A horse race is a contest of speed among horses that are either ridden by jockeys or pulled by sulkies. Races over short distances are known as sprints and those with long distances as routes or staying races. These races are usually held on flat tracks and are a test of both speed and endurance. The first to cross the finish line wins.
The practice of racing has been a part of many cultures, from Greek and Roman chariot racing to Bedouin endurance races in the desert. In the United States, thoroughbred races began to be popular in the nineteenth century, and by the 1850s, American horse racing was a sensation. As the country divided over slavery and sectional issues, horse races became a popular pastime in both North and South, and races often reflected these tensions, pitting horses from different regions against each other.
In the beginning, bets were private and placed on individual horses, but wagering was soon extended to the field as a whole. This was the beginning of pari-mutuel betting, in which bettors share in the total amount of money placed on a race, or “purses.” As horse racing expanded to multiple races and fields of horses, prizes came to be divided into win, place, and show (which rewards the first three horses). Eventually, a fourth prize—known as a third—was added to reward those horses that finished well but didn’t win.
As the sport developed, horse breeders focused on increasing the size of the animal while also improving its speed. These efforts led to the development of the modern Thoroughbred, a breed that is capable of running over four miles and in less than two minutes. In addition to increasing the horse’s size and speed, breeders also focused on enhancing its intelligence. These advances have helped the Thoroughbred become the most successful racehorse in history.
But the racehorse’s success has come at a high price for animals. According to Patrick Battuello, who runs the activist group Horseracing Wrongs, most horses are abused in some way during their racing careers. They are drugged, whipped, and pushed to the limits of their ability. Many die during the course of a race, and, if they survive, many are slaughtered.
Researchers have found that news coverage that frames elections as a horse race increases people’s cynicism about politics and the political process. They have also found that the practice is more common in news outlets with left-leaning audiences.
