Horse racing has long captured our collective imagination, from its humble roots in ancient Rome all the way up until today’s modern horseracing circuits that dominate every corner of our culture and society. No matter your feelings towards it or not, horse racing has left an indelible mark on both cultures and societies alike; whether you love or loath this pastime. As an industry that makes millions off these magnificent animals’ lives each year, it is our duty as businesspeople to do everything in our power to ensure their wellbeing in racing.
Horse races have steadily evolved over the years from private invitation-only affairs for elites into larger open events with larger fields and more accommodating eligibility rules, such as age, sex, birthplace and previous race results; creating more competitive horse racing events than ever before.
Technology and advances in drugs allowed horses to train more rapidly than ever, especially racehorses, due to powerful painkillers and anti-inflammatories designed for humans being mixed into their diet of vitamins, minerals, amino acids to enhance performance. Unfortunately this created a dangerous combination as painkillers could make horses less sensitive to discomfort – increasing overtraining risk as well as injury risk; antipsychotics, steroids, growth hormones and blood doping were often also employed but racing officials often did not have resources available to detect all substances used thus violating regulations or penalties were typically minimal.
In the 1970s, however, new rules and regulations drastically altered racing. A dozen state organizations now oversee racing. Along with stricter training requirements and mandatory inspections of facilities, states also mandate all trainers obtain a license and background check before using medications on horses in races; additionally they must submit a veterinarian’s certificate before each race starts to prevent injuries to horses as well as decrease fatalities; these measures have greatly decreased drug-related injuries among horses while simultaneously decreasing horse fatalities; though more work remains to be done.
Odds: Odds is the mathematical probability of a horse winning determined by how much money has been bet on it (the more bet on, the lower its odds). Odds fluctuate every 30-60 seconds as wagering closes; those with lower odds are usually considered favorites while those with higher ones could be underlays.
Clubhouse Turn: The turn directly after the finish line that lies closest to the clubhouse or first turn. Closer: Any horse that improves in later stages of a race – also referred to as ‘closing ground’. Company: Can be used interchangeably when referring to competition in a race (‘He ran against top company.’), morning workout pairing stablemates together (‘They worked a half-mile in company.’), or as shorthand for claiming races where horses compete for identical prizes like stipends or similar prizes.
Future success of horse racing depends on our ability to reform it swiftly. These magnificent animals were meant to run, not the way they’re forced to run at tracks.