The sight of a pack of powerful horses barreling down the stretch of a racetrack is one of horse racing’s quintessential thrills. Feeling the earth shake as these beasts thunder down the track is the essence of the sport for many racegoers and is the reason they pay their admission fees to see the spectacle.
The first horse races were organized in prehistory, but the sport became a well-established public entertainment in ancient Greece (four-hitch chariot and mounted) and Rome (740-40 bce). It was also commonplace in Egypt, Babylon, Syria, Arabia, and other civilizations throughout the world. It is even mentioned in Norse mythology as a contest between the god Odin’s steed and the giant Hrungnir.
Today, horse racing is a global industry with more than half a billion dollars in betting wagers placed each year. The most prestigious races, called conditions races, have the biggest purses. The most important factor in determining the winner of a race is speed. However, stamina is also important. For this reason, race organizers may decide to allocate a certain amount of weight for each horse in a given race to ensure fairness. For example, in a five-furlong race, the fastest horse might be assigned ten pounds less than its competition. The total weight for all the horses is then divided by the number of entrants to determine each competitor’s place in the finish.
Betting on a horse race is done in several ways, including win bets, place bets, and accumulator bets. In a win bet, a person wagers that his/her chosen horse will cross the finish line first. A place bet pays out if the horse finishes in second or third place. In accumulator bets, a person places multiple bets on various races and their results, depending on his/her preferences.
Like most industries, sectors, and sports, horse racing has been influenced by the technological advances that have occurred with the advent of the Information Age. Among these changes, improved safety measures have been implemented at the track and in the barn. Thermal imaging cameras detect heat stress in the animals; MRI scanners, X-rays, and endoscopes provide a more detailed look at the horses’ bodies post-race; and 3D printing can produce casts, splints, and other medical devices for injured or sick horses.
In addition to newer technology, horse racing has benefited from its long association with veterinary science. Many of the horse’s injuries can be treated with medications and therapies developed by scientists at universities, veterinary schools, and private research laboratories. These include a wide variety of steroids, anabolic agents, anti-inflammatories, and a host of other chemicals.