Horseracing Terminology | A - B - C

A

Abandoned

A race meeting which has been cancelled because a club did not receive sufficient nominations to be able to stage it, or because of bad weather which made racing on the track unsafe. All bets placed on abandoned races are fully refunded.

Acceptor

A runner officially listed to start in a race.

Accumulator

(Also, Parlay) A multiple bet. A kind of 'let-it-ride' bet. Making simultaneous selections on two or more races with the intent of pressing the winnings of the first win on the bet of the following race selected, and so on. All the selections made must win for you to win the accumulator.

Across The Board

(See 'Place') A bet on a horse to win, place or show. Three wagers combined in one. If the horse wins, the player wins all three wagers, if second, two, and if third, one.

Age

All thoroughbreds count January 1 as their birth date.

Ajax

UK slang term for 'Betting Tax'.

All-age Race

A race for two-year-olds and up.

All Out

A horse who is trying to the best of his ability.

Allowances

Reductions in weights to be carried allowed because of certain conditions such as; an apprentice jockey is on a horse, a female horse racing against males, or three-year-olds racing against older horses.

All Weather Racing

Racing that takes place on an artificial surface.

Also Ran

Any selection not finishing 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th in a race or event.

Ante Post

(Also, Futures) Bets placed in advance predicting the outcome of a future event. Ante-post prices are those on major sporting events, usually prior to the day of the event itself. In return for the chance of better odds, punters risk the fact that stakes are not returned if their selection pulls out or is cancelled.

Apprentice

A trainee jockey. An apprentice will usually ride only flat races.

Approximates

The approximate price a horse is quoted at before a race begins. Bookmakers use these approximates as a guide to set their boards.

Arbitrage

Where a variation in odds available allows a punter to back both sides and guarantee a win.

ART

Artificial Turf.

ATS

Against The Spread.

AWT

All weather track.

B

Baby Race

A race for two-year-olds.

Back

To bet or wager.

Backed

A 'backed' horse is one on which lots of bets have been placed.

Backed-In

A horse which is backed-in means that bettors have outlaid a lot of money on that horse, with the result being a decrease in the odds offered.

Back Marker

In a standing start event, which is handicapped, the horse who is given the biggest handicap is known as the backmarker.

Backstretch

The straight way on the far side of the track.

Back Straight

The straight length of the track farthest away from the spectators and the winning post.

Backward

A horse that is either too young or not fully fit.

Banker

(Also, Key) Highly expected to win. The strongest in a multiple selection in a parlay or accumulator. In permutation bets the banker is a selection that must win to guarantee any returns.

Bar Price

Refers to the odds of those runners in a race not quoted with a price during early betting shows. The bar price is the minimum odds for any of those selections not quoted.

Barrier

(Also, Tape) A starting device used in steeple chasing consisting of an elastic band stretched across the racetrack which retracts when released.

Barrier Draw

The ballot held by the race club to decide which starting stall each runner will occupy.

Bat

(Also, Stick) A jockey's whip.

Beard (US)

A friend or acquaintance or other contact who is used to placing bets so that the bookmakers will not know the identity of the actual bettor. Many top handicappers and persons occupying sensitive positions use this method of wagering.

Bearing In (Out)

Failing to maintain a straight course, veering to the left or right. Can be caused by injury, fatigue, outside distraction, or poor riding.

Beeswax

UK slang term for betting tax. Also known as 'Bees' or 'Ajax'.

Bell Lap

In harness racing, the last lap of a race, signified by the ringing of the bell.

Bet

A transaction in which monies are deposited or guaranteed.

Betting Board

A board used by the bookmaker to display the odds of the horses engaged in a race.

Betting Ring

The main area at a racecourse where the bookmakers operate.

Betting Tax

Tax on a Bookmaker's turnover. In the UK this is a 'Duty' levied on every Pound wagered. Common methods of recouping this by the punter are to deduct tax from returns (winnings) or to pay tax with the stake/wager. In the latter case, no tax is deducted from the punter's winnings.

