History > How to Bet > FAQ's > Glossary of Terms
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Breeding Terms
Standardbred: the breed of horse used in harness racing consisting of trotters and pacers
Colt: young male horse, three years of age or younger
Filly: young female horse, three years of age or younger
Foal: newborn horse
Sire: the father of a Standardbred horse
Dam: the mother of a Standardbred horse
Yearling: horse that is one year old. It is at this age that many horses are sold at public auction after which they begin their training regimen to hopefully race in their two-year-old season. (All horses have a common birth date of January 1, ie. all yearlings officially become two-year-olds on January 1, all two-year-olds become three-year-olds on that date, etc.)
Full brother/sister: horse having both the same sire and dam as a sibling
Half brother/sister: horse having only the same dam as a sibling
Homebred: horse that is still owned by its breeder
Stud fee or service fee: fee paid by the breeder to the stallion owner shortly after the birth of a foal
Gait Terms
Pacer: the more predominant type of Standardbred. A pacer moves its right front and hind legs forward at the same time while the left legs move back, resulting in a lateral motion. Most pacers wear hopples (leather straps) which assist the pacer in keeping its gait consistent and fluid
Trotter: moves right front leg forward at same time as back left leg, resulting in a diagonal motion. Trotting is not as steady a gait as pacing and therefore trotters may be more prone to breaking stride (ie. galloping).
People, Horses & Equipment Terms
Trainer: person responsible for the day-to-day conditioning and overall care of the horse in his/her stable. The trainer is also responsible for transporting the horse to and from the racetrack and for all the activities before and after the race.
Driver: person who drives the horse in a race. Sometimes this person can also be the trainer but many stables use “catch drivers” meaning those individuals who primarily drive racehorses for a living.
Groom: responsible for day-to-day care of an individual horse. Daily duties include feeding, grooming, harnessing, cleaning stalls. On race night a groom will accompany the horse to the track to provide care before the race and bath and “cool out” the horse after the race.
Jogger: a bigger, heavier cart used on a daily basis to jog (exercise) a horse
Race bike or sulky: a smaller, lighter and more streamlined cart used in a race
Bridle: a piece of equipment, usually made of leather or nylon, which fits on a horse’s head and is where other equipment, such as a bit and reins (sometimes called lines) are attached.
Bit: a stainless steel, rubber or aluminum bar attached to the bridle, which fits in the horse’s mouth and is one the means by which a driver exerts guidance and control.
Types of Tracks
In Ontario, there are three sizes of tracks.
½ mile track: Horses must complete two revolutions of the track to cover a one-mile distance. Ontario’s half mile tracks are: Quinte (Belleville), Clinton, Dresden, Elmira, Flamboro Downs (near Hamilton), Hanover, Western Fair (London), Sudbury and Woodstock.
5/8 mile tracks: Horses make one and a half revolutions of this track to cover a mile. Ontario’s five-eights mile tracks are: Kawartha Downs (Peterborough), Rideau Carleton (Ottawa), Hiawatha Horse Park (Sarnia), Windsor Raceway and Georgian Downs.
7/8 mile tracks: Horses make slightly more than one revolution of this track to cover a mile distance. Ontario’s seven-eighths mile tracks are: Woodbine Raceway in Toronto and Mohawk Raceway (Campbellville), near Milton.
Types of Races
There are generally three classifications of races – conditioned, claiming and stakes events.
Conditioned races: a set of conditions apply to
all horses in that race, ie. non-winners of two races or $2,000
lifetime.
Claiming races: method of classifying a horse by placing a value on the animal so it can race competitively against horses of similar caliber. Once entered in a claiming race, a horse is then eligible to become claimed by other owners, with the necessary racing credentials, for whatever claiming price it was entered in. Claiming races exist for those horses from the $2,000 level up to more than $100,000 at some of the larger tracks.
Stakes events: added money events featuring larger purses. Owners and/or breeders of colts usually pay a nominating fee to make the horse eligible to a stakes event and later a sustaining fee to maintain eligibility. Starting fees may also apply.
Qualifying races: a non-betting event in which a horse must meet a predetermined time for a mile to prove he is fit and capable of racing before he can advance to a pari-mutuel betting race.
Schooling or baby race: a non-betting event for young, inexperienced horses that introduces them to racing conditions such as the starting gate, other horses and crowd noises.
Purse money: the amount of purse money available at any track is derived from a percentage of the total amount of money wagered. It is from the purse money that those involved in the racing business full time make their living. Purse money is distributed among the top five finishers on the following percentage basis, 50-25-12-8-5.
Time: the time it takes for a horse to travel a one-mile distance, measured to a fifth of a second in accuracy, ie, if a horse is timed in 1:55.4, it is translated to one minute, fifty-five and four-fifths seconds.
Lengths: measurement used to describe how close a horse is to the leader at any point in a race. One length is usually described as the length of a horse and race bike. Five lengths are equal to one second so if a horse finishes five lengths behind the winner, it will be timed one second slower than the winner.
Glossary
Also eligible: Horse officially entered in a race, but not permitted to start unless the field is reduced by scratch(es).
Backstretch: The straightaway on the far side of the racetrack. Also refers to the stable area.
Barren: A broodmare who has had at least one foal, but is not pregnant.
Blanket finish: One which finds several horses finishing very close together at the wire.
Boxed in: When a horse is racing along the pylons and cannot improve his position in a race because of the presence of other horses in front, behind and beside him. Also called Locked in.
Break: When a horse breaks from its gait into a run or gallop - denoted on the program with an X.
