Track & conditions
Scratching
A scratching is the withdrawal of a horse that had accepted for a race, whether for veterinary reasons, a change of plan, or a stewards' direction. Scratchings change field size, barrier positions and the pace map, and they can shift a race's paying place positions — a field dropping from eight to seven runners cuts place betting from three placings to two.
In use
Two scratchings cut the field to seven, reducing place dividends to first and second.