This article is about the sport. For other uses, see horserace (drinking game) or horse race (politics). Horserace is a Drinking game in which players place bets on a particular suit of cards, cheer their selected " Horse " on as it races The terms horse race and handicapping the horse race, have been used to describe media coverage of elections

Monmouth Racetrack in New Jersey in May 2005. New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States.

Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has been practiced over the centuries; the chariot races of Roman times are an early example, as is the contest of the steeds of the god Odin and the giant Hrungnir in Norse mythology. For the Roman class see Equestrian (Roman Equestrianism refers to the skill of riding or driving Horses This broad description Sport is an Activity that is governed by a set of rules or Customs and often engaged in competitively Chariot racing (ἁρματοδρομία/armatodromia was one of the most popular ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine Sports Chariot Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC Odin (ˈoʊdɪn from Old Norse Óðinn) is considered the chief god in Norse paganism. Hrungnir ( Old Norse "brawler" was a Jötunn in Norse mythology, slain by the god Thor with his hammer Mjolnir. Norse mythology comprises the indigenous pre-Christian religion, beliefs and Legends of the Scandinavian peoples including those who settled on Iceland It is often inextricably associated with gambling. The common nickname for horse racing is The Sport of Kings.

Forms of horse racing

One of the principal forms of horse racing, which is popular in many parts of the world, is Thoroughbred racing. Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide Sport and Industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred Horses It is governed by different national Harness racing is also popular in the eastern United States and more popular than Thoroughbred racing in Canada and parts of Europe. Harness racing is a form of Horse-racing in which the horses race in a specified gait Quarter horse racing is also popular in the western United States and Florida. Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the Racing with purebred Arabian horses exists in several states in the United States, as well as in most of Europe and the Middle East.

The breeding, training and racing of horses in many countries is now a significant economic activity as, to a greater extent, is the gambling industry which is largely supported by it. The horse ( Equus caballus) is a hoofed ( Ungulate) Mammal, one of eight living species of the family Equidae. Exceptional horses can win millions of dollars and make millions more by providing stud services, such as horse breeding. Horse breeding refers to reproduction in Horses and particularly the human-directed process of Selective breeding of animals particularly Purebred

Horse racing in North America

History

Race at Churchill Downs

Horse racing in the United States and on the North American continent dates back to the establishment of another course named Newmarket -- on the Salisbury Plains section of what is now known as the Hempstead Plains of Long Island, New York in 1665. History The track is named for John and Henry Churchill who leased 80 acres (320000 m² of land to their nephew Colonel Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Long Island is an island located in southeastern New York, USA, its western shores directly across from Manhattan, from which the island stretches New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous This first racing meet in North America was supervised by New York's colonial Governor, Richard Nicolls. The area is now occupied by the present Nassau County, New York region of Greater Westbury and East Garden City. There is also a Town of Nassau in Rensselaer County. Nassau County is a suburban county in the New York Metropolitan Westbury is a Village in Nassau County, New York in the United States. The South Westbury section is also (appropriately) known as Salisbury.

Major horse racetracks in the US were built at Saratoga Springs, New York in 1863 and at Churchill Downs, Louisville, Ky. , opened in 1875. 1905 saw the opening of Belmont Park in Elmont, New York (just outside New York City - on part of the western edge of the Hempstead Plains. History and Information It is world-famous as the home of the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the Triple Crown. Elmont is a hamlet (and Census-designated place) as well as a bedroom suburb of New York City in Long Island, Nassau County New York The City of New York Its mile and a half main track is the largest dirt thoroughbred race course in the world, and it has the sport's largest grandstand.

Thoroughbred horse racing in the United States has its own Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York. The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred The Hall of Fame honors remarkable horses, jockeys, owners and trainers.

Types of racing

The style of racing, the distances and the type of events varies very much by the country in which the race is occurring, and many countries offer different types of horse races.

