Horse racing is a spectator sport with a set of rules for participants to follow. Those rules include safety, fair play and the granting of prize money based on position at the end of the race. The goal is to win the game by holding the Horse Card that crosses the finish line first in each race. Each player pays an entry fee and then is dealt cards with racehorses on them. After a scratch round (a roll of the dice determines which horses are dropped) a final race is held. If a player rolls the number of a horse that has been eliminated they must add money to the pot; however, if they roll the number of a remaining horse they advance a spot to the finish line. The player who holds the Horse Card that crosses the finish line first wins the race and the prize money.
During races, horses are forced to run at top speed over long distances. This puts immense strain on the animals, resulting in injuries and breakdowns that can lead to death. In addition, countless American racehorses are transported to foreign slaughterhouses, where they are killed for their meat and other products. This horrific industry is causing significant declines in fan support, attendance and race days.
While horseracing’s apologists are busy decrying a report that exposes some in the sport to abuse, the truth is that serious reform must come if racing wants to thrive. The 2008 Kentucky Derby winner Eight Belles died from the exorbitant physical stress of her racing career, as did the 2010 Florida Derby champion Medina Spirit. Their deaths, like those of countless other racehorses throughout history, sparked a reckoning of the sport’s ethics and integrity.
In a horse race, the horses and their riders follow a course that includes jumping hurdles (if present) and racing around a track. There are usually several different types of races, and the amount of prize money varies. Generally speaking, the more difficult the race, the higher the prize money.
The stewards, which are in charge of ensuring the fair play of all participants in a race, determine who wins. In the event that two or more horses cross the finish line at the same time and it is not possible to tell who won, a photo finish is declared. The stewards will study a photograph of the finish to see who crossed the line first.
horseracing glossary
acclamation: The act of praising or flattering someone in public. Often used in the form, “that was an amazing acclamation.”
handicap: An advantage given to a horse that enables it to compete with more heavily favored horses. It may take the form of a weight allowance or an additional length of the racetrack.
jockey: The person who rides a horse in a race. Jockeys must be licensed to do so by the governing body of their country or state.
saddle: An implement with a seat for the rider to sit on and hold on to during the race.