Horseracing Terminology | D - E - F

D

Daily Double

Type of wager calling for the selection of winners of two consecutive races, usually the first and second. See 'Late Double'.

Daily Racing Form

A daily newspaper containing racing information including news, past performance data and handicapping.

Daily Triple

A wager where the bettor must select the winner of three consecutive races.

Dead Heat

A tie. Two or more horses finishing equal in a race.

Dead Track

Racing surface lacking resiliency.

Declaration Of Weights

The publication of weights allocated to each horse nominated for a race by the handicapper.

Declared

In the United States, a horse withdrawn from a stakes race in advance of scratch time. In Europe, a horse confirmed to start in a race.

Deductions

When a horse is scratched from a race after betting on that race has already started, deductions are taken out of the win and place bets at a rate in proportion to the odds of the scratched horse.

Derby

A stakes event for three-year-olds.

Dime (US)

A bet of USD$ 1,000 (also known as a 'dime bet').

Distanced

Well beaten, finishing a long distance behind the winner.

Dividend

The amount that a winning or placed horse returns for every $1 bet by the bettor.

Dog (US)

The underdog in any betting proposition.

Dog Player (US)

A bettor who mainly wagers on the underdog.

Double

Selecting the winners in two specific races.

Double Carpet

UK slang for Odds of 33 to 1, based on 'Carpet'.

Draw

Refers to a horse's placing in the starting stalls. For flat racing only. Stall numbers are drawn at random.

Drift

(Also, Ease) Odds that 'Lengthen', are said to have drifted, or be 'On The Drift'.

Driving

Strong urging by rider.

Dual Forecast

A tote bet operating in races of 3 or more declared runners in which the punter has to pick the first two to finish in either order.

E

Each Way

UK term for betting on a horse to win and/or 'Place'. An each way bet is when you have the same amount on the horse for a win and for a place. Bookmakers will give you one quarter of the win odds for a place in fields of eight or more and one third of the win odds in fields of six or seven horses.

Each Way Double

Two separate bets of a win double and a place double.

Each Way Single

Two bets. The first is for the selection to win; the second for it to be placed (each way).

Eclipse Award

Thoroughbred racing's year-end awards, honoring the top horses in 11 separate categories.

Enclosure

The area where the Runners gather for viewing before and after the race.

Equibase(Company)

A partnership between The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Racing Associations to establish and maintain an industry-owned, central database of racing records. Equibase past-performance information is used in track programs across North America.

Equivalent Odds

Mutuel price horses would pay for each $1 bet.

Evenly

Neither gaining nor losing position or distance during a race.

Even Money Bet(or Evens)

A 1:1 bet. A $10 wager wins $10.

Exacta

(Also, Perfecta) A wager that picks the first two finishers in a race in the exact order of finish. (Straight Forecast in the UK.)

Exacta Box

A wager in which all possible combinations using a given number of horses are covered.

Exotic(wager)

Any wager other than win, place or show.

Exposure

The amount of money one actually stands to lose on a game or race.

Extended

Forced to run at top speed.

F

False Favorite

A horse that is a race favorite despite being outclassed by others.

Faltered

A horse that was in contention early in the race but drops back in the late stages.

Fast(track)

Optimum condition for a dirt track that is dry, even, resilient and fast.

Favorite

The most popular horse in a race, which is quoted at the lowest odds because it is deemed to have the best chance of winning the race.

Feature Races

Top races.

Fence

The inside fence is the inside running rail around the race track, while the outside fence is the outside running rail.

Field

1) All the runners in a race. 2) Some sportsbooks or bookmakers may well group all the outsiders in a competition under the banner headline of 'Field' and put it head to head with the favorite. This is known as favorite vs the field betting and is common in horse and golf betting.

Field Horse

Two or more starters running as a single betting unit, when there are more entrants than positions on the totalisator board can accommodate.

Filly

Female horse four-years-old or younger.

Firm(track)

A condition of a turf course corresponding to fast on a dirt track. A firm, resilient surface.

First Up

The first run a horse has in a new campaign or preparation.

Fixed Odds

Your dividend is fixed at the odds when you placed your bet.

Fixture

See 'Meeting'.

Flag

A bet consisting of 23 bets (a 'Yankee' plus 6 'Single Stakes About' bets in pairs) on 4 selections in different event.

Flash (US)

Change of odds information on tote board.

Flat race

Contested on level ground as opposed to a steeplechase.

Flatten Out

When a horse drops his head almost in a straight line with his body, generally from exhaustion.

Foal

A baby horse, usually refers to either a male or female horse from birth to January 1st of the following year.

Fold

When preceded by a number, a fold indicates the number of selections in an accumulator (e.g. 5-Fold = 5 selections).

Forecast

A wager that involves correctly predicting the 1st and 2nd for a particular event. This bet can be straight, reversed or permed. (USA, Perfecta or Exacta).

Form

Statistics of previous performance and comment as to the expected current performance of a runner, useful in deciding which runner to bet on.

Form Player

A bettor who makes selections from past-performance records.

Front-runner

A horse whose running style is to attempt to get on or near the lead at the start of the race and stay there as long as possible.

Frozen(track)

A condition of a racetrack where any moisture present is frozen.

Full Cover

All the doubles, trebles and accumulators involved in a given number of selections.

Furlong

One-eighth of a mile or 220 yards or 660 feet (approx. 200 meters).

Futures

(Also, Ante Post) Bets placed in advance predicting the outcome of a future event.