FALTERED – a term used for a horse that was in contention early and drops back in the late stages. It is more drastic than weakened but less drastic than stopped.
FALSE FAVOURITE – a horse who is bet down to favouritism when others would appear to outclass him on form
FAST TRACK – footing at its best; dry, fast and even
FAVOURITE – the horse that has the most money bet on it to win
FIELD – the horses in a race
FIELD HORSE (or MUTUEL FIELD) – two or more starters running as a single betting unit, when there are more entrants than the totalisator board can accommodate
FILLY – a female horse up to and including the age of 4 (thoroughbred) and up to and including the age of 3 (standardbreds)
FIRM – a turf course condition corresponding to fast on a dirt track
FIRST OVER – in harness racing, the first horse to challenge the leader in a race, moving up on the outside
FLATTEN OUT – when a horse drops its head almost on a straight line with its body. May indicate exhaustion.
FOAL – newly born horse until it is weaned. Male or female
FOUR FURLONGS – half a mile; 880 yards; 2,640 feet
FRACTIONAL TIME – intermediate time recorded in a race, as at the quarter, half, three-quarters, etc.
FREE-LEGGED – a pacer which races without hopples
FRESH (FRESHENED) – a rested horse
FRONT RUNNER – a horse who usually leads (or tries to lead) the field
FURLONG – one-eighth of a mile; 220 yards; 660 feet
GAIT – the ways in which a horse can move - walk, trot, pace, canter, gallop, run, etc.
GALLOP – a four-beat gait, faster than a canter. Also, to ride a horse at that gait, as in to “gallop a horse”
GATE – the starting mechanism which thoroughbreds break out of at the start of a race or which standardbreds race behind to line them up for the beginning of a race
GELDING – a castrated male horse of any age
GET – progeny of sire
GOING – term used to describe the condition of the track – fast, muddy, firm, yielding, etc.
GOING AWAY – to win while increasing lead – drawing away
GOOD BOTTOM – track that is firm under the surface, which may be sloppy or wet
GOOD TRACK – condition between fast and slow
GRADED RACE – races designated as the most prestigious in Canada and the United States (Grade I, Grade II, Grade III)
GRADUATE – winning at a class and moving up
GREY – a horse whose colouring is a mixture of white and black hairs. The mane and tail can be of darker or lighter colours.
GROOM – licensed handler responsible for the daily care of one or more race horses
GROUP RACE – European equivalent to graded races
HALF - half a mile, four furlongs; 880 yards; 2,640 feet.
HAND - four inches. Unit used in measuring height of a horse from withers to ground.
HANDICAP - a race a handicapper assigns weights to be carried. Also, to handicap a race, to make selections on the basis of the past performances.
HANDICAPPER - one who assigns weights. Also one who makes selections on past performances.
HANDILY - working or racing with moderate effort, but more effort than breezing.
HANDLE - amount of money wagered in the pari-mutuel pool on a race, a program, a meeting or a year.
HAND RIDE - a jockey urging a horse with the hands and not using the whip.
HEAD - a margin between the horses. One horse leading another by the length of his head.
HEAD OF THE STRETCH - beginning of the stretch run home.
HEAVY - the condition of a track similar to, but even slower than muddy.
HORSE - broadly, in any Thoroughbred regardless of sex. Specifically, an entire male 5 years old or older.
HUNG - a horse tiring, but holding position.