In betting talk, “on top” means you are using a horse in the win position of an exotic bet (the 1st-place slot in an exacta, trifecta, superfecta, etc.).
What “on top” means
- If someone says “I'm putting the 4 on top,” they mean the 4 must win; all other horses on the ticket are behind it in 2nd, 3rd, 4th.
- In an exacta, “4 over 1,2,3” means 4 on top (must win), with 1, 2, or 3 second.
- In a trifecta, “5 on top with 2,3 for second and 2,3,4 for third” means 5 must win; others only fill the underneath spots.
Synonyms:
over