Horse Betting Glossary

• Quadrella - Selecting the winner of four specifically nominated races.
  
• Quiniela (Quinella) - Wager in which the first two finishers must be picked in either order. Payoff is made no matter which of the two wins and which runs second. ('Reverse Forecast' in the UK. See Wagers for Quiniela variants.)
  
• Race Caller - The person who describes the race at a racecourse.
  
• Racecard - A programme for the day's racing.
  
• Rail Runner - Horse that prefers to run next to the inside rail.
  
• Ratings - Tipsters may determine a set of ratings which reflect, in their opinion, each runner's chance of winning a particular race taking a number of factors into account when preparing them.
  
• Restricted Races - Races which only certain horses are eligible.
  
• Return - The dividend you receive on a particular bet.
  
• Reverse Forecast (UK) - See 'Quinella' above.
  
• Ringer - A horse (or greyhound) entered in a race under another's name - usually a good runner replacing a poorer one.
  
• Roughie - A horse which is considered to have a 'rough' chance of winning a race.
  
• Roundabout - A bet consisting of 3 bets involving three selections in different events (i.e. 1 single any to come and double stake double on remaining two selections, 3 times).
  
• Rounder - A bet consisting of 3 bets involving three selections in different events (i.e. 1 single any to come a single stake double on remaining two selections, 3 times).
  
• Round Robin - A bet consisting of 10 bets (3 pairs of 'Single Stakes About' bets plus 3 doubles and 1 treble) involving three selections in different events. (US, A series of three or more teams into two-team wagers).
  
• Route - Broadly, a race distance of longer than 1-1/8 miles.
  
• Router - Horse that performs well at longer distances.
  
• Run Free - A horse going too fast.
  
• Runner - A participant in a race. In US, a sportsbook's employee who gathers information on the progress of betting elsewhere on the course. Also, a messenger 'running' to and from pari-mutuel windows for occupants of clubhouse boxes.
  
• Scale Of Weights - Fixed weights to be carried by horses in a race according to age, distance, sex, and time of year.
  
• Scalper - One who attempts to profit from the differences in odds from book to book by betting both sides of the same game at different prices.
  
• Schooled - A horse trained for jumping.
  
• Scope - The potential in a horse.
  
• Score - GBP£ 20. In US, to win a race or a bet. Also, a victory.
  
• Scratch - To be taken out of a race before it starts. Trainers usually scratch horses due to adverse track conditions or a horse's adverse health. A veterinarian can scratch a horse at any time.
  
• Scratch Sheet - Daily publication that includes graded handicaps, tips and scratches.
  
• Second Call - A secondary mount of a jockey in a race in the event his primary mount is scratched.
  
• Selections - The horses selected by a knowledgeable person (Tipster) to have the most likely chance of finishing in first, second and third place. This may also refer to a person's own selections - the horses they have chosen to back.
  
• Selling Race - A race where the winner is sold by auction immediately afterwards.
  
• Settler - A bookmaker's expert who calculates payouts.
  
• Shadow Roll - Usually a lamb's wool roll half way up the horse's face to keep him from seeing his own shadow.
  
• Shorten, Shortening the Odds - When the odds of a horse decrease, usually because a lot of money has been wagered on that horse.
  
• Short Runner - A horse who barely stays, or doesn't stay, the full distance of a race.
  
• Short Price - Low odds, meaning a punter will get little return for their initial outlay.
  
• Show - Third position at the finish.
  
• Show Bet - Wager on a horse to finish in the money; third or better.
  
• Shut Out (US) - What happens to a bettor who gets on the betting line to late and is still waiting in line when the window closes. Also, in sports betting, when the losing team do not score.
  
• Silks - See 'Colors'.
  
• Simulcast - A simultaneous live television transmission of a race to other tracks, off-track betting offices or other outlets for the purpose of wagering.
  
• Single - A Straight bet on one selection to win one race or event, also known as a straight-up bet.
  
