A horse race is a sport that involves horses running against each other. It is one of the oldest sports and has a long tradition. It has evolved from a primitive contest of speed or stamina to a spectacle involving huge fields of runners, sophisticated electronic monitoring equipment, and enormous sums of money. Its essential feature remains the same, though: the winner is the horse that finishes first.
The sport has a rich and varied history, and has developed from a diversion for the leisure classes into a major public-entertainment business that draws millions of spectators each year. It also has a dark side. Behind the romanticized facade of the sport is a world of injuries, drug abuse, gruesome breakdowns and slaughter.
Among the many complexities of horse racing is the fact that the animals do not enjoy being pushed beyond their limits. This can lead to a variety of ailments, including exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage, which is caused by extreme exertion and leads to bleeding in the lungs. It is a common cause of death for Thoroughbreds.
To help prevent pulmonary bleeding, most thoroughbreds are injected with Lasix on race day, which is noted on the racing form by a boldface L. The drug is an effective diuretic, but it also helps to mask pain and enhance performance. Most races are sprints, and some are run at less than a mile with only one turn. Most races require a fixed weight to be carried by the horses, which is calculated from a scale of predetermined weights that take into account age, distance, sex, and time of year.
Like most other sports, horse racing has a well-developed gambling culture. The business is a multibillion-dollar industry, and it has a significant influence on betting markets worldwide. It also has a complex structure of rules, regulations, and legal and illegal activities that can be used to manipulate the outcome of a race. It is a major source of controversy.
The most famous horse race is probably the Palio di Siena, held twice a year in the city of Siena in Italy. Each of the seventeen Contrade (city wards) is represented by a pair of horses and jockeys, who compete in a spectacular pageant.
The most important thing that the horse-racing industry can do to protect its reputation is to provide a fully funded, industry-sponsored wraparound aftercare solution for all horses leaving the track. Without it, countless horses will hemorrhage into the slaughter pipeline, where they are bled dry by a series of cruel and abusive conditions. Sadly, this is what happened to Eight Belles, Medina Spirit, Keepthename, Creative Plan, and thousands of other racehorses who ended their lives in this manner. Unless this changes, the future of the sport is uncertain. The donations of racing fans and gamblers are vital to the welfare of these magnificent animals. They should not be used to justify the continued exploitation of younger, vulnerable running horses.