Glossary: Horse Racing Terminology S-T


S
saddle
A Thoroughbred racing saddle is the lightest saddle used, weighing less than two pounds.
saddle cloth
A cotton cloth which goes under the saddle to absorb sweat. It usually has the horse's program number and sometimes, in major races, its name.
saddle pad
A piece of felt, sheepskin, or more usually, foam rubber, used as a base for the saddle.
sand crack
See heel crack.
saucer (fracture)
Stress fracture of the front of the cannon bone that can be straight or curved.
savage
When a horse bites another horse or a person.
scale of weights
Fixed weights to be carried by horses according to their age, sex, race distance and time of year.
schooling
Process of familiarizing a horse with the starting gate and teaching it racing practices. A horse may also be schooled in the paddock. In steeplechasing, more particularly to teach a horse to jump.
schooling list
List of horses eligible to school at the starting gate before being permitted to race.
scintigraphy
A technique where radio-labeled technetium is injected intravenously into a horse. A gamma camera is used to record uptake of the nucleotide in the tissues. It is particularly useful diagnostically to localize an area of inflammation in the musculoskeletal system. The most common radioisotope used to image bones is technetium-99m.
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.
screw fixation
A procedure in which steel-alloy screws are surgically inserted to hold together a fractured bone.
second call
A secondary mount of a jockey in a race in the event his primary mount is scratched.
second dam
Grandmother of a horse. Also known as a "granddam."
selling race
See claiming race.
sensitive laminae
The area of the hoof that contains nerves and vessels.
sesamoid bones
Two small bones (medial and lateral sesamoids) located above and at the back of the fetlock joint. Four common fractures of the sesamoids are apical (along the top of the bone), abaxial (the side of the sesamoid away from the ankle joint), mid-body (sesamoid broken in half) and basilar (through the bottom) fractures. See "Fractures" subsection of "Musculoskeletal System" in veterinary supplement for a more detailed explanation.
sesamoid (fracture)
Fracture of the sesamoid bone. Fractures can be small chips or involve the entire bone. Surgical repair is often done by arthroscopy.
sesamoiditis
Inflammation of the sesamoid bones.
set
A group of horses being exercised together.
set down
1) A suspension The jockey was set down five days for careless riding. 2) When a jockey assumes a lower crouch in the saddle while urging the horse to pick up speed The horse was set down for the drive to the wire.
sex allowance
Female horses (fillies and mares), according to their age and the time of year, are allowed to carry three to five pounds less when meeting males.
shadow roll
A (usually sheepskin) roll that is secured over the bridge of a horse's nose to keep it from seeing shadows on the track and shying away from or jumping them.
shank
Rope or strap attached to a halter or bridle by which a horse is led.
shedrow
Stable area. A row of barns.
sheets
A handicapping tool assigning a numerical value to each race run by a horse to enable different horses running at different racetracks to be objectively compared.
shoe boil
See capped elbow.
short
A horse in need of more work or racing to reach winning form.
shoulder
Area located at the base of the neck, formed by the scapula and the humerus. The angle of the shoulder usually is the same as that of the foreleg pastern. The more "laid back" the shoulder is, the further out the forelegs can reach, producing an even, rhythmic motion. The heavily muscled shoulder area is one of two regions on the horse's body (the other being the hindquarters) that a jockey is permitted to touch with a whip.
show
Third position at the finish.
show bet
Wager on a horse to finish in the money; third or better.
shut off
Unable to improve position due to being surrounded by other horses.
silks
Jacket and cap worn by riders to designate owner of the horse, or at some smaller tracks, to designate post positions (e.g., yellow for post position one, blue for two, etc.).
