What is Horse Racing?
Horseracing is an extremely exciting equestrian sport that can be enjoyed at both national and international levels. Anyone who has interest in horseracing can become a part of it, either as a spectator or as a rider, breeder or trainer. This type of racing is one of mankind's most primitive and ancient sports. For thousands of years, horse racing flourished as the sport of kings and a symbol of nobility. However, modern racing involves legalized gambling which is the primary reason for its existence.
By far, the most popular form of the sport is the racing of mounted thoroughbred horses. This is a horse breed best known for horse racing. Thoroughbreds are considered the "hot-blooded" horses, known for their agility, speed and spirit. Although ‘thoroughbred’ is sometimes used for any kind of horse from a pure breed, but it technically refers to the original thoroughbred horse.
In 1665, British settlers introduced horseracing to the rest of the world. The first racetrack was laid out on Long Island from where horse racing evolved into a sport. The process of development for the horseracing started at that time and this trend was being adopted by many people. It was not before the Civil War that a rapid rise in the industrial economy grew the interest in betting. At that time, wagering and betting appeared on the canvas of horseracing which turned out to be the most exciting way of conducting it.
The 19th century was a magical era for America when the Kentucky Derby Race was introduced. More tracks opened up as a result and wagering became legalized. This was one of the reasons that attracted the elite class towards this sport.
The most highlighted horse racing events around the world include The Kentucky Derby, The Preakness Stakes, the Belmont Stakes, The Dubai World Cup and few more. All these races have different set of rules and they are held at different racecourses as well. Few of the most famous racecourses in Europe include the Ascot and Goodwood in United Kingdom, The Curragh in Ireland, Longchamp in Paris and Cheltenham and Aintree in England. All these race tracks have their own significance which makes them very different from each other.
The different types of horse racing include the Steeplechase Race, Hurdle Race, Point-To-Point Race, Quarter-Horse Race and Stakes Races. Steeplechases are races in which the courses have many obstacles such as brush fences, stone walls, timber rails and water jumps. Hurdle is almost the same as Steeplechase, but the obstacles that the course employs are physically less demanding because of their smaller size. Point to point races is a simple activity which is conducted on an oval track with built-in fences. Quarter-Horse Racing involves a sprint at great speed on shorter distances as the course is straight without any bends and hurdles. Stakes Race is a kind of horse race in which part of the prize is put up by the owners of the horses in the race.
Let’s throw some light on the tracks for horse racing. In ancient times, the tracks that Greeks created were called Hippodromes. Following the Greeks, Romans designed the tracks based on the Hippodrome called a Circus. It was slightly narrower and the track accommodated 4 horses instead of 10. The modern horse racing tracks is usually designed after the Greek Hippodromes. They are flat and straight, at distances from three-quarters of a mile to two miles. The area they cover varies from one geographic location to another.
Horse racing has become an important economic activity in many countries, and it is not unusual for large amounts of money to exchange hands during a race. A large gambling industry has grown up around horseracing, particularly at more prestigious racing events such as the Dubai World Cup, which is the most financially lucrative and glamorous race in the world. The breeding and training of horses has become an important industry in itself. The wealth from horseracing tends to be polarized in favour of a small number of extremely wealthy people, who own most of the racehorses in the world.
After baseball, horse racing is the second most widely attended U.S. spectator sport. It is documented in the records that in 1989, 56,194,565 people attended 8,004 days of horse racing in America. And just for the 1989 horse racing season, a whopping $9.14 billion was spent on gambling. Horse racing is a major professional sport in Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and South America. As time moves ahead, developments in this sport are being seen in the positive direction.
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