• Single Stakes About (or SSA) - A bet consisting of 2 bets on two selections (1 single on each selection any to come 1 single on the other selection reversed).
  
• Sire - Father of a horse.
  
• Six-Dollar Combine (US) - An across-the-board bet in racing.
  
• Sloppy (track) - A track that is wet on surface, with standing water visible, with firm bottom.
  
• Slow (track) - A racing strip that is wet on both the surface and base. Between good and heavy.
  
• Smart Money - Insiders' bets or the insiders themselves.
  
• Soft (track) - Condition of a turf course with a large amount of moisture. Horses sink very deeply into it.
  
• Spell - The resting period between preparations or racing.
  
• Sportsbook - The person, shop or website who accepts bets.
  
• Spot Play (US) - Type of play in which bettor risks money only on types of races and horses which seem relatively worthwhile risks.
  
• Sprint - Short race, less than one mile.
  
• Stake - The prize money for the winning horses paid to the owner (eg. trophy or prize money).
  
• Stakes - The sums of money deposited or guaranteed by the parties to a bet.
  
• Stakes-Placed - Finished second or third in a stakes race.
  
• Stakes Horse - A horse whose level of competition includes mostly stakes races.
  
• Stallion - A male horse used for breeding.
  
• Standing Start - In harness racing, starters start from a standing position, once the barrier across the track is released.
  
• Starter - The person responsible for starting a race.
  
• Starting Gate - Partitioned mechanical device having stalls in which the horses are confined until the starter releases the doors in front to begin the race.
  
• Starting Price (or SP) - An estimation of odds available when the race starts.
  
• Starting Stalls - Mechanical gates that ensure all horses start in unison.
  
• Stayer (Also, Slayer) - A horse that can race long distances.
  
• Steam - When a betting selection starts to move quite rapidly, usually caused by many bettors betting on it.
  
• Steeplechase - A race in which horses are required to jump over a series of obstacles on the course. Also known as a 'Chase'.
  
• Stewards - The group of people who control the day's racing by ensuring that every runner competes on its merits and imposing penalties for any breach of the rules of racing.
  
• Stewards Enquiry - An enquiry by the stewards into a race.
  
• Stick - (Also, Bat) A jockey's whip.
  
• Stickers - Calks on shoes which give a horse better traction in mud or on soft tracks.
  
• Stipes - Another term for the Stewards. (Or Stipendiary Stewards)
  
• Stooper (US) - Those who make a living picking up discarded mutuel tickets at racetracks and cashing those that have been thrown away by mistake.
  
• Store (US) - A sportsbook or a bookie.
  
• Straight - Betting to win only.
  
• Straight Forecast (UK) - A tote bet operating in races of 3 or more declared runners in which the punter has to pick the first and second to finish in the correct order. See 'Exacta'.
  
• Straight Six - A wager to correctly select the winner of each of six consecutive nominated races.
  
• Strapper - Also known as an attendant. A person who assists the trainer, cares for the horse or helps to put on its equipment.
  
• Stretch (home-Stretch) - Final straight portion of the racetrack to the finish.
  
• Stretch Runner - Horse that runs its fastest nearing the finish of a race.
  
• Stretch Turn - Bend of track into homestretch.
  
• Stud - 1) Male horse used for breeding. 2) A breeding farm.
  
• Superfecta - A bet placed on four horses to cross the finish line in exact chosen order.
  
• Super Yankee - Alternative name for a multiple bet known as Canadian, a Super Yankee is a Yankee type bet with five selections instead of four.
  
• Sure Thing - A horse which a punter or tipster believes is unbeatable in a race.
  
• Sweepstakes - Type of betting whereby each horse in a race is drawn out of a hat by a particular person (who pays a set amount of money for the privilege of buying a horse). The people which chose the winner and placegetters will receive a percentage of the total money pool.
  
• System - A method of betting, usually mathematically based, used by a punter or bettor to try to get an advantage.
  
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