Horse Racing Moments

Here are some general terms used in horse racing that you need to know.

Across the board – this means you bet on a horse finishing first, second, and third place. If the horse wins first place, you get winnings on all your three wagers. If the horse wins second place, you get winnings on your second and third place wagers. If the horse wins third place, then you get winnings only on your third place wager.

Also Ran – the term used for horses which raced but did not finish in the money.

Backstretch – the straight area of the track in between turns.

Blanket finish – this happens when horses reach the finish line packed together.

Box – used to refer to a wager in which you choose all the possible combinations that a horse can come in.

Claiming race – a race wherein the horses in it can be bought. If a winning horse is bought, the earnings from the race go to the previous owner.

Clocker – a person who times races and workouts.

Closer – a horse that saves its energy for the last leg of the race. A closer has more chances of winning a race wherein the other horses expend all their energy early on.

Daily Double – the first and second races of the day. In these races, you pick the winner.

Exacta – an exotic wager wherein you have to bet on the exact win and place of a race. For example, a 5-6 exacta means the 5 horse must win and the 6 horse must place.

Field – all the horses running or racing in a particular race.

Firm – a term used to refer to the condition of a track of Turf.

Front runner – a horse that leads the field as far as possible.

In the money – the term used to refer to horses that finish in the first, second, and third places.

Maiden – a horse that has never won a race.

Maiden race – a race wherein all of the horses racing are maidens.

On the nose – betting on a horse to win only.

Photo finish – when two or more horses reach the finish line almost simultaneously, a photo is examined to see which one finished first.

Purse – the total prize money distributed to the owners.

Router – a horse that performs well in distance races.

Show – third place finish.

Turf – a grass track.

Win – first place finish.

Wire – the finish line.

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Horse racing being one of the most popular spectator sports in the US, there are countless horse racing tracks to be found all over the country. Yet there is a handful that the general public would consider to be the best. Here are the 5 top horse racing tracks in America today.

Churchill Downs
Undoubtedly one of the best, if not the best, horse racing tracks in the country today. Located on Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, this horse racing track is most well known for being the annual host of the Kentucky Derby. It officially opened in 1875. This was the same year that the Kentucky Derby was first held. Aside from the popular Kentucky Derby, the Breeders’ Cup has been held at Churchill Downs six times already, the most recent one being in 2006.

Belmont Park
Located in Elmont, New York in Nassau County on Long Island, this thoroughbred racing facility features a main track a mile and half long. It is in fact the longest dirt track in thoroughbred racing. First opened in May 4, 1905, Belmont Park is known all over the world as the home of the Belmont Stakes which is the third leg of the Triple Crown.

Hollywood Park
Located in Inglewood, California, this race course was opened in 1938 by the Hollywood Turf Club. It was also host to the first Breeders’ Cup in 1984. There is a one and one-eighth mile dirt track and a one mile turf track. Ten thousand people can be seated at a single time.

Santa Anita
Another track in California, Santa Anita offers some of the most prominent races during autumn and winter. This track went into operation in 1934 and is a proud host to the Santa Anita Derby and the Santa Anita Handicap. It has a one mile dirt track with an inside turf track measuring 9/10s of a mile. It also has a unique hillside turf course which crosses the dirt, one of the few in existence in the US.

Saratoga
Located in Saratoga Springs, New York, this race course opened in 1863. A year later, a tradition was started with the first Travers Stakes. This race course has earned two monikers over the decades – The Spa and The Graveyard of Favorites, the latter due to the large number of upsets that have occurred here. There are three different tracks at Saratoga.

Related Link: Dressage Trainers - plus Barns, Breeders & Horses for sale