horses in a race set fractional times that are substantially faster than normal for the distance.
Filly - A female horse under age five.
Furlong - One-eighth of a mile. Prairie Meadows' track length is one mile; thus it is an eight furlong track.

— G —

Gelding - Male horse that has been castrated to better keep the horse focused during races. A relatively common practice with younger horses who are difficult to train, and would otherwise have only modest value for breeding purposes.
Groom - A person hired by the trainer to care for the horses.

— H —

Handicap - A race in which weight is assigned to a horse according to qualifications; also, to make selections based upon past performances.
Handle - The total amount of money wagered on a horse race during a set period of time.
Homestretch - The front straightaway on the racetrack between the last turn and the finish line.

— I —

In The Money - Finishing first, second, or third in a race.
Inquiry - A stewards review of possible racing violations during a race.

— L —

Lasix - A diuretic medication used to treat "bleeding" horses.
Length - The length of a horse from head to tail.

— M —

Maiden - A horse that has yet to win a race.
Maiden race - A race for horses that are non-winners.
Mare - A female horse that is more than five years old or in foal.
Morning Line - The best estimate of the probable post-time odds of each horse in a race; usually done by a racetrack employee.

— N —

Neck - a unit of measurement; 1/4 of a length of a horse.

— N —

Off-Track Betting - Wagering outlets which are located away from the racetrack.
Outrun - Applies to a horse’s entire performance when he races well back during the entire race. He was either overmatched or for some reason was never a factor in the outcome.
Overweight - Additional weight carried by a horse when a jockey is unable to meet his required weight.

— P —

Paddock - The area where horses are saddled and viewed by the public before the race.
Pari-Mutuel - A form of betting in which all money wagered is divided up among the winners, less a percentage which goes to the horsemen, racetrack, and state.
Pool - The total of all wagers in a race by category (such as a "win pool").
Post Parade - Horses parading in front of the grandstand after leaving the paddock, usually ten minutes before the race.
Pressed Pace - When a horse has good speed and is forcing the pace set by the leaders.
Pulled Up - Used to describe a horse that does not finish a race.

— R —

Refused to Break - When a horse refuses to leave the gate once the starter has opened it.

— S —

Scratch - To withdraw a horse from a race.
Set Pace - This term describes a situation where a horse is leading at any point during a race.
Silks - The shirt and cap worn by the jockey representing the "colors" of the ownership.
Simulcast - The simultaneous live television transmission of a race from the racetrack to another facility for wagering purposes. The amount wagered at other tracks is added to the on-track handle, creating a larger pari-mutuel wagering pool.
Sire - The father of a horse.
Sophomores - Three-year-old horses in their second year of racing.
Speed Figure - A numerical value put on each horse's racing performance based on final time, track condition, and other factors.
Squeezed - Generally used at the start. It occurs when a horse is sandwiched between other horses, losing valuable ground.
Stewards - The top officials presiding over the races.
Stretch - The straightaway section of the racetrack in front of the grandstand.

— T —

Tote Board - The board in the infield, which displays up-to-the-minute odds and other wagering information.
Trainer - A person who conditions and prepares horses for racing.
Turf - The infield grass course.

— W —

Weight - The weight assigned to a horse in a race; includes the jockey, equipment, and saddle.
Winner's Circle - The enclosure next to the racetrack where the horse is brought for the ceremonial win photo with his/her connections.
Wire - The finish line.

— Y —

Yearling - A one-year-old horse.