In thoroughbred horse racing, “checked” refers to when a horse is pulled back or slowed down by its jockey due to interference or being blocked during a race.
The term specifically describes situations where a jockey must momentarily restrain their mount because the horse is “cut off or in tight quarters”. This can occur when a horse’s run is “momentarily blocked by another horse or horses” or when the rider encounters “traffic trouble” that requires them to change the horse’s stride.
The term “checked” is interchangeable with “steadied” in racing terminology. Race commentators and official race reports commonly use this term to explain why a horse may have lost ground or failed to maintain its position during a race. When a horse is described as having been “checked repeatedly,” it indicates the jockey had to slow the horse multiple times due to ongoing traffic problems.