A horse race is a competition in which horses compete for prize money. It is a dangerous sport for the animals, which can reach speeds of forty miles per hour and have a high risk of injury. In addition, the horses must run for long distances and are frequently whipped and subjected to illegal electric shock devices. The conditions are so harsh that the animals suffer from a variety of injuries, including laminitis, back problems and internal hemorrhaging. Despite these problems, the racing industry continues to thrive, and it is estimated that more than one hundred thousand Thoroughbreds are raced each year.
There are several different types of horse races. The most prestigious is the Triple Crown, which consists of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. There are also Grade 1 races, which are of the highest quality; Grade 2 and Grade 3 races are of a lower standard. In addition, there are handicap races, which adjust the amount of weight that each horse must carry in relation to its performance. The weights are determined by the official known as a handicapper.
In a horse race, a rider is on the back of a horse and must guide it around the track. Riders must follow a prescribed course and jump any hurdles that are present. If the horse crosses the finish line in first place, it wins the race and receives the prize money. If it comes in second or third, the horse receives a smaller prize. The last place horse receives nothing.
The horse race is a noisy event, filled with slang and jargon that can be confusing for newcomers. To make sense of the lingo, it helps to understand some basic terms:
gallop: An exercise at a faster pace than a walk but slower than a trot. Some horses jog a backtrack, which is a training path that changes the direction of the racing surface. The backtrack is also used to train horses for hurdle races, since these require more jumping.
roaring: The whistling sound made by some horses during exercise. It is caused by the paralysis of nerves that control muscles that raise the arytenoid cartilages, which open the larynx. It can result in respiratory distress and even death in severe cases.
betting: The action of placing a wager on a horse or team to win a race. There are three most common ways to bet: bet to win, bet to place and bet to show.
A horse race is a noisy, dangerous and expensive contest in which animals are forced to run for their lives at high speed in order to entertain spectators. Behind the romanticized facade of horse racing is a world of drug abuse, gruesome injuries and slaughter. In 2020, Congress decided it was no longer willing to see these animals die for the amusement of people and passed legislation requiring safety standards. The industry has been slow to implement the new rules, but the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, which monitors racing, has begun enforcing them.