What does “scr” mean in horse racing?

“Scr” is an abbreviation for scratch, which indicates that a horse who has been entered in a race has been withdrawn. There are three main types of scratches – early scratches that occur before race day, race day scratches that typically occur in the morning, and late scratches, which can occur even after the horses have been loaded into the starting gate.

A horse can be scratched for multiple reasons: It may have begun to cough on the morning of the race or suffered a setback in training. Or a trainer or owner might decide the competition is too tough and scratch in order to find an easier spot to run (though racing secretaries discourage the practice. On rare occasions, a horse can be scratched if it is determined that it does not qualify under the conditions of a race.

In addition to owners and trainers, track veterinarians and stewards have the authority to scratch a horse.