Horse races are popular, especially at racetracks, where spectators can enjoy a drink and food while watching the race. This activity is a form of gambling in which the winner gets all the money wagered, minus a percentage taken out by the track. The horse race industry is also a source of income for many people. In addition to betting, the horses are bred and raised for their performance. Many people are drawn to the sport for its tradition and prestige. In the past, wealthy colonists would hold horse races to gain status.
The earliest American races were modelled after British ones, and America inherited many of their traditions from this time. For example, the term derby is derived from a British nobleman. Then, the Revolution and anti-British sentiment led Americans to develop their own traditions and breeders.
A horse race is run over dirt, grass or synthetic all-weather surfaces. Each surface has its own strengths and weaknesses. Some are fast, while others are slow and muddy. Most races are about 6 furlongs or a mile.
The fastest horses are able to cover a lot of ground in a short period of time, known as pace. This is an important factor when handicapping a horse. A race’s condition book determines which horses are eligible to compete in a particular race. This is based on the speed figures of the horses in a previous race.
Racehorses are often pushed to their limits and deprived of rest. These conditions can lead to not infrequent injuries. For example, a common injury is exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage. This condition occurs when a horse’s lungs bleed from exertion and causes fluid to build up in the lungs. The racehorses are then given cocktails of legal and illegal drugs that mask the pain and enhance their performance.
These drugs can have adverse side effects, including muscle spasms and heart rhythm disturbances. They may also lead to the death of a horse. In an effort to reduce the number of injured horses, some races are shortened in distance or moved from one surface to another.
A jockey is the person who rides a horse in a horse race. The jockey uses a whip to urge the horse forward, but some horses are “hand ridden” meaning that the rider doesn’t use the whip to encourage the horse. Many of the horses in a race are female, and they are sometimes referred to as fillies or mares. Occasionally, some of the horses are mixed sex (male and female) horses, which are called geldings or stallions. The racehorses are sometimes trained for a particular purpose, such as endurance racing or sex allowance races. The sex allowance allows females to carry three to five pounds less than males when competing in certain races.