A horse race is a competition between two or more horses in which the winner is determined by the number of lengths they cover during the course of the race. It is a popular sport that draws huge crowds to the tracks and is an excellent test of a horse’s endurance, speed, agility and jumping ability.
The first documented horse races were match races, between one owner’s horse and another. A wager was placed on which horse would win, and if an owner backed out of the bet he forfeited half or in later times the entire purse. This wagering system became the basis for organized racing throughout England and Europe. Agreements between the parties were recorded by disinterested third parties, who came to be known as keepers of the match book. These match books consolidated the agreements at various racecourses and were published periodically in a series of catalogues. The first comprehensive book of this kind, An Historical List of All Horse-Matches Run (1729), was compiled by Newmarket’s John Cheny. A similar publication, the Racing Calendar, was established by James Weatherby in 1773.
When a horse races in a handicap, the weights that they carry are adjusted so that all competing horses have an equal chance of winning. This is done either centrally where the racing is controlled or at individual tracks in a process called handicapping. Typically a horse’s form is established by its performance in previous races and this helps to determine the amount of weight it carries for a race. In addition, sex allowances (whereby fillies carry less weight than males) and weight penalties for prior winners are sometimes applied.
An antepost bet is one that is placed before the day of the race in which you want to bet. In the case of major flat races and jumps events such as the Grand National this can be done up to a year in advance of the actual event. The price of a horse in the antepost market is usually higher than that on the day of the race as this reflects the fact that they are not guaranteed to line up in the starting gate.
Among the most recognizable names in Thoroughbred horse racing are Seabiscuit, Man o’War, and Kelso. Each of these horses had their own unique story to tell, but they are all regarded as legends by those who follow the sport.
In the 1930s, as impoverished American states looked for ways to increase revenue, they turned to horse racing. The sport sprang back to life, with crowds in the millions turning out to see their favorite horses run. In many instances, bettors cheered the horse by its number rather than by name, and they rooted for long shots like Seabiscuit to triumph.
The Aintree Grand National is a spectacular race that tests a horse’s endurance, stamina, jumping ability and speed over an incredibly difficult course. This event, which takes place each year in April, has become a national icon and attracts huge crowds to the track.
