Horse racing is one of the oldest sports on earth and its rich history dates back to prehistory. Records demonstrate its widespread adoption across various civilizations such as Ancient Greece, Rome, Babylon, Syria, Egypt and other Middle Eastern and African regions. Horses also play an integral part in mythology and legend – for instance the legendary battle between Odin’s steed Hrungnir and Fenris Wolf in Norse mythology is one example.
Modern horse sports has seen significant technological developments. Thermal imaging cameras, MRI scanners, X-rays and endoscopes help medical staff monitor horses’ health to detect issues early on before they become serious. 3D printing technology can also be used to produce casts, splints and prosthetics for injured or sick animals.
Horseracing remains one of the oldest traditions, but not without critics. Horseracing Wrongs claims that horse racing is an “industry-wide lie”, exploiting athletes like LeBron James who can simply refuse a competition if conditions become untenable for either themselves or their teams. Equine athletes don’t have the option of saying no in such circumstances compared to LeBron who may opt not to compete if circumstances become untenable for themselves or teammates.
As the race proceeded, horses took off with huge strides and an almost mesmeric smoothness. War of Will led Mongolian Groom and McKinzie–both jockeyed by apprentice jockeys. By clubhouse turn, however, it became evident that War of Will was tiring; his jockey Javier Castellano used an increasing frequency and intensity with his whip swung more often to no avail; its lead began to falter while Vino Rosso, a large chestnut colt made an unexpectedly bold move outside on Vino Rosso’s outside flank.
Bettors frequently observe a horse’s coat in a walking ring before starting races, looking for signs that it is ready for running and is energetic enough for racing while dull and flat coats indicate fatigued animals. Bettors typically interpret horse’s balk at the starting gate as an indicator that they are nervous or angry, as well as whether it has fatigued itself on its stretch run, which would suggest fatigue is setting in. Bettors also look out for movements during stretch runs which indicate fatigue – these horses might lug or slow in, suggesting an indication that its energy reserves have run dry. At the conclusion of a horse race, the winner receives a substantial prize pool called a purse that is divided among all four finishers – with those winning Triple Crown races receiving larger portions than runners-up in prize funds than non-winners. An entrant to a horse race is ranked according to their odds of winning, with heavily-favored horses receiving higher odds than less favored horses. A horse’s odds can be determined based on past performance or other factors; these updates occur throughout the race itself and bettor can increase their odds by placing multiple bets within one race.