America's Best Racing. The Jockey Club.

Rider's racing equipment. Also applied to stable gear.

A permanent, indelible mark on the inside of the upper lip used to identify the horse. In Quarter Horses the letter/number combination is five numbers or four numbers ending in a letter. In Thoroughbreds, it is a letter followed by five numbers.

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.

An industry group comprised of many of the racetracks in North America.

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."

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.

Time a racetrack or training facility is open for horses to exercise. Often from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. with a break for harrowing the track.

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.

A prize given to the winning trainer, owner and/or jockey of a race.

Grass covered race course.