A horse race is a sporting event in which horses run over a measured distance. A jockey mounts the horse, steers it to follow a course laid out on a dirt or artificial track and jumps any obstacles along the way (if present). The first three horses who cross the finish line win prize money. The best-known horse races are the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes — the Triple Crown of American racing. In addition, a number of European and Asian countries hold prestigious horse races.
The term horse race may also refer to a series of races held over a long period of time and often broadcast on television. This type of race is often called a handicap race because the odds of winning are made higher or lower according to the performance of each horse. In this type of race, the handicap is often determined by a panel of judges, which includes experts in the sport. In some cases, the handicap is established by individual tracks, but other times it is set centrally by a governing body.
Horses are bred to race for a variety of reasons. In many cases, the goal is to produce a fast and agile horse that can outrun its competitors. However, a horse must also be physically and mentally sound enough to compete. To ensure this, the animal is fed and cared for with great attention to detail. The horse must also be trained to run and jump in a controlled manner and be capable of handling the rigors of the race.
A favored breed for horse racing is the Thoroughbred. In addition to being well-bred, these horses are agile and fast, making them a natural for high-speed races. However, they can also be somewhat prone to injuries and disease. Fortunately, many of these problems can be prevented with proper care and treatment.
When horse racing began, there was no standardized system for how the race was conducted or how horses were matched up against one another. Consequently, some horses won more frequently than others. This led to a large number of illegal practices. These illegal practices have not been eliminated completely, but they are now less common than in the past.
Despite the prevalence of cheating, there are still people who love to watch and bet on horse races. These people fall into three categories: the crooks, who are willing to risk their lives and those of their horses for the thrill of victory. There are also the dupes, who labor under the delusion that horse racing is broadly fair and honest. And there are the masses in the middle, who know that the industry is more crooked than it should be but don’t do anything to change it. It is this group that is the most dangerous to the integrity of the sport. The crooks are a small and feral minority, but they can have a major effect on the sport.