Horse racing is an engaging spectator sport played out in arenas, on racetracks, and betting parlors worldwide. Bettors stake money on which horses they think will finish first through third in races to attempt to make money by correctly predicting which horse will finish first, second, or third – making horse racing one of the oldest spectator sports known to humans since ancient civilizations – popular worldwide since ancient times – thus earning itself its moniker “the sport of kings” or an activity enjoyed by the rich as an enjoyable pastime activity!
At elite events like the Kentucky Derby or Royal Ascot, spectators dress up for their day at the races, especially women wearing fancy hats and men in sharp suits. There are even strict regulations about what can and cannot be worn to attend these races.
Before entering a major race, horses need to be properly prepared. Conditioning begins with daily jogs and gallops early in the morning; then trainers ask their runners to work faster for a shorter distance during an exercise known as a breeze or workout, which allows them to determine whether their horses have enough conditioning for success in big events like horseback racing.
Once a horse has established itself and won several races, they may compete in open claiming races. While these may be more difficult for the horse to win than its prior competitions, these open claiming races still provide valuable experience in competitive environments. After winning three open claiming races that meet track criteria they may move onto competing in conditioned claiming races or the track may add “two other than” races after having won two other non-middle, non-claiming or starter allowance races.
Horse racing has long been an international and national pastime that brings in enormous revenues to owners. While its critics may disagree, many people simply enjoy watching horses race while placing bets on who will win specific races.
Studies indicate that when journalists focus on who’s winning or losing rather than on policy issues–known as horse race coverage–voters, candidates, and the news industry itself all suffer. Below are articles examining this trend that has become more common since 24-hour cable TV newscasts began streaming 24/7 online media channels like CNN or MSNBC.