Horse Racing
“And they’re off!” Horse racing of all types is found in our racing section, including Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse, Harness, Steeplechase and Arabian racing.
Want to get lucky? Take a look at the Wagering to help guide you. Keep track of upcoming horse races and racing events in our Calendar of Events for Horse Racing.
Want to live the dream of owning a racehorse? Check out the Breeding, Partnerships, Sales & Bloodstocks sections where you can help yourself be a force in the Sport of Kings.
Need a place to train your baby and help develop his successful career? You will find both training facilities and professional racehorse trainers in our Training section. See you in the winners’ circle!
Breeders’ Cup
When: November 4 & 5, 2022.
Where: Keeneland racetrack in Lexington, Kentucky.
Not only is it the most popular US horse racing event of the Autumn months, but the Breeders’ Cup is also one of the most sought-after meetings for horse fans to watch from the calendar year. And it isn’t just North American runners who partake in the event, as the competition focuses on America’s best horses and the most talented runners from across the globe.
Read more: The Most Important Dates Remaining in The US Horse Racing Calendar 2022
Horse racing has been described as the sport of kings – and we would not argue with that. This regal sport has produced jockeys and horses that have become true stars of the sports world. But there is one aspect of the sport that sometimes gets overlooked.
Online sportsbook reviews might help you find a place to bet and horse racing reporters can tell you who should win the biggest races in the world. But the setting is sometimes just as glamorous as everything else on show. So here are five racecourses that we think are the best in the business.
Ascot, England
Home to one of the most prestigious and famous race meetings in the world, Ascot has long been a byword for elegance in the sport. Over 300 years old, Ascot has held a strong relationship with the Royal family of the United Kingdom ever since it was opened during Queen Anne’s reign.
The Royal Ascot meeting is the obvious highlight of the year, as high fashion meets horse racing for five glorious days. Ascot is home to meetings throughout the year, however, and the course is overlooked by a majestic main stand that perfectly aligns with the surrounding English countryside.
For horse racing enthusiasts, nothing is more thrilling and exciting than going to the races. That’s why, they are always looking for information about the Melbourne Cup tickets.
1- Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is also called ‘the fastest two minutes in sports’ and is enormously popular in the world. Also known as ‘Run for the Roses’, it is the most eagerly awaited race among horse racing enthusiasts and punters. Hundreds of thousands of people flock to Churchill Downs in May every year to witness some of the best sporting spectacle. Some of the best three-year thoroughbreds compete over a distance of 1 ¼ miles.
The most famous horses in the history of this race are Secretariat and American Pharoah. Its inaugural race was run in 1875 and it carries a purse of $3 million.
2- Breeders’ Cup Classic
The Breeders’ Cup Classic is regarded as one of the most prestigious races in North America. It constitutes the fourth and final leg of the horse racing’s Grand Slam. Only one horse in history, American Pharoah, has managed to win this Grand Slam in 2015.
The Breeders’ Cup Classic also boasts one of the highest attendances in the US.
Whoever wins this race mostly also go on to win the Eclipse Award for American Horse of the Year as well.
If you're a horse lover, it's possible that you'd be happy with a single horse from each breed. No harm in thinking about some of the most famous horse breeds, even if it's not going to happen. Every horse has a unique set of abilities, from working and sprinting to leisurely riding and equestrian contests. These horses are known for their versatility and pleasant temperaments. Many of these horses are suited for new horse owners and can also be used for both amusement and competition. Nevertheless, equestrians worldwide have their favorite horses, so let's have a look at some of them.
American Quarter Horse
The quickness, obedience, and suppleness of the American quarter horse have made it a popular choice for both amateur and professional riders throughout the world. This horse has the world's biggest breed registration since it was originally produced in the 16th century from Spanish and English thoroughbreds and indigenous breeds like the Native American Chickasaw horse. Horses like this shine on the field as well as in an exhibition arena.
Thoroughbred
The most famous racing horse in the United States is the thoroughbred. "Hot-blooded" horses have a reputation for their speed, quickness, and tenacity; this breed of horse is no exception. It's a great all-around horse, capable of competing in jumping and dressage in addition to racing. This is why thoroughbred horses are famous in the Middle East and North African countries where people love to bet on horse races as well as other sporting events. The best betting sites there make it really easy for the bettors to place their bets safely and anonymously on any sports they like not just horse racing. Moreover, there are really good tips as well as a list of bonuses enhancing their overall experience online.
Read more: Which Horse Breeds Are the Most Popular in the World?
Horse racing is one of the oldest sports in the world. It has remained largely unchanged for thousands of years, with many countries contributing to the long and illustrious history of equestrian performance sports.
From the most surprising grand national wins to highly anticipated Grand Prix races, horse racing tournaments are exciting events that remain as popular as ever. But how did these races start out? What made them so popular in the first place?
In order to discover the truth, let’s take a look at the history behind horse racing, including its origins, the evolution of racing over time, and the racing classics that define modern horse racing.
Origins
Unfortunately, no one seems to know when the very first horse race occurred. This is likely due to the fact that racing is a fairly primitive concept, and we understood its appeal long before the development of writing or other records of history.
Competition racing can be traced back to early civilizations such as Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece, and Babylon. Chariot racing and mounted horse racing were the first known examples of horse racing, and they were official events in the Greek Olympics from 648 BC onwards.