(a) Silky Sullivan
A horse that makes a big run from far back. Named for the horse Silky Sullivan, who once made up 41 lengths to win a race.
simple (fracture)
A fracture along a single line which does not penetrate the skin.
simulcast
A simultaneous live television transmission of a race to other tracks, off-track betting offices or other outlets for the purpose of wagering.
sire
1) The male parent. 2) To beget foals.
slab (fracture)
A fracture in a bone in a joint that extends from one articular surface to another. Most often seen in the third carpal bone of the knee.
slipped
A breeding term meaning spontaneous abortion.
sloppy (track)
A racing strip that is saturated with water; with standing water visible.
slow (track)
A racing strip that is wet on both the surface and base.
snaffle bit
See bit.
snip
Small patch of white hairs on the nose or lips of a horse.
socks
Solid white markings extending from the top of the hoof to the ankles.
soft (track)
Condition of a turf course with a large amount of moisture. Horses sink very deeply into it.
solid horse
Contender.
sophomores
Three-year-old horses. Called sophomores because age three is the second year of racing eligibility.
spavin
See bog and bone spavin.
speed figure
A handicapping tool used to assign a numerical value to a horse's performance. See Beyer number.
speedy cut
Injury to the inside of the knee or hock caused by a strike from another foot.
spiral (fracture)
Fracture that spirals around bone.
spit box
A generic term describing a barn where horses are brought for post-race testing. Tests may include saliva, urine and/or blood.
spit the bit
A term referring to a tired horse that begins to run less aggressively, backing off on the "pull" a rider normally feels on the reins from an eager horse. Also used as a generic term for an exhausted horse.
splint
1) Either of the two small bones that lie along the sides of the cannon bone. 2) The condition where calcification occurs on the splint bone causing a bump. This can result from response to a fracture or other irritation to the splint bone. A common injury is a "popped splint," see periostitis.
sprint
Short race, less than one mile.
stakes
A race for which the owner usually must pay a fee to run a horse. The fees can be for nominating, maintaining eligibility, entering and starting, to which the track adds more money to make up the total purse. Some stakes races are by invitation and require no payment or fee.
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.
stallion season
The right to breed one mare to a particular stallion during one breeding season.
stallion share
A lifetime breeding right to a stallion; one mare per season per share.
stall walker
Horse that moves about its stall constantly and frets rather than rests.
standing bandages
See bandage.
star
1) Any of a number of white markings on the forehead. (The forehead is defined as being above an imaginary line connecting the tops of the eyes.) 2) A type of credit a horse receives from the racing secretary if it is excluded from an over-filled race, giving it priority in entering future races.
starter
1) An official responsible for ensuring a fair start to the race, the starter supervises the loading of horses into the starting gate through a gate crew. He/she also has control of the opening the gate. 2) A horse that is in the starting gate when the race begins, whether he runs or not.
starter race
An allowance or handicap race restricted to horses that have started for a specific claiming price or less.
starting gate
Partitioned mechanical device having stalls in which the horses are confined until the starter releases the stalls' confined front doors to begin the race.
state-bred
A horse bred in a particular state and thus eligible to compete in races restricted to state-breds.
stayer
A horse that can race long distances.
steadied
A horse being taken in hand by its rider, usually because of being in close quarters.
step up
A horse moving up in class to meet better competition.
stewards
Officials of the race meeting responsible for enforcing the rules of racing.
steeplechase
A race in which horses are required to jump over a series of obstacles on the course. Also known as a "chase."
stick
A jockey's whip.
sticker
See calk.
stifle
The large joint above the hock which is made up by the femur, the patella and the tibia.
stirrups
Metal "D"-shaped rings into which a jockey places his/her feet. They can be raised or lowered depending on the jockey's preference. Also known as "irons."
stockings
Solid white markings extending from the top of the hoof to the knee or hock.
stress (fracture)
A fracture produced by the stress created by a repetitive loading cycle on the bone, commonly found in athletic training. Usually seen in the front of the cannon bone as a severe form of bucked shins. Also seen in the tibia and causes a hard-to-diagnose hind limb lameness.