In the United States, races can occur on flat surfaces of either dirt, polytrack, or grass, generally Thoroughbred racing; other tracks offer Quarter Horse racing and harness racing, or combinations of these three types of racing. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Harness racing is a form of Horse-racing in which the horses race in a specified gait Racing with other breeds, such as Arabian horse racing, is found on a limited basis. The Arabian horse is a breed of Horse with a reputation for Intelligence, spirit and stamina American Thoroughbred races are run at a wide variety of distances, most commonly from 5 furlongs to 1½ miles (2414 m); with this in mind, breeders of Thoroughbred race horses are able to breed horses that excel at a particular distance (see Dosage Index). A furlong is a measure of Distance in Imperial units and US customary units. The Dosage Index is a mathematical figure used by breeders of Thoroughbred race horses and sometimes by bettors handicapping horse races to quantify a horse's ability or inability

A horse race at Del Mar. Del Mar Fairgrounds is a property that is the site of the annual San Diego County Fair (called the Del Mar Fair from 1984 to 2001

Important races

The high point of US horse racing has traditionally been the Kentucky Derby which, together with the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes, form the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing for three-year-olds. The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three year-old thoroughbred horses held annually in Louisville Kentucky, on the first Saturday in May The Preakness Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race 1-3/16 mile (1 The Belmont Stakes is a prestigious American Grade I stakes race held yearly in June at Belmont Park in Elmont New York. The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (although sometimes shortened to Triple Crown, the full name is used to avoid possible confusion with other sports consists of three However, in recent years the Breeders' Cup races, held at the end of the year, have been challenging the Triple Crown events, held early in the year, as determiners of the three-year-old Champion. The Breeders' Cup World Championships is an annual series of Grade I Thoroughbred horse races operated by Breeders' Cup Limited a company formed in 1982 The Breeders' Cup is held at a different track every year; the most recent edition (2007) was held at Monmouth Park. History The original track opened July 30, 1870 on what is now the site of the Fort Monmouth parade ground but was closed from 1873 to 1881 due to It also has an important effect on the selection of other annual Champions. The corresponding Standardbred event is the Breeders' Crown. There are also a Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers and a Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Trotters. The Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers consists of the following horse races: Cane Pace, held at Freehold Raceway in Freehold New The Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Trotters consists of the following horse races: Hambletonian, held at the Meadowlands Racetrack in

Betting

American betting on horse racing is sanctioned and regulated by state governments, almost always through legalized parimutuel gambling. Parimutuel betting (from the French language: pari mutuel, mutual betting is a betting system in which all bets of a particular type are placed together in a pool

Canada

The most famous horse from Canada is generally considered to be Northern Dancer, who after winning the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Queen's Plate in 1964 went on to become the most successful Thoroughbred sire of the 20th century; his two-minute-flat Derby was the fastest on record until Secretariat in 1973. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Northern Dancer ( May 27, 1961 - November 16, 1990) was a Canadian -bred Thoroughbred racehorse and the most successful The only challenger to his title of greatest Canadian horse would be his son Nijinsky II, who is the last horse to win the English Triple Crown. The racehorse Nijinsky (1967-1992 (named after the Dancer Vaslav Nijinsky) was a son of Northern Dancer and Flaming Page, both winners of the The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (although sometimes shortened to Triple Crown, the full name is used to avoid possible confusion with other sports consists of three Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, home of the Queen's Plate, Canada's premier Thoroughbred stakes race, and the North America Cup, Canada's premier Standardbred stakes race, is the only race track in North America which stages Thoroughbred and Standardbred (harness) meetings on the same day. History The current Woodbine carries the name originally used by a racetrack which operated in east Toronto at Queen Street East and Kingston Road from 1874 through 1993 The Queen's Plate is North America's oldest Thoroughbred horse race. The North America Cup is an annual Harness racing event for 3-year-old Standardbred pacing horses which is held at Mohawk Raceway in Campbellville The Pattison Canadian International has the largest purse of any Canadian horse race.

Quarter Horse racing

Quarter Horse racing is popular throughout the entire United States. Quarter Horses are faster than Thoroughbreds, but run shorter distances. While the average Thoroughbred race is roughly a mile, the average Quarter Horse race is about a quarter of a mile (hence the name of the breed). The classic distance of a Quarter Horse race is 440 yards (400 m), but races are run from anywhere between 100 and 1,000 yards (910 m).

