The Horse Race
A horse race is a contest of speed or stamina between two horses in a fixed length of time, in which the winner is determined by whichever one crosses the finish line first. The sport is one of the oldest in history and has evolved from a primitive test of physical endurance into a huge public-entertainment spectacle involving thousands of horses, sophisticated electronic monitoring equipment, and immense sums of money. While critics often equate the sport with gambling and corruption, others point to its historic ties to the monarchy and nobility as a source of its respectability and popularity.
During the 19th century, thoroughbred racing became one of the world’s most popular sports. Despite the Civil War and subsequent economic turmoil, the industry survived, with many major American tracks established, including Saratoga and Jerome Park in New York City. The Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes were all established in the late 1800s, creating the American Triple Crown series. Winning all three races, each contested over a different distance—a mile and a quarter (Derby), a mile and 3/16ths (Preakness) and a mile and a half (Belmont), is incredibly difficult.
In addition to the standard requirements of pedigree and age, horses are handicapped on a variety of criteria, including their past performance record. The more recent and better the performance, the lower the weight they must carry during the race. There are also sex allowances, wherein fillies compete with lighter weights than males. The weights are adjusted further based on the horse’s age and whether it is competing in a flat or steeplechase race.
Some critics of the sport point out that the horse race is unequivocally unnatural, with humans perched on their backs urging them on at breakneck speeds that far exceed what they would naturally do. In nature, horses are driven by the instinct to survive and protect themselves, not to win a contest of speed. The horse race is a brutally unnatural activity, and it’s little wonder that so many of them suffer from injuries.
Other critics argue that the racing industry is tainted by doping and overbreeding. They are also largely opposed to the practice of breeding 1,000-pound thoroughbreds with massive torsos and spindly legs that have trouble coping with the stress of hard running. They don’t reach full maturity — when their growth plates fuse and the bones in their necks and spine are fully formed — till around age 6. In the meantime, they are pushed into intensive training at 18 months and raced at age 2, the rough equivalent of a first-grader.
Even with these challenges, the horse race remains a beloved sport of millions. Although some people choose to boycott the sport, others find that watching a well-trained and disciplined horse in a close competition is a rewarding experience and a great way to enjoy a day at the track. The sport of horse racing continues to evolve, but its basic concept has remained essentially unchanged over the centuries.
A horse race is a contest of speed or stamina between two horses in a fixed length of time, in which the winner is determined by whichever one crosses the finish line first. The sport is one of the oldest in history and has evolved from a primitive test of physical endurance into a huge public-entertainment spectacle involving thousands of horses, sophisticated electronic monitoring equipment, and immense sums of money. While critics often equate the sport with gambling and corruption, others point to its historic ties to the monarchy and nobility as a source of its respectability and popularity. During the 19th century, thoroughbred racing became one of the world’s most popular sports. Despite the Civil War and subsequent economic turmoil, the industry survived, with many major American tracks established, including Saratoga and Jerome Park in New York City. The Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes were all established in the late 1800s, creating the American Triple Crown series. Winning all three races, each contested over a different distance—a mile and a quarter (Derby), a mile and 3/16ths (Preakness) and a mile and a half (Belmont), is incredibly difficult. In addition to the standard requirements of pedigree and age, horses are handicapped on a variety of criteria, including their past performance record. The more recent and better the performance, the lower the weight they must carry during the race. There are also sex allowances, wherein fillies compete with lighter weights than males. The weights are adjusted further based on the horse’s age and whether it is competing in a flat or steeplechase race. Some critics of the sport point out that the horse race is unequivocally unnatural, with humans perched on their backs urging them on at breakneck speeds that far exceed what they would naturally do. In nature, horses are driven by the instinct to survive and protect themselves, not to win a contest of speed. The horse race is a brutally unnatural activity, and it’s little wonder that so many of them suffer from injuries. Other critics argue that the racing industry is tainted by doping and overbreeding. They are also largely opposed to the practice of breeding 1,000-pound thoroughbreds with massive torsos and spindly legs that have trouble coping with the stress of hard running. They don’t reach full maturity — when their growth plates fuse and the bones in their necks and spine are fully formed — till around age 6. In the meantime, they are pushed into intensive training at 18 months and raced at age 2, the rough equivalent of a first-grader. Even with these challenges, the horse race remains a beloved sport of millions. Although some people choose to boycott the sport, others find that watching a well-trained and disciplined horse in a close competition is a rewarding experience and a great way to enjoy a day at the track. The sport of horse racing continues to evolve, but its basic concept has remained essentially unchanged over the centuries.