Bettor (US)

Someone who places or has a bet. A 'Punter' in the UK.

Beyer Number

A handicapping tool, popularized by author Andrew Beyer, assigning a numerical value to each race run by a horse based on final time and track condition. This enables different horses running at different racetracks to be objectively compared.

Bismarck

A favourite which the bookmakers do not expect to win.

Blanket Finish

When the horses finish so close to the winning line you could theoretically put a single blanket across them.

Blind Bet

A bet made by a racetrack bookmaker on another horse to divert other bookmakers' attention away from his sizeable betting on his/her main horse thus to avoid a shortening of the odds on the main horse.

Blinkers

A cup-shaped device applied over the sides of the horse's head near his eyes to limit his vision. This helps to prevent him from swerving away from distracting objects or other horses on either side of him. Blinker cups come in a variety of sizes and shapes to allow as little or as much vision as the trainer feels is appropriate.

Board

Short for 'Tote Board' on which odds, betting pools and other race information are displayed.

Bomb(er)

A winning horse sent off at very high odds.

Book

A bookmaker's tally of amounts bet on each competitor, and odds necessary to assure him of profit.

Bookie

(U.K.) Short for bookmaker. The person or shop who accepts bets.

Bookmaker

Person who is licensed to accept bets on the result of an event based on their provision of odds to the customer. (Sportsbook US).

Bottle

UK slang, odds of 2 to 1.

Box

A wagering term denoting a combination bet whereby all possible numeric combinations are covered.

Boxed(in)

To be trapped between other horses.

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.

Book

A collection of all the bets taken on fixed odds betting events.

Bookmaker(Bookie)

A person registered and licensed to bet with the public.

Breakage

Those pennies that are left over in pari-mutuel payoffs which are rounded out to a nickel or dime.

Breeders' Cup

Thoroughbred racing's year-end championship. Known as Breeders' Cup Day, it consists of eight races conducted on one day at a different racetrack each year with purses and awards totalling $13 million. First run in 1984.

Bridge-Jumper (US)

Bettor who specializes in large show bets on odd-on favourites.

Buck (US)

A bet of US$ 100 (also known as a 'dollar bet').

Bug Boy

An apprentice rider.

Bull Ring

Small racetrack less than one mile around.

Burkington Bertie

100/30.

Buy Price

In Spread or Index betting, the higher figure quoted by an Index bookmaker.

Buy the Rack (US)

Purchase every possible daily-double or other combination ticket.

C

Canadian

Also known as a Super Yankee. A Canadian is a combination bet consisting of 26 bets with 5 selections in different events. The combination bet is made up of 10 doubles, 10 trebles, five 4-folds and one 5-fold.

Card

Another term for fixture or race meeting.

Carpet

UK slang for Odds of 3 to 1 (also known as 'Tres' or 'Gimmel').

Caulk

Projection on the bottom of a shoe to give the horse better traction, especially on a wet track.

Century

GBP£ 100 (also known as a 'Ton').

Chalk

Wagering favorite in a race. Dates from the days when on-track bookmakers would write current odds on a chalkboard.

Chalk Player

Bettor who wagers on favorites.

Chase

See 'Steeplechase'.

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.

Client (US)

Purchaser of betting information from horseman or other tipster.

Close (US)

Final odds on a horse (e.g. 'closed at 5 to 1'). Confusingly equates to 'Starting Price' in the UK.

Closer

A horse that runs best in the latter part of the race (closing race), coming from off the pace.

Co-Favorites

Where three or more competitors share the status as favorite.

Colors(Colours)

Racing silks, the jacket and cap worn by jockeys. Silks can be generic and provided by the track or specific to one owner.

Colt

An ungelded (entire) male horse four-years-old or younger.

Combination Bet

Selecting any number of teams/horses to finish first and second in either order.

Conditional Jockey

Same as 'Apprentice' but also allowed to jump.

Correct Weight

Horses are allocated a weight to carry that is checked before and, for at least the placegetters, after a race. Correct weight must be signaled before bets can be paid out.