The sport of horse racing has entranced spectators for centuries. But behind the romanticized facade is a world of injuries, drug abuse and gruesome breakdowns for the horses used for races. And in that world, many are killed.
A horse race is a competition in which the horses are ranked according to their performance in a given race. The race’s ranking is often determined by a popular handicapping system which assigns each runner a letter (A for the favorite, B for those expected to finish close and C for those who might have a chance of winning). The ranking also takes into consideration the runners age, track conditions, and other factors.
In the United States, horse races are usually held on weekends or public holidays and have large crowds. Some horse races are televised and available for live wagering. The sport is considered a major part of American culture, and it has a significant impact on the economy.
Horse races can be contested by individuals or groups, such as clubs or organizations. The sport is regulated by federal, state and local laws, which determine the rules that govern it. The sport is popular worldwide and attracts large crowds of spectators.
The history of horse racing began with match races, in which two or at most three horses ran against each other. The early races were not timed, but instead were a simple wager between the owners. An owner who opted not to participate forfeited half or sometimes the entire purse, a practice that eventually led to the publication of consolidated records known as match books. One such recorder, John Cheny, published An Historical List of All Matches Run (1729), which remained in print for over 100 years.
Running fast comes naturally to thoroughbred horses, who are prey animals in the wild. But to win a horse race they must be trained to outrun their opponents, even when they are exhausted. Some are encouraged to continue running hard by drugging, whipping, and starving them, while others are injured so badly they must be put down. And one study estimates that at least three thoroughbreds die each day from catastrophic breakdowns on the racetrack.
While political campaigns may be more like a horse race than a true contest of ideas, the idea of focusing news coverage on the top two candidates is reminiscent of the sport’s long history of ruthless competition. That’s a problem because it can obscure the important issues at stake in an election and discourage voters who may be considering third-party or other alternatives. This updated collection of research explores the negative consequences of horse-race journalism for voters, politicians and journalists.