For newcomers, horse racing can sometimes feel like a world with its own language and customs. From the jargon in the race programs to the time-honored traditions at major events, there’s a lot to take in. Don’t worry — once you learn a few basics, you’ll be able to follow along and enjoy the sport much more. Let’s break down some key terminology and traditions that will help you navigate horse racing 101:
Key Terms in Horse Racing:
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Thoroughbred: The breed of horse used in flat racing (the typical horse races on a track). All the racehorses you see in the Kentucky Derby or Breeders’ Cup are Thoroughbreds, which are bred for speed and endurance. (Note: other breeds race too, like Standardbreds in harness racing or Quarter Horses in straight sprints, but when someone says “horse racing” in the U.S., they usually mean Thoroughbred racing.)
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Furlong: A unit of distance in horse racing. One furlong is equal to 1/8th of a mile, or about 220 yards (201 meters). Race distances in the U.S. are often given in furlongs. For example, a 6-furlong race is 3/4 of a mile, 8 furlongs is a mile, and classic races like the Belmont Stakes at 12 furlongs equal 1½ miles. Knowing this helps you understand if a race is a short sprint or a longer route.
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Maiden: A horse that has never won a race. Races are classified by the experience and success of the horses, and a maiden race is for horses that are all seeking their first win. These are often separated further by age (e.g., “maiden two-year-olds”) or other conditions. Once a horse wins, it “breaks its maiden” and moves up to other levels.
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Claiming Race: A race in which every horse running is for sale at a predetermined price (the claiming price). If someone puts in a claim for a horse before the race, they become the new owner of that horse right after the race, no matter what. The claim is finalized just before the race starts, but the transaction only goes through if the horse leaves the starting gate. Claiming races are the most common type of race and are a mechanism to keep competition fair by grouping horses of similar value. It’s where a lot of the trading of horses happens, akin to players being traded between teams.
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Stakes Race: The highest class of race, often featuring the best horses. Owners usually pay entry fees (stakes) to nominate their horses. The most famous races (Kentucky Derby, etc.) are stakes races. They often carry black type in sales catalogs (a sign of prestige). Among stakes, there are graded stakes (Grade 1, 2, 3) which are the cream of the crop internationally recognized for quality. A Grade 1 is the top level (e.g., Kentucky Derby, Breeders’ Cup Classic), Grade 2 and 3 slightly below. Winning a stakes, especially a graded stakes, is a big deal for a horse’s resume.
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Handicap (Race): A handicap race is a type of race where horses are assigned different weights to carry (extra weight in their saddles) by the racing secretary or handicapper, based on their past performances. The idea is to level the playing field so that the better horses carry more weight, giving less accomplished horses a bit of an advantage. Many famous races, like the Santa Anita Handicap, were historically run as handicaps. You might see a horse carrying, say, 122 pounds and another carrying 116 in the same race — that means the better-performing horse was assigned 122 and the other 116 in hopes they finish equally. Modern racing has fewer handicaps (most big races let all horses carry the same weight, called “weight-for-age” or have allowances for things like age or sex), but handicaps are still around.
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Post Position & Post Time: Post position is the number assigned to a horse corresponding to its stall in the starting gate. A horse that draws post position 1 will start at the rail (innermost), post 10 would be further out, etc. Post positions can affect a race’s outcome (inside posts might get a ground-saving advantage, outside posts might need to run wider, etc., depending on track configuration). Post time is the scheduled start time of a race (when horses break from the gate). It’s common to hear announcements like “Post time in 10 minutes” or see a post time listed in the program.
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Silks: The jacket and cap worn by jockeys are called silks. They’re not random – each owner registers unique colors and patterns, so their horses always run in those silks. This tradition dates back centuries to identify who owned the horse in a race. It’s why you’ll hear phrases like “carrying the purple and white silks of XYZ Stables.” For fans, learning a stable’s silks can help spot their horse during a race. Plus, the colorful silks add to the pageantry of racing.
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Handicapping (the verb): This is the art/science of studying a race to predict the outcome. It involves analyzing past performances, speed figures, track conditions, etc., to assess each horse’s chances. A person who does this is called a handicapper. It’s what bettors do before placing wagers, and you’ll often see segments on broadcasts or articles in programs where an expert handicapper gives their picks.
