The Dangers of Horse Racing

Horse racing is a global phenomenon. For centuries, spectators have been entranced by the spectacle of thoroughbreds competing in races for centuries – bettors have enjoyed its luxurious betting pools and luxurious surroundings; yet its darker side remains hidden – mistreatment or killing can often occur, often unknowingly by those unfamiliar with racing’s cruelty; nonetheless awareness has increased with improved regulations helping improve conditions for horses.

An afternoon at the races may include everything from betting on your favorite horse to dining at nearby restaurants with gourmet cuisine and beverages. Racing calendar events range from minor stakes races to multimillion dollar stakes races; among the more renowned events are Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes and Breeders’ Cup races.

Handicap Races: Events wherein a racing secretary assigns weights designed to even out winning chances between contestants. In the US, handicaps usually run over dirt or grass tracks.

In 2008, a trainer who had won both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes publicly boasted about their horse’s use of an illegal steroid medication before the Belmont Stakes race. When this substance was withheld before running, his star balked in protest, showing he wasn’t ready for running and finished dead last. This episode generated widespread condemnation of horse racing industry as well as increased scrutiny on training methods, drugs, transport of American horses to slaughterhouses abroad as a result.

Stamina is one of the key characteristics that set horses apart in races, determined by heart rate and blood pressure measurements. A winning horse usually must run more than a mile to take first place; to ensure this ability is available it must be bred and trained for fitness to achieve long distance running abilities.

Communication between jockey and mount during races is essential; jockeys accomplish this through scrubbing their hand up and down its neck. If a jockey uses only his or her hands to urge on their horse, this practice is known as hand riding; use of whip is prohibited during this type of ride.

Through the centuries, horse racing has long been an integral part of civilizations’ cultures around the globe. Practiced in Ancient Greece, Egypt, Babylonia Syria and Arabia; practiced also as part of mythology and featured in numerous novels and movies – horse racing remains an international attraction for both the common man and elite alike; not deterred by modern technology and innovations within racing; for instance a number of major racetracks now provide simulcasts – simultaneous live television transmissions from other tracks directly to betting offices for off track betting offices – that keep horse racing alive today.

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