What is a Horse Race?

A horse race is a competition in which horses run around an oval track in front of spectators. The winner is the first horse to cross the finish line. Horse races are held in many countries. The winnings of the race are distributed to bettors who make the correct selections in a parimutuel system.

Horse racing is a lucrative business, and the size of a prize purse attracts top-notch horses and spectators. But the sport is also dangerous for horses and can result in fatal injuries. Some of these injuries are the result of excessive use of whips, which can cause bruising and bone fractures. Other injuries are caused by the physical demands of racing, including pulmonary congestion and hemorrhage from the lungs.

Modern horse racing is a sport of excess, and the industry is rife with drug abuse and gruesome breakdowns. Spectators, meanwhile, show off their fanciest outfits and sip mint juleps while watching a spectacle of speed and power. The spectacle, however, masks a brutal industry that breeds horses to be fast, and often at the expense of their health and bone strength. Many of the horses who do not have the genetic ability to be winners are discarded or abandoned, and only a tiny fraction receive proper care.

A popular image of a horse race is that of Seabiscuit, the great longshot who won the 1941 Triple Crown. Before he was a superstar, however, Seabiscuit was simply a horse. Like other jockeys, he was a member of the team, and his riders and trainers loved him. Bettors, whether hard-core daily ones or casual visitors to the grandstands, cheered him by his number: “Come on, Three!”

In horse racing, a race in which the racing secretary assigns weights designed to equalize the winning chances of entrants. These weights are determined by studying a horse’s previous performances. A handicap is also known as a dead heat or a match race.

A horse’s highest career speed figure. This figure is based on a formula that considers a horse’s age and the type of race in which it was run, among other factors. The speed figure is usually a good predictor of a horse’s performance, but is not foolproof.

Two small bones (medial and lateral sesamoids) located above and at the back of the fetlock joint. Fractures of these bones, which can occur as a result of trauma or overuse, are called sesamoiditis or simple fractures. In most cases, these fractures are not severe and do not require surgery, but they can be painful for the horse. A fracture that involves all of the sesamoid bones is called a complex fracture. In this case, surgery may be necessary to stabilize the fractures and relieve pain. A complicated fracture is more serious than a simple fracture and has a higher risk of complications, such as infection and non-union.