Racing & Pari-Mutuel

Horse racing terms and phrases

Horse racing terms and phrases is a broad label for the specialised vocabulary used in the sport, covering jargon, idioms, and glossary terms for horses, races, betting, and form.

Also called: Horse-racing jargon, racing jargon, racing terms¹²
Applies to: Thoroughbred racing contexts, including flat racing, jump racing, betting language, and racecard reading¹²

Key points

The phrase covers the words and expressions used to describe horses, races, betting, and performance in racing.¹²
Different venues and regions may use overlapping but not identical terminology.¹³

Common questions

What do CD and BF mean in horse racing?

CD stands for "course and distance," meaning a horse has won over the same track and distance before. BF stands for "beaten favourite," indicating a horse was the favourite in its last race but did not win.

Where this term is used

Racing

Not the same as

Horse racing betting — the wagering activity itself, rather than the language used to describe it²

Racing Funny horse racing terms A collection of humorous or unusual terms found in horse racing jargon. Racing Horse racing terms for winning Specific words and phrases used to describe a horse winning a race. Racing Horse racing terms strands Explains the different strands or categories of horse racing terminology. Racing Handicap horse racing A race type where horses carry different weights to equalise their chances. Racing Horse betting terms Vocabulary specifically related to wagering on horse races. Racing Going horse racing Describes the condition of the racetrack surface and its effect on performance.

Sources

Glossary | Racing Explained thejockeyclub.co.uk Provides the official glossary and explanation of racing jargon from the Jockey Club.
Understanding The Jargon | Racing Explained thejockeyclub.co.uk Offers a guide to understanding racing jargon and betting terms.
Glossary of Australian and New Zealand punting - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org Shows that terminology can vary by region, specifically Australian and New Zealand punting.

Sources are drawn from regulators, universities and published research, and each one is labelled with what it actually is — a preprint is not called a paper. Bookmaker and affiliate pages are never cited here, because a page that sells betting is not a neutral authority on it.

Written and maintained by Ellis Warrender, writer and maintainer.

Last updated 28 July 2026. Spotted an error? Tell me and it gets fixed and logged on the corrections page.