Horse racing is the sport of wagering on the performance of a racehorse in a competition involving humans and other horses. It is one of the oldest and most influential sports in human history, and has been practiced in civilizations across the world since ancient times. Although the modern version of horse racing has evolved into a complex event featuring many horses and elaborate electronic monitoring equipment, its essential concept remains unchanged. The classic horse race pits several recognized senior executives against each other in a contest to become the company’s next chief executive officer, and can have profound implications for the organization.
The horse race is a brutal event for both the runners and their trainers. The physical pounding of the horses on an oval track gives their lower legs a particularly severe beating, straining ligaments, tendons and joints. To reduce this impact, a number of precautions are taken. For example, the jockeys of the horses wear heavy blue hoods to keep them focused on their task and to prevent them from startling at shadows on the ground. Similarly, the horses’ noses are rolled to limit the number of shadows they see, which can also cause them to startle.
Many horses, especially those pushed beyond their limits, will eventually bleed from their lungs in a condition known as exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage. To prevent this, they are often given a cocktail of legal and illegal drugs designed to enhance performance and mask pain. These drugs include powerful painkillers, anti-inflammatories and growth hormones, which are prescribed for humans but are used by racehorses to increase performance and endurance. The lack of regulation in horse racing fuels corruption and greed.
Before the electric starting gate made its debut on July 1, 1939, horses were led into a box-shaped enclosure called a starting gate by their trainers and jockeys. A person would then hit a button that opened the front of the gates at the same time, and the race began. The first horse to cross the finish line was declared the winner.
A racehorse will train with routine jogs and gallops, which begin in the early hours of the morning. These sessions help the horses get accustomed to running fast and build up their muscles. During these sessions, the jockeys will also train their riders by instructing them on how to handle the reins and guide the horses through turns, as well as how to read the pace of the race.
Then, on race day, the horses and their trainers will gather in the grandstand before the race begins. The race is usually a sprint, but some races can be long-distance events known as routes in the United States or stays in Europe. The key to winning either kind of race is fast acceleration, which requires the horse to develop a turn of foot. In the early days of organized racing in North America, speed was not a primary focus for Thoroughbreds, whose hallmark was stamina.