American Quarter Horses are shorter and more muscular than their Thoroughbred cousins, and so are more suited to shorter, more explosive races. With the exception of the longer, 870-yard (800 m) distance contests, Quarter Horse races are run flat out, with the horses running at top speed for the duration. There is less jockeying for position, as turns are rare, and many races end with several contestants grouped together at the wire.

Horse racing in Mauritius

In 1812, The Mauritius Turf Club was founded by Colonel Draper. It is the 2nd oldest racecourse in the world and is the oldest racecourse in the southern hemisphere. ^[1] Horse racing is a popular sport in Mauritius.

Horse racing in South Africa

Horse racing is a popular sport in South Africa that can be traced back to 1797. The first recorded race club meeting took place five years later in 1802. ^[2] The national horse racing body is known as the National Horseracing Authority and was founded in 1882. The National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa formerly the Jockey Club of Southern Africa is the Southern African equivalent of the American and British The premier event, which attracts 50 000 people to Durban, is the Durban July Handicap, which has been run since 1897 at Greyville Racecourse. The Durban July Handicap is a South African Thoroughbred horse race held annually on the first Saturday of July since 1897 at Greyville Racecourse in Greyville Racecourse is a Thoroughbred Race track in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is the largest and most prestigious event on the continent, with betting running into the hundreds of million rand. However, the other notable major races are the Summer Cup, held at Turffontein Racecourse in Johannesburg, and The J & B Met, which is held at Kenilworth race track in Cape Town. Turffontein Racecourse is a Race track in South Africa for Thoroughbred horse racing founded in 1887 at Turffontein Gauteng by the Johannesburg Johannesburg ( Pronounced /jō-hān'ĭs-bûrg'/ is the largest city in South Africa. Cape Town (Kaapstad Xhosa: Ikapa) is the second most populous city in South Africa, forming part of the metropolitan municipality of the

Horse racing in Australia

Tambo Valley Picnic Races, Victoria, Australia 2006

For more details on this topic, see Horseracing in Australia.

Racing in Australia has enjoyed great success with races such as the world famous Melbourne Cup, the so-called race that stops a nation, which has recently attracted many international entries. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The Melbourne Cup is Australia 's major annual Thoroughbred horse race. In Australia, the most famous horse was Phar Lap, who raced from 1928-1932 (though originally bred in New Zealand). For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. For the Computer software, see Phar Lap (company. Phar Lap, a giant chestnut Thoroughbred Gelding, is considered Phar Lap carried 9st 12lb (62. 5kg) to win the 1930 Melbourne Cup. In 2003-2005 the mare Makybe Diva became the first and only racehorse to ever win the Melbourne Cup three times, let alone in consecutive years. Makybe Diva is an Australian racehorse, and the first Thoroughbred to win the prestigious Melbourne Cup three times in 2003 and 2004 and again in 2005 The Melbourne Cup is Australia 's major annual Thoroughbred horse race. In harness racing, Paleface Adios became a household name during the 1970s, while Cardigan Bay, a pacing horse from New Zealand, enjoyed great success at the highest levels of American harness racing in the 1960s. Harness racing is a form of Horse-racing in which the horses race in a specified gait Paleface Adios (1969 - 1989 was a horse one of the 'immortals' of Australian Harness racing, competing as a pacer throughout the 1970s and early 1980s Cardigan Bay ( 1956 &ndash 1988) was a bay pacing Gelding by Hal Tryax out of Colwyn Bay by Josedale Dictator New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island

Horse racing in New Zealand

Racing is a long-established sport in New Zealand, stretching back to colonial times.

The New Zealand racing industry is a major contributor to the New Zealand economy as well as local communities across New Zealand. Racing generates more than $1. 4 billion in economic activity each year and creates the equivalent of 18,300 full-time jobs.

More than 40,000 people derive their livelihoods from the New Zealand racing industry^[3].

In the past year, more than one million people attended race meetings across New Zealand spending in excess of $55 million on wagering, food, beverages, transport and accommodation.

There are 69 thoroughbred and 51 harness clubs licensed in New Zealand. Racecourses are situated in 59 locations throughout New Zealand.

