Sprint
Short race, less than one mile.  

Stakes
A 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 Horse
A horse whose level of competition includes mostly stakes races.  

Stakes-Placed
Finished second or third in a stakes race.  

Starter
1) 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.  

Starter Race
An allowance or handicap race restricted to horses that have started for a specific claiming price or less.  

Starting Gate
Partitioned mechanical device having stalls in which the horses are confined until the starter releases the stalls' confined front doors to begin the race.  

State Bred
A horse bred in a particular state and thus eligible to compete in races restricted to state-breds.  

Stayer
A horse that can race long distances.  

Steadied
A horse being taken in hand by its rider, usually because of being in close quarters.  

Step Up
A horse moving up in class to meet better competition.  

Steward
Officials of the race meeting responsible for enforcing the rules of racing.  

Stirrups
Metal "D"-shaped rings into which a jockey places his/her feet. They can be raised or lowered depending on the jockey's preference. Also known as "irons."  

Stretch
Final straight portion of the racetrack to the finish.  

Stretch Call
Position of horses at the eighth pole.  

Stretch Runner
Horse that runs its fastest nearing the finish of a race.  

Stride
Manner of going. Also, distance covered between successive imprints of the same hoof.  

Stud
1) Male horse used for breeding. 2) A breeding farm.