Breeding season: The usual breeding season runs from February 15th to July 15th.
Broodmare: A mare who has had at least one foal.
Card: Another term for a program of racing. For example, someone might say there are ten races on tonight’s card, meaning there will be ten races contested that night.
Catch driver: A driver who doesn’t train his/her horses and is hired by other trainers and owners to drive their horses.
Chart: A comprehensive account of a race showing the positions of all horses at various stages of the race.
Colours: The special colourful jacket worn by drivers in a race. Unlike Thoroughbred jockeys, drivers register their own colours and wear them every time they race.
Colt: A male horse three years of age or younger.
Conformation: The physical attributes and bodily proportions of a horse; how it is put together.
Cover: A horse which races with another horse in front of him is said to race with cover, as the leading horse cuts the wind resistance.
Cross five: When a horse’s hind foot strikes the opposite front foot or leg.
Dead heat: When the judges cannot separate two horses at the finish line even with the aid of the photo finish, it is called a dead heat.
Distanced: When a horse finishes more than 35 lengths behind the winner.
Division: A race that has too many entries and must be split into two or more divisions (sections).
Driver: The person holding a license or permit to drive harness horses. There are different types of licenses, which correspond to differing levels of experience.
Early/late closer: A race requiring payments which start much closer to the actual race date than a stake ‘Early’ and ‘Late’ involve specified periods of time.
Entry: Two or more horses owned by the same person starting in a race.
Favourite: The horse considered most likely to win based on the odds and past performance.
Filly: A female horse three years of age or younger.
First over: The first horse to make a move on the leader in a race, moving up on the outside.
Free legged: A pacer which races without wearing hopples.
Foal: All baby horses are called foals.
Garden spot: The second position on the rail during most of the race.
Gelding: An altered (neutered) male of any age.
Gestation period: The gestation period for a mare is 11 months.
Hand: A unit of measurement (four inches) by which a horse’s height is measured. A horse which stands 15 hands is five feet tall at its withers.
Handicapping: The first step in successfully picking a winner (or handicapping) is becoming familiar with reading the racing program. Each program has a section explaining the information format used at that track. Probably the best place to start when handicapping Standardbreds is time. Since over 99% of all harness races are conducted at the one mile distance, valid comparisons can be made among the horses.
Harness: The gear which is used to attach the sulky to the horse, to carry the hopples and to enable the driver to steer the horse.
Home stretch: The straight length of the track, nearest the spectators, where the finish line is situated. It is called this because it is the final part of the track a horse travels down during a race, on its race home (or to the finish line).
Hopples: The straps which connect the front and rear legs on the same side of a horse. Most pacers wear hopples to help balance their stride and maintain a pacing gait. The length of hopples is adjustable and a trainer registers the length that best fits his/her horse. There are also trotting hopples that work through a pulley system to help trotters maintain their gait.
Horse (stallion): A male horse four years of age or older.
In foal: A pregnant mare.
Inquiry: A review of the conduct of a race, called for by the judges.
Lapped on: At the finish when a horse's nose is at least alongside of the hindquarters of the horse which finishes ahead.
Lame: The term used to describe a horse which is limping or has difficulty walking properly.
Leasing: As opposed to buying a harness horse, people have the option of leasing one. Just like some people lease a car instead of paying the money up front, leasing a horse gives people use of a horse without large capital outlay. An agreement or contract must be drawn up between the two parties and the lease must be registered with the relevant controlling body.
Length: Measure of distance based on average length of horse.
Maiden: A horse that has never won a race with a purse. (Also refers to a mare that has never had a foal.)
Mare: A female horse four years of age or older.
Objection: A claim of foul lodged by a driver, upheld or dismissed by the judges.
Parked out: When a horse cannot find a position along the rail in a race and is forced to race outside those on the inside; is also called taking the overland route.
Photo finish: When two horses cross the finish too closely to identify a winner, officials call for a photograph taken exactly at the finish line, to help them determine the winner.
Pedigree: Refers to a horse's family tree, paternal and maternal ancestors. A horse’s pedigree provides insight into its potential ability and value.
Post position: Generally, the closer a horse starts to the inside rail, or barrier of the track, especially on smaller tracks, the better its chance of winning. At the start, horses must either “leave” (start quickly) to get a good position or else find a place on the rail to avoid racing on the outside of other horses. When racing on the outside the horse is said to be parked out and loses ground on every turn. A horse on the inside has a better chance to get to the rail or quickly get a good position.
Post time: The starting time of a race.
Qualifier: A race in which a horse must go a mile below an established time standard to prove itself capable of competing in pari-mutuel races.
Ridgling: A male horse with one or both testicles not descended into the scrotal sac.
Scratch: The removal of a horse from a race after its entry has been accepted.
Sire: The father of a horse.
Sires Stakes: Stakes races designed to promote Standardbred breeding and racing within a jurisdiction. Eligibility to compete in the Sires Stakes events depends upon the rules of the jurisdiction.
Stakes race: A race where owners make a series of payments, starting well in advance, to keep a horse eligible. If an owner misses a payment, the horse is ineligible.
Spayed mare: A neutered female horse of any age.
Starter: The person responsible for starting a harness race. The starter controls the start of the race from the back of the mobile starting gate.
Sulky: Also known as the cart or race bike, the sulky is attached to the harness and carries the driver.
Time trial: An attempt to have a horse beat its
own best time in a non-competitive event. A time trial is not a
race. Galloping horses hitched to sulkies, called prompters, are
used to push a horse to its best effort.