Racing glossary
Horse racing has a language of its own, built up over centuries. Most of the terms you hear at the track, in a racecard or on a broadcast turn up in Padooko too. This glossary explains the most common ones as they're used in real racing, and tells you where you'll meet them in the game.
Distance and the track
Furlong
The traditional unit of race distance in English-speaking countries, equal to about 201 meters. Eight furlongs make a mile. Türkiye and most of continental Europe measure races in meters.
In Padooko, distances are in meters. The poles the race caller calls out ("the final 400," "the final 200") are the metric descendants of the old furlong poles.
Mile
About 1609 meters. Mile races are where speed and stamina are tested in the most even balance, and they're the backbone of the classic racing calendar.
In Padooko the Mile band runs from 1600 to 2000 meters; one of the three lobbies on the board is always a mile race.
Going
How hard or soft the ground is. The going is always printed on the racecard, because the same horse can run two completely different races on firm and on heavy ground.
In Padooko the going comes in four grades, Firm, Good, Soft and Heavy, and changes with the weather. See Tracks.
Turf, dirt, synthetic
The racing surface. Europe's great classics are mostly run on turf and America's big races mostly on dirt; synthetic tracks were developed to give a more consistent surface in any weather. In Türkiye both turf and dirt are common.
Padooko has three surfaces: dirt, turf and synthetic. Every horse has a favorite.
Rail
The fence along the inside edge of the track. Taking a turn close to the rail shortens the trip, which is why a position on the inside is valuable.
In Padooko, going wide on a turn both lengthens the trip and costs more speed. Horses with the "Rail hugger" trait like to take the turn on the inside.
Horses and careers
Foal, colt, filly, stallion, mare
A foal is a young horse. In racing, a young male is a colt and a young female a filly; at stud, the male is a stallion and the female a mare.
In Padooko horses race from age two; foals from the foal counter are already of racing age, while foals born at your stud grow up first. See Breeding.
Maiden
A horse that has never won a race. In real racing, maiden races are open only to non-winners, and a horse's first win is called "breaking its maiden."
In Padooko the lowest class is called Maiden. A horse that has never won may also drop down a class to find its level.
Sprinter, miler, stayer
A horse's type, by the distance it runs best. A sprinter explodes over a short trip, a miler is best around a mile, and a stayer wears its rivals down over a long one.
In Padooko foals are born as one of these types; there are also balanced horses that suit any trip, and late bloomers.
Form
A horse's recent finishing positions. Racecards usually show it as a string of figures, with the latest run first.
In Padooko a horse's card shows its last six finishes. Form also affects a horse's value.
Handicap
A handicap is a race in which horses carry different weights according to their ability, with the aim of giving every runner an equal chance on paper. The handicapper is the official who sets each horse's weight.
In Padooko, Handicap is also the name of the second class, and races in that class are run under weights: a horse stronger than the field's middle carries more.
Rating
A number that measures a horse's performance. In real racing, handicappers set ratings by looking at the margins a horse wins by and the rivals it beats.
In Padooko every horse starts at 0, and its rating changes only with its results on the track. See Season and rating.
Training
Gallop
The horse's fastest gait, the full-speed run that races are run at. In training, "a gallop" usually means a controlled workout at a strong tempo.
In Padooko the "Long gallop" is the main workout for building stamina.
Canter
A relaxed, controlled pace between the trot and the gallop. Horses canter to warm up and in light work, and they usually canter down to the start before a race.
Padooko has no separate canter workout; for light work there's the trail walk. See Training.
In the race
Starting gate and slot
The gate with individual stalls that horses start from. In real racing, each horse's stall is drawn, and its number decides where it starts.
In Padooko every horse has a slot. You don't pick it; the next free one is yours. Winning from slot 8 earns a badge.
Front-runner, stalker, closer
Running styles. A front-runner goes to the lead and sets the pace; a stalker waits just behind the leader; a closer hangs back and makes its run in the straight.
In Padooko every horse has a running style, and it spends less energy when it's where its style wants to be. See Race tactics.
Drafting
Running right behind another horse to shelter from the wind. As in cycling, the horse behind spends less energy.
In Padooko the "In the draft" flag lights up when you're drafting.
Boxed in
Being unable to get out when there's a slower horse in front and other horses on both sides. Plenty of races are lost by a good horse getting boxed in at the wrong moment.
In Padooko "Boxed in" appears on screen; the cure is to change lanes.
Length, nose
Units for the gap between horses. A length is roughly the length of a horse; a nose is the smallest margin there is, the tip of a nose.
In Padooko the results table and the race caller describe gaps in lengths.
Photo finish
A photograph taken at the line to decide the winner when two or more horses cross it almost together.
In Padooko there's a dedicated photo-finish camera, and the race caller announces that the judges are looking at the photo.
Time
How long a horse took to complete the race. In Turkish racing the same word, "derece," is used both for a horse's time and for its finishing position.
Tack and care
Blinkers, visor, cheek pieces
Tack that narrows a horse's field of vision to keep its mind on the race. Blinkers block the view to the side and behind, a visor is a lighter version, and cheek pieces do a gentler version of the same job with sheepskin strips.
In Padooko all three go in the eyes slot. See Gear.
Tongue tie
A strap that holds the horse's tongue in place and keeps its airway clear. It's used on horses that have trouble breathing at speed.
Groom
The person who looks after a horse day to day: feeding, grooming, walking. In Padooko it's also your groom who brings you foals and gives you a guess about their future.
Breeding
Pedigree
A horse's ancestry. In racing, pedigree is one of the most important signs of a horse's value.
In Padooko, Legend horses each belong to one of fifteen legend lines. See Legend lines.
Nick
A pairing of two bloodlines that complement each other well. Breeders hunt for good nicks across generations.
In Padooko the stud page shows a match word for every pair.
Stud fee
The fee for breeding a mare to another yard's stallion. Successful stallions can command very high fees.
In Padooko each season has its visiting stallions, and their fees grow with their quality.
Padooko is a horse racing and yard management game; there is no betting in it. You take part in races only with your own horses.