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GLOSSARY OF RACETRACK TERMS
Across the Board: A win, place and show wager on a particular greyhound.
AGC: American Greyhound Council, Inc., a non-profit group jointly
supported by American Greyhound Track Operators Association members and National
Greyhound Association members, the purpose of which is to provide for the
betterment of the welfare of racing greyhounds and the greyhound industry.
AGTOA: American Greyhound Track Operators Association, a non-profit
corporation comprised of owners and operators of greyhound racetracks.
All-America Team: The eight top racing greyhounds selected each year by
American Greyhound Track Operators Association.
Backstretch: A straightaway on the far side of the racetrack.
Bertillon Card: A greyhound's identification card that lists 56 physical
identifying points for every registered racing greyhound. No two greyhounds are
alike.
Blanket: A covering for a greyhound bearing a number and color
corresponding to its post position. Could also be called a Racing Silk or
Speedo.
Box: The post position the greyhound will be racing from or the starting
box itself. Also describes a wager involving the inclusion of a combination of
greyhounds in a race. May also hear this referred to as a hole.
Breeder: The individual who is the owner or lessee of his or her dam at
the time of whelping.
Brindle: A streaky combination of colors, usually including a
predominance of brown or tan.
Calls: The position of each greyhound at specific points around the track
during a race.
Career record: A series of five numbers indicating, in order, a
greyhound's total number of starts, followed by first place, second place, third
place and fourth-place finishes. Often preceded by an abbreviation showing the
track at which the starts were recorded.
Chart: A record of each race showing finish, calls, odds and comments
describing each racer's performance.
Class: The grade of a race or a greyhound.
Dam: The mother of a greyhound.
Dead heat: An exact tie between two or more greyhounds in a single race.
Draw: A random process by which each greyhound's starting position is
determined.
Fast track: A firm track on which the greyhound can achieve its best
speed.
Flashy Sir Award: Given each year to the nation's top distance (3-8 mile)
greyhound by the Greyhound Review; named for an outstanding distance greyhound
of the mid-1940s, now a Hall of Fame member.
Grading system: Method of assuring greyhounds compete against racers of
similar caliber; grades are assigned according to performance, with the top
grade being “A”. Some tracks use a grade AA.
Greyhound Hall of Fame: A museum and shrine to the greats of the sport.
Located in Abilene, Kan.
Judge: A racing official responsible for making decisions concerning
photo finish results, eligibility and other racing matters.
Kennel: A business that cares for and races greyhounds under contract
with one or more tracks.
Leadout: A handler, employed by the track, whose job includes parading
racers in front of the public and placing them in the starting box before a
race.
Length: The margin equal to the length of one greyhound. Used to denote
how far ahead or behind each greyhound is during or after a race. Measuring
speed, each length is computed to represent about 7/lOOths of a second.
Lure: A mechanical device attached to an arm and electrically driven
around the racing oval.
Lure operator: The person responsible for keeping the lure a uniform
distance ahead of the greyhounds during a race.
Maiden: Any greyhound that has not won an official race and is less than
2 years old, a graded maiden.
Matinee: A program of racing held during the afternoon hours.
Muzzle: A wire, leather or plastic device, with a white tip, which is
fitted over the greyhound's mouth and jaws and used to aid in photo finishes.
NGA: National Greyhound Association made up of greyhound owners, breeders
and trainers; recognized as a registry for racing greyhounds in the United
States.
Nose: The slimmest margin of victory.
O.P. Smith: Owen Patrick Smith, inventor of a revolutionary mechanical
lure, circa 1912, that could travel around a circular track; considered the
“Father” of American greyhound racing.
Pari-Mutuel: Means “betting among ourselves.” Type of wagering system at
greyhound, thoroughbred, harness and jai alai facilities.
Place: A wagering term describing the greyhound finishing second in a
race.
Post: A greyhound's post position or starting box number.
Post parade: The parading of the greyhounds before the race after they
leave the paddock area. It includes he blanket and muzzle inspection.
Post time: The starting time of the race.
Program: A printed guide to the day's races, including details such as
the specifications and grades of individual races, post positions, past
performances, charts, handicapper's selections, overnight entries, track records
and other racing statistics.
Racing Commission: A state or county regulatory agency that oversees all
aspects of greyhound racing.
Racing Secretary: The track official whose major functions include
determining how many races of each grade are to be run over each distance for
any given performance and conducting the random draw for post position.
Rural Rube Award: Given each year to the nation's top sprint (5/l6ths
mile) greyhound by the Greyhound Review; named for an outstanding sprinter of
the late 1930s, now in the Hall of Fame.
Schooling race: An unofficial training or qualifying race with no
wagering allowed.
Scratch: Withdrawal of a greyhound from a race.
Show: A wagering term describing the greyhound finishing third in a race.
Sire: The father of a greyhound.
Sprint: A race run over five-sixteenths of a mile or shorter.
Stakes Race: A championship race or one for a purse larger than those
offered for other feature races.
Starter: A greyhound becomes a starter for the race when the doors of the
starting box open.
Tattoos: An identification number placed inside the ear of a registered
racing greyhound.
Trainer: A kennel employee whose responsibility is preparing greyhounds
for racing and caring for them at all times.
WGRF: World Greyhound Racing Federation, the worldwide promotion
association for the sport.
Whelping: The act of birth.
Win: A wagering term describing the first greyhound across the finish
line.
Winner's Circle: Where the winning greyhound proceeds following the race,
often to participate in a ceremonial presentation.
Wire: The finish line for the race.
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