Common Horse Racing Terms

Across the Board – Placing a win, place, and show bet into one bet. Win all three bets if your horses finishes first. Payouts for place and show if your horse finishes second. Payouts for show if your horse finishes third.

Advance Bet - A bet placed earlier than betting is typically available. Payouts are based on the post-time odds. Only available on select races.

Allowance Race - The runners run for a higher purse than in a maiden race. They usually are for a horse that has broken its maiden but is not ready for stakes races.

Also Eligible (AE) - Horses entered into the field that will not run unless other horses are scratched.

Apprentice Jockey - A student jockey, sometimes called a Bug Boy. They will receive a weight allowance of varying degrees depending on their experience.

Backstretch - The straight part of the track opposite the finish line or the stable area.

Blinkers/Blinders - Eye equipment that limits a horse’s vision. Helps to reduce distraction.

Break Maiden - When a horse or rider has their first win.

Bull Ring - Small track where the oval is generally less than one mile, has very tight turns.

Buy the Race - Using every single horse running in a specific race in an exotic bet. If you were to play a Pick 3 ticket for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd race that is 2 with 4 with ALL, you will have "bought" the third race.

Carryover - The money in the pool for a specific bet that is left over after failing to have a single winning ticket. That money can then go into the next day’s pool and combined with that day’s pool. See FAQ on “What Are Carryovers?” for full description.

Claiming Race - A race where each horse in the field has a price and can be purchased by any person that makes a valid claim prior to the running of the race.

Class – A term describing the level of racing a horse is performing in.

Clubhouse Turn - First turn of races that begin on the front stretch/homestretch.

Colors/Silks – The jacket and helmet worn by jockeys to denote the horse’s ownership.

Condition – The condition of a horse speaks to their fitness level.

Conditions - The requirements set for races such as surface, distance, purse, and eligibilities.

Consolation - A payout, typically multi-race bets, where players without a full winning ticket still receive money. For example, a Pick 6 bet may pay out if tickets have five out of six winners.

Dark - A day in which a track is not featuring live racing.

Dead Heat - When two or more horses finish in a tie.

Distance of Ground - A route race (generally considered 1 1/8 mile) or a race run around two turns.

Dog - A cone or other obstruction placed a specified distance from the rail of the turf course to keep horses from damaging that portion of the grass.

Eased - A horse that is pulled up or stopped prior to finishing the race.

Exotic - Any bet other than a Win, Place, or Show.

Favorite - The horse with the best odds of winning. Favorites can change throughout the race depending on how much money is put into the pool.

Fence - Sometimes called "outside rail." More properly the barrier between the front of the stands and the racing strip.

Field - The horses in a race.

Final Odds - The odds when betting is closed for a race. Generally corelates when the gate opens.

Form - The current condition of a horse; may also refer to a track program.

Fractions - Clocking at quarter-mile increments in either a race or a workout.

Furlong - A standard unit of measurement for horse racing. Equal to 220 yards, 660 feet or 1/8 of a mile.

Future Bet - A bet that is placed well ahead of a race, generally weeks or months in advance. These bets are paid out based on the odds for that particular pool. They are only available on select races and horses in a future pool may or may not run the race. Pursuant to the BetMGM Horse Racing Rules, future bets cannot be canceled.

Graded Race - A stakes race that is assigned a grade (I, II, or III) by the American Graded Stakes Committee based on the relative strength of the race as compared to all other races.

Handicap - A race in which the racing secretary assigns weights designed to equalize the winning chances of the entrants; or to study horses’ records in order to determine the chances of each to win the race.

Handle - Total sum bet on a race or over a period of time.

Inquiry - Often the cause of a delay in payout. Something has happened during the race that requires a review by track officials, usually, that one horse or jockey has unfairly impeded another.

Irons – Stirrups on the saddle where jockeys feet are placed.

Juvenile - A two-year-old horse.

Maiden - A horse who has not won a race. Also applied to the non-winning rider.

Maiden Race - A race for non-winners.

Marathon - A race longer than 1 ¼ mile long.

Middle Distance - A race longer than seven furlongs but shorter than 1 1/8 miles.

Minus (Negative) Pool - When enough money is bet on one horse that the pool is insufficient, after the track takeout, to pay the holders of the winning ticket the legal minimum odds. In this situation, the track or OTB is required to make up the difference to ensure that the bettors are paid the full amount. Abusing negative pools can prompt a request from the ADW to limit the dollar amount bet by a given customer and can possibly lead to the customer’s account being closed.

Minutes to Post (MTP) - The amount of time until the race is scheduled to run.

Morning Line Odds (M/L) - The odds when betting first becomes available.

Odds Board - The tote board, generally found in the infield.

Off-Track - A racing surface that is anything other than Fast (Dirt) or Firm (Turf/Grass).

Past Performances (PPs) - Past Performances forms containing information on how entries have performed in previous races. For information on our Free Past Performance Program follow this link: Free Past Performance Program

Pace - The Equibase Pace Figures are basically the horse's "speed figure" at different stages of the race.

Place (PLC) - Bet type. You win if your horse finishes first or second.

Pole - Markers at measured distances around the track, marking the distance from the finish. The quarter pole, for instance, is a quarter of a mile from the finish, not from the start.

Post - Starting gate.

Post Parade - Horses going from paddock to starting gate past the stands.

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

Post Time - When a race is scheduled to run.

Post Time Favorite - The horse (or horses in the case of a tie) with the best odds when betting is closed for a race.

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

Saddle Cloth - Cloth under the saddle on which number denoting post position is displayed.

Sex - The sex of the horse is often listed by a single letter.

  • C - Colt - A non-neutered male, 4 years or younger.
  • F - Filly - A female, 4 years or younger.
  • G - Gelding - A neutered male of any age.
  • H - Horse - A non-neutered male, 5 years or older.
  • M - Mare - A female, 5 years or older.

Scratch - To withdraw a horse that was originally scheduled from a race.

Shadow Roll - Usually a lamb's wool roll halfway up the horse's face to keep him from seeing his own shadow.

Stewards - Three-person panel that determines whether or not any rules violations occurred during the race.

Sulky - The two wheeled cart used in harness racing.

Turf Course - A grass course.