Horse races are exciting to watch, but they are also a gruesomely dangerous sport in which many horses sustain serious injuries and even die. While spectators sip mint juleps and admire the elegantly attired riders, these animals are forced to run at speeds so high that they can’t possibly survive. To compensate for this, they are given cocktails of legal and illegal drugs intended to mask their injuries and artificially enhance their performance. Many of these horses are subjected to so much stress that they bleed from their lungs, a condition known as exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage. In order to minimize this, many horses are given Lasix or Salix, a common diuretic with performance-enhancing properties. As the sport continues to expand around the globe, it is increasingly important that the industry address health and safety concerns using evidence-based approaches while working to maintain its social license to operate.
During a horse race, competitors are led by jockeys who help guide them along the course of a track and jump any hurdles (if present). Each race offers a fixed amount of prize money, called a purse. The first place winner receives the largest share of the prize money, while second and third places get smaller shares. A horse or jockey may be disqualified during a race if they interfere with, intimidate, or impede another horse or rider. The penalties for doing this vary from state to state.
A horse’s winning chance depends on a variety of factors, including its age and the track conditions. A two year old, the youngest racer, has a much greater chance of winning than an older horse. This is because a horse of an older age has more experience and has accumulated more wins. In addition, the track’s surface and weather can affect a horse’s chances of winning.
The most famous horse races are the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in France, Sydney Cup and Caulfield Cup in Australia, Durban July in South Africa, and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in England. In these races, the horses compete against each other in a series of races with increasing lengths and stakes, with the winner determined by the first to cross the finish line.
In the early days of horse racing, most of the prize money was awarded to the winner, who was sometimes known as “in the money.” Over time, however, it became more common for the winners to split their winnings with other bettors, and so the term “in the money” came to refer to a win, place, or show in a multi-race parimutuel.