The bloodstock industry is important to New Zealand, with the export sale of horses – mainly to Australia and Asia – generating more than $120 million a year.

A major source of funding for the racing industry is returns from betting on racing and sports, which is conducted by the New Zealand TAB, the retail arm of the New Zealand Racing Board.

Horse racing in Europe

Ireland

Ireland has a rich history of horse racing; point to pointing originated there and even today, jump racing (National Hunt racing) is marginally more popular than racing on the flat. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world National Hunt racing is the official name given to the sport of horse racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland where the horses are required to jump over obstacles As a result, every year Irish horse racing fans travel in huge numbers to the highlight event of the National Hunt calendar, the Cheltenham Festival, and in recent years Irish owned or bred horses have dominated the event. The Cheltenham Festival is the most prestigious meeting in the National Hunt racing calendar in the United Kingdom and has race prize Ireland has a thriving thoroughbred breeding industry, stimulated by favourable tax treatment. The world's largest thoroughbred stud, Coolmore Stud, is there. Coolmore Stud, established in 1975 is the world's largest breeding operation of Thoroughbred Racehorses and is arguably the best stud in the world based in Notable Irish trainers include Dermot Weld, John Oxx and Aidan O'Brien. Dermot K Weld (born July 29, 1948) is one of Ireland 's most successful racehorse trainers He holds the record for the most winners trained in John M Oxx is a well known Irish Horse trainer. He was born on July 14th 1950 in Ireland and his father John Oxx Sr Aidan P O'Brien (born 16 October 1969 in County Wexford, Ireland), is an Irish Horse racing trainer. Notable jockeys include Kieren Fallon, Michael Kinane, Johnny Murtagh, Ruby Walsh and Tony McCoy. Kieren Francis Fallon (born February 22 1965 in Crusheen County Clare, Ireland) is a Flat racing Jockey and has been Michael Kinane (born June 22, 1959 at Killenaule in County Tipperary, Ireland) is a Flat racing Jockey. For the New Zealand Cricketer see John Murtagh Johnny Murtagh (born Navan, County Meath, May Ruby Walsh (born Rupert Walsh on 1979-05-14 in Kill, County Kildare, Ireland) is the reigning Irish National For the football player of the same name see Tony McCoy (football player. The multiple Gold Cup winner Best Mate also hails from Ireland, while the great Red Rum was bred there, before moving across the Irish Sea to be trained. The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race in the United Kingdom for five-year-old and above horses Best Mate (bay gelding 28 January, 1995 - 1 November, 2005. Sire: Un Desperado Dam Katday was a famous English trained for Murder spelled backwards see Redrum. Red Rum (bay gelding May 3, 1965 &ndash October 18, 1995. The Irish Sea ( Irish: Muir Éireann or Muir Meann; Scottish Gaelic: Muir Eireann Welsh: Môr Iwerddon, Arkle, rated the greatest steeplechaser of all time, was bred and trained in Ireland and became a national hero through his exploits. Arkle ( 19 April 1957 - 31 May 1970) was a famous Irish Thoroughbred racehorse The legendary racemare Dawn Run was another famous Irish champion. The racehorse Dawn Run (Deep Run - Twilight Slave was the most successful racemare in the history of National Hunt racing. Vincent O'Brien who trained horses at Ballydoyle in Tipperary, was one of the most successful trainers of all time, in both National Hunt racing and on the flat. Dr Michael Vincent O'Brien (born April 9 1917 in Churchtown, County Cork, Ireland) is a retired Ballydoyle is a racehorse training facility located in County Tipperary in Ireland. Champion racehorses trained by Vincent O'Brien on the flat include Nijinsky II, Sir Ivor, Ballymoss, Alleged, The Minstrel and El Gran Senor. The racehorse Nijinsky (1967-1992 (named after the Dancer Vaslav Nijinsky) was a son of Northern Dancer and Flaming Page, both winners of the Sir Ivor (1965-1995 was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who competed from a base in Ireland. Ballymoss (1954-1979 was an Irish Thoroughbred Champion racehorse. Alleged (1974-2000 was a champion American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse best remembered as winning back-to-back Prix de l'Arc de Triomphes in The Minstrel (1974-1990 was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse. El Gran Senor (1981-2006 was an American-bred Thoroughbred race horse, born at Windfields Farm in Maryland.

