| All Out |
A horse who is trying to the best of his ability. |
| Also-Eligible: |
A horse entered in the race but who cannot start unless another horse is scratched. |
| Also-Ran: |
A horse that finishes out of the money. |
| Backstretch |
The straight way on the far side of the track. |
| Bad Beat |
A losing wager owing more to misfortune, unfortunate circumstances or sheer terrible luck than poor handicapping or analysis. |
| Beat the Chalk |
To wager against the favorite in a race. |
| Blanket Finish |
When the horses finish so close for the win you could theoretically put a single blanket across them. |
| Blinkers |
Equipment worn on the bridle to restrict a horse's vision on the sides to help maintain attention and avoid distractions. |
| Blowout |
A short fast workout, usually a day or two before a race, designed to sharpen a horse's speed. |
| Board |
The tote board on which odds, betting pools and other race information is displayed. |
| Bobble |
A bad step away from the starting gate, sometimes caused by the ground breaking away from under a horse and causing him to duck his head or go to his knees. |
| Bolt |
Sudden veering from a straight course. |
| Breakage |
In pari-mutuel payoffs which are rounded out to a nickel or dime, those pennies that are left over. |
| Breeze: |
Working a horse at a moderate speed; less effort than handily. |
| Bridge Jumper |
A gambler who bets an exorbitant amount of money to show in order to capitalize on the minimum five percent pay out. |
| Bug |
The five-, seven-, or ten-pound weight allowance for an apprentice jockey. |
| Bug Boy |
An apprentice rider. |
| Bullet Work |
The best workout time for the distance on a given day at a track. |
| Bull Ring |
Small racetrack less than one mile around. |
| Bute |
Phenylbutazone a commonly used analgesic for horses. |
| Caulk |
Projection on the bottom of a shoe to give the horse better traction, especially on a wet track. |
| Chalk |
A very low-odds betting favorite. |
| Chalky |
Characterized by a preponderance of winning favorites. |
| Checked |
A horse pulled up by his jockey for an instant because he is cut off or in tight quarters. |
| Chute |
Extension of the backstretch or homestretch to allow a longer straight run at the start. |
| Closer |
A horse that runs best in the latter part of the race, coming from off the pace. |
| Club House Turn |
Generally the turn immediately after the finish line and closest to the clubhouse. |
| Colors: |
Racing silks, the jacket and cap worn by jockeys. Silks can be generic and provided by the track or specific to one owner. |
| Coupled |
Two or more horses running as an entry in a single betting unit. |
| Cuppy |
A track surface, which breaks away under a horse's hoof. |
| Dead-Heat |
Two or more horses finishing in an exact tie at the finish. |
| Dead Rail |
a track bias against horses that travel near the rail. |
| Dead Track |
Racing surface lacking resiliency. |
| Distanced |
Well beaten, finishing a long distance behind the winner. |
| Eased |
The jockey stops the horse during the race so he can't finish, usually due to an injury or equipment problem. |
| Easily |
Running or winning without being pressed by the jockey or opposition. |
| Entry |
Two or more horses owned by the same stable or (in some cases) trained by the same trainer and running as a single betting unit. |
| Evenly |
Neither gaining nor losing position or distance during a race. |
| Extended |
Forced to run at top speed. |
