Horse Racing Terms

Knowing horse racing terms at the track can save you a little embarrassment and possibly a lot of money.

Before you hit the track for the first time, do yourself a favor and familiarize yourself with some horse racing terms. This will help you not only stick out as the novice that you are, but could prevent you from making some big mistakes when your money is on the line. If you've never bet on a horse before, you probably are not aware that there is more then just one way to place a wager. Again, the more you know, the better your chances are of not losing. And who knows, understanding some of these horse racing terms may even help you win once in a while.

At the very least some horse racing terms you should be familiar with are the terms that refer to the types of bets that can be placed for any particular race. For example, everyone knows you can bet on a particular horse to finish first. However, you don't always have to bet that your horse will place first. You can bet for a horse to simply place, or to show. Both of which mean different things, and result in different outcomes. Placing means your horse comes in either first or second. Showing means it gets into the top three. Other examples of horse racing terms that deal with bets and wagers are "daily doubles," "exactas," "quinellas," and the quintessential "pick six." When determining how you want to bet, you should do what's called in horse racing terms,"handicapping." Handicapping is the process of taking all the factors about your horse to determine how it will place in the race.

There are also some horse racing terms that are not applicable when it comes to placing a bet, but that you can use nonetheless, if nothing more then to make an impression on fellow racing enthusiasts while at the track. You can talk about other horse racing events you enjoy such as "harness racing," "hurdle racing," "steeplechase," and "point-to-point racing," that are sure to impress the socks of your friends. Soon they'll be asking you for racing advice.

So be sure to check out our pages about Virtual Horse Racing, Betting Horse Racing, Free Horse Racing Tips, Free Horse Racing Picks, and Horse Racing Selections elsewhere on this site.