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Horse racing is a popular sport that involves competing horses and their riders. It has been practiced in civilizations throughout the world since ancient times. Horse races can take place on a variety of terrains, including dirt and grass tracks, or over obstacles such as hurdles and fences. The goal of a horse race is to get to the finish line first, which is determined by the stewards or officials. The winner of the race receives a prize money, which is often a large sum of money, and the runners up are awarded a smaller amount.
The sport of horse racing has been criticized for the number of horses that die and are euthanized as a result of injuries sustained while running. But defenders of the industry point to falling annual death counts from the Jockey Club, and they say that modern rules and veterinary care have made horse racing safer than ever before.
Before a race begins, the horses are positioned in stalls or behind a starting gate. Once the horses are ready, the gates open and the race begins. A jockey, who is mounted on a horse, steers it along the track and over any hurdles or fences. In some races, the jockey may use a whip to urge his or her mount along. In other races, the jockey may choose to ride “handily,” which means that the horse is being urged without the use of the whip.
Some horses are given medication before a race to make them more competitive, but these drugs can mask preexisting injuries that could cause harm to the horse if the horse were to be injured during the race. Researchers at the University of Kentucky are examining ways to screen for injuries in horses before they run, and they hope that their work will help prevent unnecessary suffering and death.
In addition to the traditional races that are held for a prize money, other types of horse races are sponsored by commercial businesses and organizations, and many horse races are broadcast on television and radio. Many of these races have names that are derived from the name of the sponsor.
Horse races have a long and rich history in the United States, where the sport was founded in 1664 by Colonel Richard Nicolls at New Amsterdam (now New York City). The colony had been under British rule, which promoted a system of organized racing based on speed rather than stamina. The American version of the Triple Crown series is the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, which are run each year in May and June.
