My favorite Horse Racing Terminology from A to Z

My wife likes to tell me that it’s all Greek to her when I start conversing with another racing aficionado in her presence. Yes, Virginia, words and phrases can take on a whole new meaning in the context of racing as opposed to everyday English. For good or for bad, it’s like we have our own secret code. It makes me want to act a little bit more like Bond, James Bond. Alas, I am not that cool, but few simple pleasures in life are more enjoyable than talking racing with another passionate fan/horseperson/owner. With that in mind, I give you … My Favorite Horse Racing Terminology from A to Z …

Across the Board – Playing a horse to win, place, and show -- A bet I still like to use when I like a single longshot in a race.

Bridge Jumper – Always fun to beat the bridge jumper, the guy who makes huge show bets on a heavy favorite.

Chalk Eating Weasel – You know the type -- all he wants to do is bet the favorite.

Dogs – I thought we were talking about horses? Well, when we want to keep horses off the rail for course conditions sake, the dogs (barriers) go up.

Extended – My credit out of college, or a horse who needed all of his energy to get the win.

Fresh Horses – Not just a Molly Ringwald movie, fresh horses have not run for a while, and often show speed.

Good Track – Not really good or bad, just a condition somewhere between fast and muddy.

Hung – Please get your mind out of the gutter -- it’s actually when a horse rallies to a point, but cannot sustain the move all the way to the wire.

In Hand – I love it when one of my horses wins in hand -- not fully extended.

Juvenile – The youngest our horses run in races; two-years-old.

Keeneland – A historical landmark in Lexington, Kentucky that also happens to be one of the best places on earth to watch a horse race.

Leg Up – Most jockeys are not the tallest, therefore, it only makes sense that we give them a bit of help up into the saddle.

Mudder – His mother was a mudder -- meaning, she loved running on a wet track.

Nose – Everything good and bad in racing. It’s great to win by a nose, but losing by racing’s smallest margin is like a punch in the gut. 

Overland – Well, yes, they are running above ground, but actually this means taking the wide route.

Post Position – You never want to draw the #1 Post Position (your spot in the starting gate) in the Kentucky Derby.

Quarter Pole – This is where the real racing begins; the designated marker a quarter-mile from the finish line.

Rabbit – Often rascally, it is the horse, whose sole purpose is to set a strong pace to set things up for an entrymate. Aaron Gryder rode one on Travers Day.

Spit the Bit – I use this phrase anytime a horse I bet gives up their best running long before I hoped they would.

Triple – Just like in baseball, it is a good thing -- selecting first, second, and third in a race in the correct order.

Under Wraps – The only thing better than winning in hand, is doing it under wraps.

Walking Hots – An old job of mine, it means to cool a horse down after a workout or race by walking it through a series of left-turns.

X Marks the Spot – Remember the old Form designation for a horse that loved the slop? I do. Cinteelo had one; Exaggerator would today.

Yielding - Condition of turf course that is wetter than firm or good, but not as bad as soft. 

Zenyatta - Not sure if she qualifies as racing terminology, but what a mare she was – One scant head away from closing out her career a perfect 20-for-20.