Horse racing has long captured the public imagination. First introduced during the 12th century when English knights returned from Crusades with Arabian horses they used to breed with English mares in order to produce horses that combined speed and endurance, later popularised through private match racing among nobility members.
British colonists introduced this tradition to America during the 17th and 18th centuries, when New Amsterdam hosted its inaugural organized race in 1664 when its colony’s commander laid out a 2-mile course for horses to run around and awarded winners with silver cups as awards for their efforts – stamina being considered key characteristics of an excellent race horse at that time.
Bets on horse races have long been an attraction of the sport since their introduction. Following several scandal-laden races in the early 1900s, anti-gambling sentiment drove states to ban bookmaking; by 1908 only 25 tracks remained; pari-mutuel betting was introduced that same year, revitalizing horse racing.
As well as betting, horse races are supported by numerous organizations including breeders and racetracks. Breeders produce foals either for auction sale or their own stables; this breeder type is known as homebreds. Some notable breeders include E. J. Taylor’s Spendthrift Farms, Gainsworthy Farm, Claiborne Farms and Bluegrass Stable among many others.
Race schedules, also known as condition books, are published for races several weeks or months in advance. Trainers prepare their horses based on conditions outlined in these books; however, plans can change quickly due to factors like race cancellations or horses winning their previous race(s).
One common change occurs when an owner decides to withdraw a race due to an injured horse, an occurrence which occurs frequently within racing – with injuries being an ongoing problem in North American thoroughbred racing where one thoroughbred is injured every 22 races and 3 more die daily from catastrophic injuries sustained while racing (e.g. one study found one thoroughbred is injured every 22 races and another estimated 3 Thoroughbreds die each day from catastrophic accidents during races).
Horses in the race industry must be kept confined for extended periods, which can have serious repercussions for their mental and physical wellbeing. Their unnatural training can restrict natural instincts that should come naturally to them and cause them pain; this may manifest in repetitive behaviors like cribbing, biting on gates, contracting neck muscles while grunting, or self-harm – symptoms similar to those seen among humans working stressful jobs. As a result, many are now opposing horse races by organizing protests at both Laurel and Pimlico most weekends since 2018. Jennifer Sully of Maryland organization Horseracing Wrongs has been organizing demonstrations at both venues since 2018.
