SnipSmall patch of white hairs on the nose or lips of a horse.
Soft (turf)Condition of a turf course with a large amount of moisture. Horses sink very deeply into it.
SophomoresThree-year-old horses. Called sophomores because age three is the second year of racing eligibility.
Speed FigureA handicapping tool used to assign a numerical value to a horse's performance.
Spit the BitA term referring to a tired horse that begins to run less aggressively, backing off on the "pull" a rider normally feels on the reins from an eager horse. Also used as a generic term for an exhausted horse.
SprintShort race, less than one mile.
StakesA race for which the owner usually must pay a fee to run a horse. The fees can be for nominating, maintaining eligibility, entering and starting, to which the track adds more money to make up the total purse. Some stakes races are by invitation and require no payment or fee.
Stakes HorseA horse whose level of competition includes mostly stakes races.
Stakes-PlacedFinished second or third in a stakes race.
Starter1) An official responsible for ensuring a fair start to the race, the starter supervises the loading of horses into the starting gate through a gate crew. He/she also has control of the opening the gate. 2) A horse that is in the starting gate when the race begins, whether he runs or not.