Daily double: Type of wager selecting winners of two consecutive races, usually the first and second or the final two contests.
Dam: Female parent of a foal.
Dam's sire: Sire of a broodmare in reference to the maternal grandsire of a foal.
Dark bay or brown: Color of horse ranging from brown with areas of tan on the shoulders, head and flanks, to a dark brown, with tan areas seen only in the flanks and/or muzzle; mane, tail and lower portions of the legs are always black unless white markings are present.
Dead heat: Two or more horses finishing in a tie from first on down in a race.
Deep stretch: Very close to the finish line in a race.
Derby: A stakes for 3-year-olds.
Deworming: Use of drugs (anthelmintics) to kill internal parasites, often performed by oral paste or by passing a nasogastric tube into the horse's stomach.
Distaff: A female horse.
Distanced: A horse so far behind the rest of the field that the runner's out of contact with rivals and unable to regain a position of contention.
Dogs: Rubber traffic cones or a wooden barrier placed at certain distances out from the inner rail when the track is wet, muddy, soft, yielding or heavy to prevent horses during workouts from churning the footing along the rail.
Dorsal displacement of soft palate: A condition in which the soft palate, located on floor of airway near larynx, moves up into airway. A minor displacement causes a gurgling sound during exercise while in more serious cases the palate can block the airway. This condition can sometimes be managed with equipment such as a figure eight noseband or a tongue tie, but in more extreme cases surgery might be required, most commonly a "myectomy."
Dosage Index: A mathematical reduction of the dosage profile derived from a theory on pedigree analysis that identifies patterns of horses' abilities in five categories that reflect potential for speed and stamina. The higher the number, the more likely the horse is suited to be a sprinter.
DQ: Abbreviation for disqualified.
Driving: A horse that's all out to win and under strong urging from the jockey.
Drop down: Meeting a lower class of rivals that the horse had been running against.
Dwelt: Extremely late in breaking from the gate.
Hit this text to go back to the Horse Racing Terms Main Page
Here are some other handy links to the major races that you may fine valuable through out the year. We also have updated event pages for all major races. Check out our home page on the left navigation bar under the handicapping resources section during all major horse racing events. (Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes and Breeders Cup)
Kentucky Derby Odds
Kentucky Derby Picks
Preakness Stakes Odds
Preakness Stakes Picks
Belmont Stakes Odds
Belmont Stakes Picks
Breeders Cup Odds
Breeders Cup Picks
Remember to drop us a line if you have any questions about our Horse Racing Terms and Betting Terms or if there is anything we missed at service@docsports.com