(home) stretch
Final straight portion of the racetrack to the finish.
stretch call
Position of horses at the eighth pole.
stretch runner
Horse that runs its fastest nearing the finish of a race.
stretch turn
Bend of track into the final straightaway.
stride
Manner of going. Also, distance covered between successive imprints of the same hoof.
stripe
A white marking running down a horse's face, starting under an imaginary line connecting the tops of the eyes.
stud
1) Male horse used for breeding. 2) A breeding farm.
stud book
Registry and genealogical record of Thoroughbreds, maintained by the Jockey Club of the country in question. Use lower case when describing a generic stud book, all words, including "The," are capitalized when describing "The American Stud Book."
subscription
Fee paid by owner to nominate a horse for a stakes race or to maintain eligibility for a stakes race.
substitute race
Alternate race used to replace a regularly scheduled race that does not fill or is canceled.
suckling
A foal in its first year of life, while it is still nursing.
sulk
When a horse refuses to extend itself.
superficial flexor tendon
Present in all four legs, but injuries most commonly affect the front legs. Located on the back (posterior) of the front leg between the knee and the foot and between the hock and the foot on the rear leg. The function is to flex the digit (pastern) and knee (carpus) and to extend the elbow on the front leg and extend the hock on the rear leg. Functions in tandem with the deep flexor tendon.
superior check ligament
Fibrous band of tissue that originates above the knee and attaches to the superficial flexor tendon. Primary function is support of this tendon. Accessory ligament of the superficial flexor tendon.
suspensory ligament
Originates at the back of the knee (front leg) and the back of the top part of the cannon bone (hind leg), attaching to the sesamoid bones. The lower portion of the ligament attaches the lower part of the sesamoid bones to the pastern bones. Its function is to support the fetlock. The lower ligaments that attaches the sesamoid bone to the pastern bones are the distal sesamoidean ligaments.
swayback
Horse with a prominent concave shape of the backbone, usually just behind the withers (saddle area). Scoliosis.
swipe
A groom.
synchronous diaphragmatic flutter
A contraction of the diaphragm in synchrony with the heart beat after strenuous exercise. Affected horses have a noticeable twitch or spasm in the flank area which may cause an audible sound, hence the term "thumps." Most commonly seen in electrolyte-depleted/exhausted horses. The condition resolves spontaneously with rest.
synovial fluid
Lubricating fluid contained within a joint, tendon sheath or bursa.
synovial joint
A movable joint that consists of articulating bone ends covered by articular cartilage held together with a joint capsule and ligaments and containing synovial fluid in the joint cavity.
synovial sheath
The inner lining of a tendon sheath that produces synovial fluid. Allows ease of motion for the tendons as they cross joints.
synovitis
Inflammation of a synovial structure, typically a synovial sheath.
T
tack
1) Rider's racing equipment. Also applied to stable gear. 2) As a verb, a jockey, including his/her equipment, as in "He tacks 112 pounds."
Tagamet
Trade name for the drug cimetidine, a medication used to treat ulcers.
take (takeout)
Commission deducted from mutuel pools which is shared by the track, horsemen (in the form of purses) and local and state governing bodies in the form of tax.
taken up
A horse pulled up sharply by its rider because of being in close quarters.
tape
See barrier.
tattoo
A permanent, indelible mark on the inside of the upper lip used to identify the horse.
teaser
A male horse used at breeding farms to determine whether a mare is ready to receive a stallion.
teletheater
Special facility for showing simulcast races.
tendon
Cords of strong, white (collagen) elastic fibers that connect a muscle to a bone or other structure and transmit the forces generated by muscular contraction to the bones.
thermography
Diagnostic technique utilizing instrumentation that measures temperature differences. Records the surface temperature of a horse. Unusually hot or cold areas may be indicative of some underlying pathology (deviation from the normal).
third phalanx
See coffin bone.
Thoroughbred
A Thoroughbred is a horse whose parentage traces back to any of the three "founding sires" the Darley Arabian, Byerly Turk and Godolphin Barb, and who has satisfied the rules and requirements of The Jockey Club and is registered in "The American Stud Book" or in a foreign stud book recognized by The Jockey Club and the International Stud Book Committee. Any other horse, no matter what its parentage, is not considered a Thoroughbred for racing and/or breeding purposes.
