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A Day at the Races Trivia Quiz

My friend Serena has asked me to go to Churchill Downs with her and her friends, but I don't know a thing about racing! Can you help me?

A multiple-choice quiz by euphonic. Estimated time: 3 mins.

Author
euphonic

Time
3 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
326,240

Updated
Sep 21 24

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Easy

Avg Score
8 / 10

Plays
655

Awards
Top 20% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. We have arrived at the track and Serena asks me if I need the form. Quick, what is she talking about? Hint

Form notes

Dress C ode

A beginner's betting guide

Daily racing form

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. Serena asks what I think of the first race on the card, a maiden race. What is a maiden race? Hint

a race with no restrictions

a race restricted to females

a race for horses who have never won before

a race for horses who finished second last time out

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. Serena tells me that the first race is contested at 8 furlongs. What distance is a furlong? Hint

220 feet

220 inches

220 meters

220 yards

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. Serena tells me that she is going to bet. I have been staring at the infield tote board, and the numbers are continually changing on it. Why do the odds keep changing? Hint

the odds chanage as each bet is made

the track is trying to balance the number of bets on each horse

the track handicapper changed his mind about each horse's chance of winning

the odds are randomly generated once every minute

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. Serena tells me that her favorite wager is the "daily double". What is that? Hint

betting on the winners of two consecutive races

betting how many times there will be a dead heat that day

betting on the first two horses to finish the race

betting on a horse to finish first or second

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. Serena says the next race is a claiming race. What does that mean? Hint

the race is run on the turf course

bettors can only bet to win

each horse carries a different amount of weight to try to even their chances

every horse competing is offered for sale for a set price

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. Serena tells me that she really likes horse #3 in this race. She says he has really high "beyers". What is she talking about? Hint

a numerical approximation of how fast a horse has run in past races

a jockey on a hot streak

owners who win a lot of races each year

really high odds

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. Serena says that she really likes to look at the horses before the race and examine their conformation. What is she talking about? Hint

the physical attributes of each horse

the type of saddle each horse will carry

the religious affiliation of each horse

the shoes each horse wears

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. Serena is really excited about the next race. She says that it is a derby. What does that mean? Hint

the race is a stakes race for 3-year old horses only

the race is open to any horse so it will be a really good race

the race is for females only

the race is for fan favorites

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. I have really enjoyed my day at the races with Serena. She tells me I should come to Churchill Downs for the first Saturday in May. Why did she tell me to come back that day? Hint

For the Breeder's Cup

For the Preakness Stakes

For the Belmont Stakes

For the Kentucky Derby

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. We have arrived at the track and Serena asks me if I need the form. Quick, what is she talking about?

Answer: Daily racing form

The "Form" contains the past performance records of the horses that will compete in the day's races. Yes, you need it, or another version of the past performance records of the horses.

2. Serena asks what I think of the first race on the card, a maiden race. What is a maiden race?

Answer: a race for horses who have never won before

Winners of maiden races are said to have "broken their maiden". The sex of the horse doesn't matter. If the horse hasn't won a race it's considered a maiden, even if it is a male horse.

3. Serena tells me that the first race is contested at 8 furlongs. What distance is a furlong?

Answer: 220 yards

The distance of races (in America) is measured in furlongs. The most common distance for races is 6 furlongs. Six furlongs equals 3/4 mile.

4. Serena tells me that she is going to bet. I have been staring at the infield tote board, and the numbers are continually changing on it. Why do the odds keep changing?

Answer: the odds chanage as each bet is made

Churchill Downs, and all American tracks, use parimutuel wagering. In parimutuel wagering, each bet affects the odds. As money comes in on one horse, that horse's potential payoff (odds) go down, while the other horses' potential payoff goes up.

It is a common misconception that the track controls the odds in an effort to make more money. Actually the track takes a percentage of the total amount bet and pays back the rest to the winning bettors. The track does not have an interest in which horse wins or loses.

5. Serena tells me that her favorite wager is the "daily double". What is that?

Answer: betting on the winners of two consecutive races

Despite the name, the daily double may be offered multiple times on the same day. It originally linked the winners of the 1st and 2nd races, or the winners of the last two races on the card.

Picking the first two horses to finish the race in any order is a bet called the quinella (or quiniella), while picking them in exact order is an exacta (or exactor).

Betting on a horse to finish first or second is betting to "place".

6. Serena says the next race is a claiming race. What does that mean?

Answer: every horse competing is offered for sale for a set price

Claiming races are the most common types of races run. Anyone can purchase any horse in a claiming race. If a horse is claimed, the original owner gets to keep any money that the horse won, while the new owner is expected to take possession of the horse right away after the race. The new owner is now responsible for the horse, even if the horse suffered an injury in the race.

7. Serena tells me that she really likes horse #3 in this race. She says he has really high "beyers". What is she talking about?

Answer: a numerical approximation of how fast a horse has run in past races

Beyer speed figures (or "beyers") can be found in the Daily Racing Form. These figures are generated for each horse in every race. While these figures are based on a rather complex formula, the essential idea is that horses who run faster earn higher "beyers". A champion horse can earn "beyers" of 110-120+.

Andy Beyer of the Washington Post created this expression.

8. Serena says that she really likes to look at the horses before the race and examine their conformation. What is she talking about?

Answer: the physical attributes of each horse

Some bettors believe they can just look to tell if a horse will be able to run fast based on the way it is built. While there is some merit to the practice, it is an inexact science.

9. Serena is really excited about the next race. She says that it is a derby. What does that mean?

Answer: the race is a stakes race for 3-year old horses only

Every horse born in the Northern Hemisphere has the same birthday, January 1, regardless of the actual day the horse was born.

10. I have really enjoyed my day at the races with Serena. She tells me I should come to Churchill Downs for the first Saturday in May. Why did she tell me to come back that day?

Answer: For the Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby is known as the "most exciting two minutes in sports". It is the first leg of the American Triple Crown, a series of races restricted to three year olds.

The Preakness and the Belmont are the second and third legs respectively of the American Triple Crown.

The Breeder's Cup is a series of races contested in late October or early November of each year and offers some of the largest purses of the year. The absolute best horses compete in the Breeder's Cup.

Source: Author euphonic

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Nightmare before going online.
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