Furlong

A furlong is the standard unit of distance in horse racing, equal to one-eighth of a mile, or 220 yards. Race distances are given in furlongs for sprints (e.g. "6 furlongs" = three-quarters of a mile) and switch to miles for longer routes (e.g. "1 1/16 miles"). Knowing the distance is a primary handicapping fact — it shapes the pace and tells you which horses are fit for today's trip. See pace handicapping for why distance matters.