Racing Industry Partners Join with UK to Support Promising mRNA Biomarker Research Into Preventing Catastrophic Racehorse Injuries
By Holly Wiemers
Catastrophic injuries in Thoroughbred racehorses are a top concern for the racing industry and for its fans. Researchers at the University of Kentucky’s Gluck Equine Research Center share that sentiment and recently began a large study to validate previous research suggesting it is possible to detect specific markers that indicate an injury before it becomes career- or life-ending.According to project lead Allen Page, staff scientist and veterinarian at the Gluck Center, and project collaborator Emma Adam, assistant professor and industry liaison at the Gluck Center and UK Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, the end goal is to be able to conduct an inexpensive and straightforward pre-race blood test identifying horses at risk of catastrophic injury, possibly allowing for intervention before those injuries happen. Previous research has shown that a majority of catastrophic injuries occur in horses with underlying or pre-existing musculoskeletal pathology, leading to the theory that catastrophic racing and training injuries are due to the accumulation of damage over time at a rate that exceeds the healing capacity of affected tissues.
Read more: Research Preventing Catastrophic Racehorse Injuries
by Marion E. Altieri
The bond of equine and human athletes, when brought together in a race for the wire—is a powerful and awe-inspiring event. Jockeys and racehorses individually are the fittest and most- focused athletes on the planet. Together, moving as one body and soul, they create an experience so powerful that even the toughest of human souls are moved to tears.
While Thoroughbreds are the most common breed in the sport of horse racing, Arabians were the first racehorses. The oldest extant breed, they look virtually the same as they did over 5,000 years ago, when they traveled great distances across desert sands in competitions that became both flat- and endurance-racing. What started as utilitarian use of the breed evolved into an enjoyable competition that lifted spirits and made human hearts sing. The Race Horse wasn’t a concept born of the entrepreneurial mind of a man, but rather the natural evolution over time as the Arabian horse proved herself to be a power with which to reckon. The Original Racehorse literally is a Force of Nature.
Read more: Arabians: the Original Racehorse, Soaring into 21st Century Hearts
by Will Bardenwerper
Indian relay racing is sometimes called America's first extreme sport. For years, the Brew Crew - team from the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota - were a dominant force. Then tragedy struck. This is the story of the Lakota's spiritual relationship with the horse, and a quest to regain glory on the track.
On the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, you hear it again and again: “There will never be another Hermis Tall.”
Hermis was the greatest Indian relay rider of his generation, a natural horseman who led a team of Oglala Lakota to three consecutive championships at the sport’s marquee event, held every summer in Sheridan, Wyoming. The sight of him thundering bareback across the finish line - astride a 1,200-pound thoroughbred, shirtless, his chiseled physique glistening with sweat - will forever be ingrained in the minds of his teammates, friends, and rivals. His team, known as the Brew Crew (a nod to the last name of their captain, Stan Brewer), racked up a remarkable 19 wins during the summer of 2015 alone, making them Indian relay’s dominant force, the subject of envy and occasional resentment over Hermis’s aggressive riding tactics.
There’s no reason to resent Hermis Tall anymore. His picture is now attached to a wooden cross, marking his grave site on a lonely, windswept reservation bluff. He lies next to his brother Earl, not far from the overcrowded family trailer where he grew up and lived for most of his life, much of which he spent on horseback.
Hermis may be gone, but the story he started isn’t over. It’s the story of the team he left behind, of their struggle to overcome heartbreak and adversity on and off the track, and of their attempt to once again find glory in the powerful union of man and horse.
Most of us can remember the names of legendary horses, their most iconic victories in famous races around the world, often made immortal by the subsequent bloodlines. Arguably the best-known thoroughbred in American horse racing history is Man o’ War, the legendary stallion foaled in Kentucky that won 20 from 21 races in 1919 and 1921.
No horse has drawn more historical acclaim than “Big Red” as the powerful chestnut was also known. After his retirement from racing, Man o’ War became a leading sire who produced multiple champions, including Triple Crown winner War Admiral. He was also the grandsire of Seabuiscuit, while that remarkable bloodline still continues to this day, coursing through the veins of modern champions. Although not a direct descendent, even the hugely popular 1970’s champion Secretariat was a distant relation.
The names of those horses are forever etched in our collective memories. But how often can we name the jockeys who urged those thoroughbreds to success? Well, unless we happen to have an encyclopaedic knowledge of horse racing history, chances are the names of those jockeys are shrouded in the mists of time. Yet in truth, without such highly skilled jockeys in the saddle, those iconic horses might not have registered the successes they achieved.
Read more: Why the Jockey is Just as Important as the Horse They Ride
Grand National legend Tiger Roll has once again been withdrawn from the Grand National by his owners in protestation at the “absurd” rating and subsequent weight handed to him by the race handicappers. Owner Michael O’Leary was vociferous in his criticism of the handicappers despite them cutting Tiger Roll’s weight by 5lb from last year. O’Leary believes the rating and weight – despite his back-to-back wins around Merseyside’s iconic Aintree Racecourse – to be “unfair” on a chaser that’s now 12 years old and in the twilight of his career.
Tiger Roll made history with back-to-back Grand National victories in 2018 and 2019 respectively. He was the first thoroughbred to capture the imagination of the British public so much since Red Rum. Tiger Roll’s gutsy displays saw even the most casual of punters take him to their hearts, with many hoping to see him in action in 2021 only to be denied that opportunity by unrealistic weight and ratings from the handicappers.
Ahead of the 2022 National, Tiger Roll was given a rating of 161, which bemused O’Leary who issued a statement within hours of the weights being published. O’Leary stated that Tiger Roll is “clearly not as good” as he was in his prime, aged “eight or nine”. Despite his ageing limbs, O’Leary revealed the handicappers rate Tiger Roll “2lb higher” than his rating in April 2019, when he came into the race as the defending champion. O’Leary believes it is “a pity” that the handicappers have not given Tiger Roll a fair crack at emulating Red Rum’s historic hat-trick of wins.
Read more: No Fairytale Bid for Grand National Hat-Trick as Tiger Roll is Withdrawn
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