The sights and sounds of horse racing are romanticized by the public. But behind the curtain, it’s a world of drug abuse, gruesome breakdowns and slaughter. The horses are forced to run-often under the threat of whips and even illegal electric shock devices-at speeds that can cause horrific injuries such as hemorrhaging in their lungs. Then, they’re sent to the auctions, where many of them end up being sold for meat.
A horse race is a competition in which one or more horses are driven by a jockey. They are guided along a course that may include hurdles or fences, and must arrive over the finishing line before any of the other participating horses. The first three finishers receive a certain amount of prize money.
When a horse races, it is referred to as being “out for the lead.” A leader can be taken out of a race by a jockey or by a whip. This is done to protect the safety of the runners.
It is important to understand the terms of a horse race in order to wager correctly. Here are some of the most commonly used terms.
Handicap: A type of race that allows a racehorse with varying degrees of experience to compete against each other. The higher the level of a handicap race, the more difficult it is to win.
Claiming race: A race for horses that aren’t quite fast enough to run at a higher level. These races are designed to provide class relief and allow similar types of horses to compete against each other. The reward of running in a claiming race can be a good opportunity for a trainer, but the risk is that he or she may lose the horse to another owner.
Colors: The silks (or cape and jacket) worn by a jockey. The colors can be generic and provided by the track or specific to a particular owner.
Clubhouse turn: The stretch of the racetrack closest to the finish line and usually the location of the clubhouse. Closing: The ability of a horse to improve its performance in the latter part of a race by coming from off the pace. Checked: A horse pulled up by its jockey for an instant as a result of being cut off or in tight quarters.
The best laid plans of mice and men can change in the blink of an eye when a horse is entered in a race. When a race does not fill or an extra race is added, it can be a major frustration for owners and jockeys who have made travel arrangements to attend the event. This is especially true when a horse has been pointing for a certain race and is suddenly not eligible to run. This can cause the whole day’s program to be thrown off. To get around this, some creativity and out of the box thinking are required.