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Win, Place, Show: The most basic bets. A win bet means you collect if your horse finishes 1st. Place means you collect if your horse finishes 1st or 2nd. Show means you collect if your horse finishes 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. Because it’s easier to at least show than to win, the payouts decrease from win to show. For example, a longshot might pay $50 to win, $20 to place, and $10 to show on a $2 bet, whereas a favorite might pay $6 to win, $3 to place, and $2.40 to show.
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Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta: These are exotic wagers. An Exacta requires picking the first two finishers in exact order. A Trifecta is the first three in order, and a Superfecta is the first four in order. These can yield high payouts but are hard to hit. You can also “box” these bets, which covers all order permutations (e.g., a $1 exacta box on 3-5 covers 3-5 or 5-3 finishing order, costing $2).
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Inquiry & Objection: After a race, you might see a sign light up or hear an announcement of “Inquiry” or “Jockey’s Objection.” This means the stewards (racing officials) are reviewing the race for a possible rules infraction, like interference. A jockey’s objection means a rider lodged a complaint against another. During this time, the outcome isn’t official; after review, stewards can disqualify a horse for interference, changing the order of finish. It’s akin to a video replay review in other sports.
Beloved Traditions:
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Triple Crown & Grand Slam: We covered Triple Crown (Derby, Preakness, Belmont) earlier — the dream of sweeping them is a huge storyline each spring. The Grand Slam in racing refers to winning the Triple Crown plus the Breeders’ Cup Classic (American Pharoah was the first to do this in 2015). These concepts are traditions in the sense that they’ve become part of racing’s lore and goals every year.
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Track Traditions: Each major race has its own traditions. In the Kentucky Derby, it’s the garland of roses for the winner (hence “Run for the Roses”) and everyone singing “My Old Kentucky Home.” At the Preakness Stakes (Baltimore), the winner is draped in black-eyed Susans (Maryland’s state flower, or a proxy since they bloom later in the year) and there’s the painting of the jockey’s colors on the weather vane. At the Belmont Stakes (NY), a blanket of white carnations goes on the winner and they often play “New York, New York” after the race. The Travers Stakes (Saratoga) winner gets a blanket of carnations in the stable’s colors and their canoe in the infield pond gets painted in those colors. The Breeders’ Cup has its own flavor too, with winners crowned as world champions in their divisions and receiving garlands of flowers themed to that year’s host location.
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Fashion and Festivities: Horse racing events, especially the big ones, have long been social events as much as sporting contests. That’s why you see the extravagant hats and outfits at places like Churchill Downs or Royal Ascot (in England). It’s part of the fun — people dress up, sometimes in quirky themed attire, to be part of the scene. Tracks often have contests for best hat or best dressed. Even at smaller tracks, there might be traditions like family days, promotions like dollar beer nights, or after-race concerts to keep it festive.
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Call to the Post: That bugle or trumpet tune you hear before a race — that’s the Call to the Post. It’s a short tune that signals to everyone that horses are about to come to the starting gate. Most tracks have a bugler dressed in a flashy outfit who plays it live. It’s an old military cavalry call originally. When folks hear it, it’s kind of a goosebump moment because you know the action is moments away.
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Winner’s Circle Photo: After each race, the winning horse, jockey, trainer, and owners (and often friends and family) gather in the winner’s circle to take a photo with the horse and a trophy. It’s a cherished tradition; even in modest races, that photo goes on the wall. For major races, it’s heavily photographed and recorded.
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Breaking Champagne (or Milk!): In some races, there are unique winner traditions. The Indianapolis 500 (auto racing) winner drinks milk; in horse racing, the Derby winner’s owner traditionally sips the Derby’s gold cup filled with a celebratory drink. At some tracks or for some owners, you’ll see a celebratory champagne or sparkling wine sprayed around (though that’s more of a motorsport/podium thing, it has crossed into some racing celebrations).
Understanding these terms and traditions adds depth to watching horse racing. Instead of hearing “The 3-year-old maiden on the turf at six furlongs” and feeling lost, you’ll know they mean a race for young horses who haven’t won yet, sprinting on grass. When the Derby winner is draped in roses and the crowd sings, you’ll appreciate that you’re witnessing a piece of Americana that’s over a century old. And next time someone shouts that they hit the exacta, you can congratulate them (and maybe ask for their tips!). Horse racing is a sport of details and heritage — now that you know the basics, you can enjoy the races like an insider. Enjoy the ride!