FIRST TURN - bend in the track beyond the starting point; also, the clubhouse turn.
FIT - term commonly used to describe a horse in the peak of condition.
FLOAT - a weighted, flat piece of equipment used to seal and remove the water from a racing surface; also, the filing down of the sharp edges of a horse's molars.
FOUL - an action taken by any horse or jokcey that hinders or interferes with another horse or jockey during the running of a race.
GELDING - a castrated male horse of any age.
GIRTH - the elastic strap, much like a belt, which is buckled to either side of the saddle and tightened around the horse's mid-section or girth passage. A second girth known as an overgirth is fastened over the girth and saddle as an extra precautionary measure.
HALTER - headgear used on a horse when being handled around barn or when being walked, when not using bridle; also, to claim a horse.
HAND - a unit of measurement, approximately four inches, by which a horse's height is measured; determined by placing one hand above the other from the ground to the withers (point where saddle rests).
HAND RIDE - Urging a horse with hands rather than using the whip.
HANDICAPPER - the racing secretary or other official who assigns weights, handicaps, and races; also, the jounalist who handicaps a day's racing card and reports his selections for the wagering public.
HANDICAPPING - making selections by determining relative qualities of horses through their past performanaces and class.
HANDILY - of a horse in a race, winning easily, in a workout, a pace which is a bit slower than driving but faster than breezing.
HANDLE - the aggergate amount of money passing through the pari-mutuel machines for a given period; total money wagered.
HEAD - a margin between horses which describes one horse leading another by the length of his head.
HEAD OF THE STRETCH - teh straightaway between the end of the far turn and the finish line.
HORSE - any equine regardless of sex; specifically, an entire male five years of age or older.
IDENTIFICATION - of horses, involves a system of recognition of several types of markings by the horse identifier. Markings are noted on an animal's breed registry papers and usually range from coat color, lip tatoos, hair whorls, cowlicks, white markings, night eyes, scars and brands.
IMPOST - weight carried or assigned to a racehorse.
IN THE MONEY - a horse finishing first, second, or third is "in the money" for the wagering public.
INFILED - area within the inner rail of the racetrack.
INQUIRY - the stewards' immediate investigation into interference in the running of a race which may result in the disqualificaiton of one or more horses.
INTERSTATE - wagering on a simulcast race from another state.
INTERTRACK - wagering on a simulcast race from another track.
INTRASTATE - wagering on a simulcast race from a track within the state.
IRONS - stirrups.
JAIL - signifying the 30 days after a horse has been claimed, in which in must run for a 25% higher claiming price that for what it was claimed.
JOCKEY - professional rider; also, to maneuver a horse in a race.
JOCKEY AGENT - person employeed by a jockey to secure mounts. A typical agent will be limited to one jockey and one apprentice jockey at any one time, and will usually earn around 25% of the jockey's earnings.
JOG - a slow easy gait, usually a trot, used primarily in warming-up horses before a race or workout.
LEAD PAD - equipment under the saddle where thin lead slapbs may be inserted to bring a rider's weight up to the weight assigned the horse in a specific race