France

See also: List of French flat horse races and Category:Horseracing in France

France has a mature horse racing industry. A list of notable flat horse races which take place annually in France, including all Conditions races which currently hold Group 1 2 or 3 status in the This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The race with the largest international following is the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe held at Longchamp Racecourse on the 1st Sunday in October. The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to Thoroughbreds which are three-years-old or above The Longchamp Racecourse ( Hippodrome de Longchamp) is a 57 hectare Horse-racing facility located on the Route des Tribunes in the Bois de Boulogne at The Grand Prix de Paris is also held at Longchamp but is run in mid July. The Grand Prix de Paris is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old Thoroughbred colts and fillies The other two French Classic Races are Prix du Jockey Club (the French Derby) and the Prix de Diane both held in June at Chantilly Racecourse. In France, the Classics of Horse racing are a series of Group One Thoroughbred horse races run annually on the flat. The Prix du Jockey Club, sometimes referred to as the French Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old A derby (pronounced "dar-bee" /dɑːbɪ/ in most of the English-speaking world and "dur-bee" /dɚbɪ/ in North American English) is a type of horse race The Prix de Diane, sometimes referred to as the French Oaks, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old Thoroughbred

Italy

The Palio di Siena (known locally as Il Palio), the most famous palio in Italy, is a horse race held twice each year on July 2 and August 16 in Siena, in which the horse and rider represent one of the seventeen Contrade, or city wards. The Palio di Siena (known locally simply as Il Palio) the most famous Palio in Italy is a horse race held twice each year on July 2 and The Palio di Siena (known locally simply as Il Palio) the most famous Palio in Italy is a horse race held twice each year on July 2 and See Fiat Palio for the car Palio is the name given in Italy to an annual athletic contest very often of a historical character This article is about the sport For other uses see Horserace (drinking game or Horse race (politics. Events 310 - Pope Miltiades is elected 626 - In fear of assassination Li Shimin ambushes and kills his rival Events 1384 - The Hongwu Emperor of Ming China, Emperor Dong hears a case of a couple who tore paper money bills while fighting Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Siena. A magnificent pageant precedes the race, which attracts visitors and spectators from around the world.

See also: List of horse races in Italy

Great Britain

Main article: Horseracing in Great Britain

In Great Britain, there are races which involve obstacles (either hurdles or fences) called National Hunt racing and those which are unobstructed races over a given distance (flat racing). Flat races Argentina Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini Gran Premio Estrellas Gran Premio Jockey Club Horse racing is a popular Spectator sport in Great Britain, and Gambling on horseraces is the cornerstone of the British betting industry See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands National Hunt racing is the official name given to the sport of horse racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland where the horses are required to jump over obstacles Flat racing is a term commonly used to denote a form of Horse racing which is run over a level track at a predetermined distance GB has provided many of the sport's greatest ever jockeys, most notably Sir Gordon Richards. Sir Gordon Richards ( May 5 1904 - November 10 1988) was an English Jockey, and is usually considered the world's greatest In GB there are rules that stop the jockey using the whip too much, such as: they are not allowed to raise their whip over their shoulder. This stops them hitting the horse too hard.

Races in GB are not referred to as Race 1, Race 2, etc. , but by the starting time. For instance, the "1:35" or the "3:10". Each race may also have a name, which may include a sponsor's name, associated with it.

Horse racing in Asia

Hong Kong

Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong at night

The British tradition of horse racing left its mark as one of the most important entertainment and gambling institutions in Hong Kong. Established as the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club in 1884, the non-profit organisation conducts nearly 700 races every season at the two race tracks in Happy Valley and Sha Tin. The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) is one of the oldest institutions in Hong Kong, founded in 1884 to promote Horse racing. Happy Valley Horse Racing Track ( Chinese 快活谷馬場 or 跑馬地馬場 is one of the two Racecourses for Horse racing in Hong Kong. History It was first built in 1978 (under the administration of Sir David Akers-Jones, the then-Secretary for the New Territories on reclaimed land and is the larger The sport annually draws in over 11% of Hong Kong's tax revenue. Off-track betting is available from overseas bookmakers.

