What are your favorite horse racing jargon terms ?

BDuncan · Postby **BDuncan** » Fri Nov 04, 2005 9:41 pm

What are your 'favorite' horse racing jargon terms that are used, but preferably ones that maybe aren't used often, or even if they are used quite often, are ones you consider more unusual or more humorous, compared to horse racing jargon terms used.

Contrast · Postby **Contrast** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 12:21 am

Not my favorite but my mom's reaction everytime she hears "broke his/her maiden" is priceless.

Inyureye · Postby **Inyureye** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 6:03 am

This is LightsOn who tried to change themes and screwed up her account.

snort

Should have come back on as "LightsOut,Now" Hee Hee, just teasing

louis finochio · Postby **louis finochio** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 7:14 am

My favorite is a LOOSE HORSE, as I would to refer to my neighbor as a loose horse.

Joe · Postby **Joe** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 8:01 am

I can think of several that usually make no sense at all to novices at the track, but are widely understood by most veterans. Underlay/Overlay is always great to explain, "Set down for the drive" in a race call or chart, lugged-in, propped, spit-the-bit, dwelt, all have to do in the decriptions of races that are widely understood by people familiar, but bizarre to the novice.

There are tons of others.

wilf · Postby **wilf** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 11:10 am

When I first came to north America I laughed when I heard someone declare that a certain slow horse "could not outrun a fat-man to a free meal". In Australia they say that they "could not run out of sight on a dark night". My favourite is that"NO MAN EVER COMMITTED SUICIDE WITH AN UNTRIED TWO YEAR OLD STILL IN HIS BARN."

reenci · Postby **reenci** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 5:48 pm

"run a hole in the wind" :lol:

..just luv that one...

tbrace · Postby **tbrace** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 7:03 pm

How about the way many horse race people talk only in the present tense, e.g., "He 'WIN" 10 races that year". God forbid a horse should have WON 10 races that year!

I shouldn't say anything. I find myself doing the same thing. I have a good filly who WIN her last out.

charlie · Postby **charlie** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 10:19 pm

on TV today, I heard a college football team ( I forget which one, and the station), referred to as having " SPIT The BIT"

monicabee · Postby **monicabee** » Sun Nov 06, 2005 7:39 am

Of course my favorite is "won at first asking," a phrase that came over from England, suposedly.

"Dwelt," which Joe mentioned, is a nice one too, though I suppose that can't be older than the use of the starting gate.

Learning the ritualized language of the racecourse is one of its greatest pleasures, from watching your two year old "taking a good hold" to "having your picture taken."

ZiaLand · Postby **ZiaLand** » Sun Nov 06, 2005 8:00 am

I often heard this said by and think it was borrowed from the military, but I've heard trainers and exercise riders described as reporting to work at "oh dark thirty" (a phrase for "very early in the morning"). Borrowed or not, I think it's a great little piece of jargon.

Laurie

Elusive City · Postby **Elusive City** » Sun Nov 06, 2005 8:03 am

well my favs are:

wheeled--not the betting term **LOL**
I tried to explain that one one time to non horse racing people
and got blank stares

Savaged--trying to bite ones competitor.

Jumped a shadow--horses are dumb animals.

steamer--the betting term; not sure where it comes from

Allan

Sysonby · Postby **Sysonby** » Sun Nov 06, 2005 8:11 am

Not a phrase but I've always loved how trainers use the royal we as in "We got in a little tight but after we shook lose, we had a lot left in the end and came on strong in the stretch."

Breeding phrases are fun for the non initiated. A typical exchange when a non horsey friend asks how a mare is doing.

"Great! She got in foal on a March cover."

"Does that mean what I think it means?"

"Well, they are farm animals."

madelyn · Postby **madelyn** » Sun Nov 06, 2005 10:29 am

Not exactly jargon... but relating to the mare item above.. we were at the home of some relatives and I was describing how we can manage to breed our stallions with just a few people. And how we will cover the mare when the mare is ready regardless of who is around... and my fifteen year old son might be the one holding the mare or watching the stallion cover to make sure he "flags and flowers"... and my cousin's wife, shocked, said "well I guess there's not much sex education needed there..." I was taken a bit aback but thought for a moment and replied, "Nope and he sees them get in foal on ONE COVER so I guess it's a pretty strong message."

ZiaLand · Postby **ZiaLand** » Sun Nov 06, 2005 10:36 am

madelyn wrote:and my cousin's wife, shocked, said "well I guess there's not much sex education needed there..." I was taken a bit aback but thought for a moment and replied, "Nope and he sees them get in foal on ONE COVER so I guess it's a pretty strong message."

OMG. That was brilliant! You should submit that for publication somewhere.

Why is it I can never think on my feet like that?

Laurie