A horse race is a competition in which horses are either ridden or pulled by jockeys and their drivers. It is one of the world’s oldest sports and has been practiced in most civilizations and cultures for millennia. It is often called the ‘Sport of Kings’ and has become a popular spectator sport all over the world.
There are two main types of horse races; flat racing and jumps. In flat racing the horses compete around a track unhindered by fences or obstacles and the winner is the first to cross the finishing line. In jumps racing the horses must compete around a track as well as jumping over hurdles and fences (known as National Hunt in the UK). This requires great skill from both the horse and jockey. The Grand National is the world’s most famous jump race and is renowned for being treacherous and difficult to win due to its long distance and treacherous barriers.
The modern horse race has evolved from a series of events for untrained solitary horses to the sport that we see today. Its rules are regulated by the British Horseracing Authority, and in the United States by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. The sport is popular throughout the world, and major events such as the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes are held each May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Indiana, Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, and Belmont Park in Elmont, New York respectively.
While knowledge of the earliest horse races is lost, it is known that there was organized horse racing in ancient Greece and Rome, where both four-hitch chariot and mounted races were held in the Olympic Games during 700-40 bce. In England Charles II (reigned 1660-85) became known as the father of the English turf and inaugurated the King’s Plates, races for which prizes were awarded to the winners. He standardized the races by setting out articles for them that established the earliest national racing rules. These dictated that horses raced as six-year-olds carrying 168 pounds in 4-mile (6.4-km) heats and that the winner must be the first to win two heats.
Modern racehorses are bred and trained to run fast, and there is a large investment in the preparation of each horse for the race. The horses are fed a high-protein diet and are exercised for several hours each day. The jockeys, or riders, use the whip to guide and control their horses as they race along the course and the winner is the first horse to cross the finish line. If no clear winner is declared then a photo finish is declared and the prize money is split according to dead heat rules. There are a number of other rules that govern the race, including safety requirements and the use of drugs such as phenylbutazone (bute) to prevent injury.