Malaysia

In Malaysia, horse racing was introduced during the British colonial era and remained until today as gaming activities. There are 3 racing courses in Malaysia, namely Penang Turf Club, Perak Turf Club and Selangor Turf Club. The horse racing is legal form of gambling within the Turf Club and betting only available in turf club. Racing in Malaysia and Singapore are conducted and governed under the Rules of the Malayan Racing Association. Horse racing gambling in Malaysia are operated and organized by Pan Malaysian Pools Sdn Bhd.

Singapore

Horse racing was introduced to Singapore by the British during the colonial era and remained one of the legal forms of gambling after independence. Races are typically held on Saturdays and Sundays at the Singapore Turf Club in Kranji. The Singapore Turf Club was founded in 1842 as the Singapore Sporting Club. Horse racing has also left its mark in the naming of roads in Singapore such as Race Course Road in Little India where horse racing was first held in Singapore and Turf Club Road in Bukit Timah where Singapore Turf Club used to be before moving to its current location in 1999. Little India' is an ethnic neighbourhood found in Singapore that has Indian cultural elements Bukit Timah is a Hill in Singapore which stands at an altitude of 164 metres and is the highest point in the City-state of Singapore

India

In India, Bangalore Turf Club conducts races, which are famous along with Pune and Kolkotta. Vijay Mallya and MAM Ramaswamy, both Members of Parliament are famous horse owners, who have won record number of championships, both incidentally are industrialists

Recently, Bangalore came into news as the Government is mulling over to ban betting, which would eventually make horse racing economically unviable

In India, its not only Bangalore Turf Club which conducts races, also there are four more turf authorities who conduct racing viz. Shri MAM Ramaswamy, a politician from Janata Dal (Secular party, is presently a Member of the Parliament of India representing Karnataka in the The Hyderabad Race Club,Hyderabad, The Royal Calcutta Turf Club, Kolkata, The Royal Western India Turf Club, Mumbai and the Madras Race Club, Chennai. Apart from these racing is also conducted in Delhi and Mysore. Delhi (दिल्ली ਦਿੱਲੀ دلی d̪ɪlːiː sometimes referred to as Dilli) is the second largest metropolis of India, with a population Mysore (maɪˈsɔɚ in English; renamed to Mysuru|ಮೈಸೂರು) (ಮೈಸೂರು is the second largest city in the state of Karnataka, India

Of all the Hyderabad Race Club's racing is very popular amongst the locals here and is very competitive and Hyderabad Race Club has many firsts to its credit to popularise the thoroughbred horse racing in India. In the year 2008, the first Saturday and Sunday is the Hyderabad Race Club's turn to host the Indian Turf Invitation Cup weekend racing carnival which is the most prestigious event of the racing calendar in India.

Japan

Nakayama Racecourse in Funabashi, Japan

Japan conducts more than 21,000 horse races a year in one of three types: flat racing, jump racing (races over hurdles), and Ban'ei Racing (also called Draft Racing). is a Breed of Horse, native to Japan. It is used in Horse racing, and pulling heavy sleds in Banei Keiba races

There are a total of thirty racetracks in Japan. Ten of these tracks are known as "central tracks", where most of Japan's top races are conducted. Races at these ten tracks are conducted by the Japan Racing Association (JRA), which operates under the oversight of the Japanese government. The Japan Racing Association ( Japanese: 日本中央競馬会 Nippon Chūō Keiba Kai, or JRA) is a public company established to operate Chūō Keiba (中央競馬 The remaining twenty tracks are operated by municipal racing authorities and run under the affiliation of the National Association of Racing (NAR). The National Association of Racing ( Japanese: 地方競馬全国協会 Chiho Keiba Zenkoku Kyokai or NAR) is a public company established to operate Chiho Keiba (地方競馬 Two tracks, Sapporo Racecourse and Chukyo Racecourse, run separate meetings under either JRA or NAR jurisdiction. Notable races Physical attributes Chukyo Racecourse has a grass courses a dirt course

The JRA purse structure is one of the richest in the world. As of 2007, a typical JRA maiden race for three year olds carries a purse of ¥9. 55 million (about US$83,000), with ¥5 million (about US$43,000) paid to the winner. Purses for graded stakes races begin at around ¥75 million (about US$650,000).

