A horse race is a competition in which horses are ridden and guided to run as fast as possible over a set distance. The sport is popular among gamblers, spectators, and participants who enjoy wagering on the outcome of a race. Spectators often don extravagant hats and sip mint juleps during events such as the Kentucky Derby or Royal Ascot. Behind the glamorous facade of the horse race, however, is a world of injuries, drug abuse, and gruesome breakdowns. Many of the horses used in racing are forced to sprint—often under whips and illegal electric-shock devices called jiggers—at speeds that cause them to sustain a variety of health problems, including hemorrhaging from their lungs. The industry routinely masks these injuries with cocktails of legal and illegal drugs, resulting in a lifetime of pain and suffering for the animals.

A thoroughbred is a breed of horse that is specifically developed for speed. These horses are born and raised with the goal of winning races. The sport is popular in the United States and many other parts of the world. There are many different types of horse races, each with its own rules and regulations. The sport of horse racing is regulated by numerous national and international organizations. While differing from country to country, the majority of race rules are based on those of the British Horseracing Authority.

The starting gate (also called a barrier) is where the horses line up before a race begins. Each horse is assigned a specific number of gates, or stalls, that correspond to a position on the track at which it will begin the race. A number of factors influence the number and placement of a horse, such as its speed, its training regimen, and its jockey or driver. The horses are also assigned weights that help balance the chances of each horse winning a race. The higher a horse’s rank, the greater its chances of victory.

While most races are open to all comers, some are more selective. For example, a claiming race is open to horses that have not won a specified amount of money in previous races or are worth a certain amount of money. Authorized owners can place a claim on a horse before the race starts by paying the claiming price, which is determined before the races are held. The original owner then receives whatever the horse earns in the race plus the claiming price.

The earliest races in England were match contests between two, or at most three, horses. Pressure by the public, however, eventually produced events with larger fields of runners. As dash racing, or one-heat, racing became the rule, a rider’s skill and judgment in coaxing a few feet of advantage from his mount took on new importance.