Thoroughbred Racing Associations (TRA)
An industry group comprised of many of the racetracks in North America.
thoroughpin
Swelling of the synovial sheath of the deep flexor tendon above the hock.
thumps
See synchronous diaphragmatic flutter.
tie-back surgery
A procedure (laryngoplasty) used to suture the arytenoid cartilage out of the airway. See roaring.
tight
Ready to race.
tightener
1) A race used to give a horse a level of fitness that cannot be obtained through morning exercises alone. 2) A leg brace.
timber topper
Jumper or steeplechase horse. More properly horses jumping over timber fences.
toe crack
A crack near the front of the hoof.
toe-in
A conformation flaw in which the front of the foot faces in and looks pigeon-toed, often causing the leg to swing outward during locomotion ("paddling").
toe-out
A conformation flaw in which the front of the foot faces out, often causing the leg to swing inward during locomotion ("winging").
tongue tie
Strip of cloth-type material used to stabilize a horse's tongue to prevent it from "choking down" in a race or workout or to keep the tongue from sliding up over the bit, rendering the horse uncontrollable. Also known as a "tongue strap."
top line
1) A Thoroughbred's breeding on its sire's side. 2) The visual line presented by the horse's back.
top weight
See high weight.
torsion
A twist in the intestine.
totalizator
An automated parimutuel system that dispenses and records betting tickets, calculates and displays odds and payoffs and provides the mechanism for cashing winning tickets. Often shortened to "tote."
tote board
The (usually) electronic totalizator display in the infield which reflects up-to-the-minute odds. It may also show the amounts wagered in each mutuel pool as well as information such as jockey and equipment changes, etc. Also known as the "board."
tout
Person who professes to have, and sells, advance information on a race. Also used as a verb meaning to sell or advertise. For example, "He's touting the four horse."
toxemia
A poisoning sometimes due the absorption of bacterial products (endotoxins) formed at a local source of infection.
track bias
A racing surface that favors a particular running style or position. For example, a track bias can favor either front-runners or closers or horses running on the inside or outside.
track condition
Condition of the racetrack surface. See fast; good; muddy; sloppy; frozen; hard; firm; soft; yielding; heavy.
trail off
Used to describe a fit horse losing its competitive edge.
trapped epiglottis
See entrapped epiglottis.
trial
In Thoroughbred racing, a preparatory race created in tandem with a subsequent, more important stakes race to be run a few days or weeks hence The Derby Trial.
trifecta
A wager picking the first three finishers in exact order. Called a "triactor" in Canada and a "triple" in some parts of the U.S.
trifecta box
A trifecta wager in which all possible combinations using a given number of horses are bet upon. The total number of combinations can be calculated according to the formula x3-3x2+2x, where x equals the amount of horses in the box. The sum of the formula is then multiplied by the amount wagered on each combination.
trip
An individual horse's race, with specific reference to the difficulty (or lack of difficulty) the horse had during competition, e.g., whether the horse was repeatedly blocked or had an unobstructed run.
triple
See trifecta.
Triple Crown
Used generically to denote a series of three important races, but is always capitalized when referring to historical races for three-year-olds. In the United States, the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. In England the 2,000 Guineas, Epsom Derby and St. Leger Stakes. In Canada, the Queen's Plate, Prince of Wales Stakes and Breeders' Stakes.
tubing
Inserting a nasogastric tube through a horse's nostril into its stomach for the purpose of providing oral medication.
turn down(s)
Rear shoe that is turned down --inch to one inch at the ends to provide better traction on an off-track. Illegal in many jurisdictions.
twitch
A restraining device usually consisting of a stick with a loop of rope or chain at one end, which is placed around a horse's upper lip and twisted, releasing endorphins that relax a horse and curb its fractiousness while it is being handled.
tying up (acute rhabdomyolysis)
A form of muscle cramps that ranges in severity from mild stiffness to a life-threatening disease. A generalized condition of muscle fiber breakdown usually associated with exercise. The cause of the muscle fiber breakdown is uncertain. Signs include sweating, reluctance to move, stiffness and general distress. See "Muscular Injuries" subsection of "Musculoskeletal System" in veterinary supplement for a more detailed explanation.
Note: Information Provided by Thoroughbred Racing Communications, Inc.
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