Horse racing is one of the world’s oldest sports. It has evolved over the centuries into a spectacle involving many horses, complex electronic monitoring equipment and vast sums of money but its basic concept remains unchanged. Horses race over distances that can range from a few hundred meters to a thousand kilometers. Whether the race is over dirt, grass or artificial turf, a horse that crosses the finish line first is the winner.
Behind the glamorous facade of horse racing lies a world of injuries, drug abuse, gruesome breakdowns and slaughter. The horses are forced to run so fast that they frequently sustain traumatic injuries such as broken bones, severe cuts and lacerations, and sprains to the ankles, knees, back, chest and neck. They are also prone to suffering from exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage in which blood is drawn from the lungs, and must be given drugs such as Lasix or Salix to reduce or prevent bleeding. In addition, many horses are so beaten by their handlers during races that they break down in full view of a throng of spectators who have paid good money to attend.
The ‘greatest race ever’ is an overused cliché on betting slips and TV screens. But the greatness of a race is not just measured by its outcome: it’s a combination of setting, era and background that can lift a performance from simple greatness to immortality. Secretariat’s 31-length demolition of the field at the Belmont Stakes to win the Triple Crown of US racing in 1973, or Arkle’s astounding six-length routing of an international field in the 1964 Gold Cup are prime examples.
The sport’s roots are ancient, and evidence of horse racing has been found in archeological sites in ancient Greece, Egypt, Babylon, Syria, and Arabia. It is also prominent in myth and legend, including the chariot race between Zeus and the giant Hrungnir in Norse mythology. The sport has been widely adopted by cultures across the world and is now played in more than 160 countries. It is a global industry with annual earnings of around $70 billion.