A horse race is a contest of speed among horses that are ridden by jockeys or pulled by drivers in sulkies. The goal is to determine which horse will cross the finish line first. Betting on the outcome of a race is common among racing fans, and can include placing a bet to win, place, or show. A bettor can also make accumulator bets, which pay out based on the number of races won.
Behind the romanticized facade of Thoroughbred horse racing is a world of injuries, drug abuse, and gruesome breakdowns. Pushed beyond their limits, the horses in horse races often suffer from a variety of ailments, including exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (bleeding from the lungs). They are also subjected to cocktails of legal and illegal drugs that mask pain and boost performance.
While the horse race industry is making some progress in improving animal welfare, it continues to struggle with a shrinking fan base, declining revenue and race days, and an increasing awareness of the dark side of the sport. PETA’s groundbreaking investigations into euthanasia, abusive training practices for young horses, and drug use have helped to put horse racing in the spotlight.
The most famous flat horse races in the world, such as the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Melbourne Cup, Japan Cup and Dubai World Cup are run over distances ranging from 2 miles to 10 furlongs (4 km to 6 km). Traditionally, horses are started from starting stalls, though steeple chases, hurdles and jump races may be started with a flag (requires special permission).
In order to compete in a horse race, a horse must have a pedigree that includes a sire and dam. The pedigree is verified by a certificate from the breeder.
A race is usually contested by a field of horses that are assigned weights to level the playing field. These weights are based on the horses’ age, distance, sex and the race type. A horse that is a “winner” of a race is awarded prize money. A winning margin is the amount by which a horse beats its competitors.
As dash racing (one heat) became the rule, a few inches gained in a race began to matter, and jockeys’ skill and judgment was increasingly important. In addition, as the era of handicapping came to be, races were categorized according to their difficulty, and a horse’s chances of winning were determined by its weight in a given race.
The original King’s Plate races were standardized races for six-year-old horses carrying 168 pounds in four-mile heats. Five- and four-year-olds were admitted to the race beginning in 1751, and the heats were reduced to two miles. A horse must win two heats to be declared the winner of a King’s Plate race. A horse must also pass a medical examination before it can race.