Japan's top stakes races are run in the spring and fall. The country's most prominent race is the Grade 1 Japan Cup, a 2400 m (about 1 1/2 mile) invitational grass race run every November at Tokyo Racecourse for a purse of ¥530 million (about US$4. For the road bicycle racing event see Japan Cup (cycling. For the bowling event see Dydo Japan Cup. Physical attributes Tokyo Race Course's grass course measures 2083m (1 1/4 miles + 234 feet with two chutes (1800m and 2000m 6 million). Other noted stakes races include the February Stakes, Takamatsunomiya Kinen, Yasuda Kinen, Takarazuka Kinen, Arima Kinen, and the Tenno Sho races run in the spring and fall. The is a Grade 1 flat horse race in Japan for four-year-old and above Thoroughbreds It is run over a distance of 1600 metres (approximately The is a Grade 1 flat horse race in Japan for three-year-old and above Thoroughbreds It is run over a distance of 1200 metres (approximately The Yasuda Kinen (English Yasuda Memorial Japanese and Chinese language 安田記念) is a Japanese International Grade I Thoroughbred horse The Takarazuka Kinen (宝塚記念 is a Grade I flat horse race in Japan for three-year-old and above Thoroughbreds run over The Arima Kinen (有馬記念 is a Grade I flat horse race in Japan for three-year-old and above Thoroughbreds run over a distance The Tenno Sho (天皇賞 is a race that is actually held two times per year once in the spring and once in the autumn The Satsuki Sho, Tokyo Yushun and Kikuka Sho comprise the Japanese Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. The is a Japanese domestic Grade 1 flat horse race in Japan for three-year-old Thoroughbred colts and fillies The, also called as the is a Japanese Domestic Grade 1 flat horse race in Japan for three-year-old Thoroughbred colts The is a Japanese Domestic Grade 1 (Jpn I flat horse race in Japan for three-year-old Thoroughbred colts and The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (although sometimes shortened to Triple Crown, the full name is used to avoid possible confusion with other sports consists of three

Japan's top jump race is the Nakayama Grand Jump, run every April at Nakayama Racecourse. The Nakayama Grand Jump is a Japanese horse racing steeplechase, held at Nakayama Racecourse every year in mid-April Physical attributes Nakayama Race Course has two grass courses a dirt course and a jump course Instead of running over a large course as is the case in other countries, the course for the 4250 m (about 2 5/8 mile) Nakayama Grand Jump follows a twisted path on the inside portion of Nakayama's racing ovals. The race carries a purse of ¥170 million (about US$1. 4 million).

The top jockey in Japan is Yutaka Take, who is a multiple champion in his homeland and regularly rides Japanese horses in stakes races around the world. (born March 15 1969, came from Ritto Shiga, Shiga) is a Japanese Jockey who is a multiple champion in his homeland and won the Yutaka Take was the regular jockey for Deep Impact, JRA's two time Horse of the Year (2005-06). Deep Impact ( Japanese: ディープインパクト, March 25, 2002 -) is a Japanese racehorse that won seven Japanese Domestic

Mongolia

Mongolian horse racing takes place during Mongolia's Independence Day.

Pakistan

Horse races are held in Pakistan at three different clubs. In Lahore at Lahore Race Club, Rawalpindi at Chakri and in Karachi at Karachi Race Club. Lahore Race Club named after the city it is based in Lahore, was established in 1924 though some veterans claim that the club started in 1874 but the record goes back to 1924 Yearly Races There are only 3 races about 1800 meters to 2400 meters yearly

South Korea

Horse racing in South Korea traces back to May 1898, when a foreign language institute run by the government included a donkey race in its athletic rally. However, this type of racing was sponsored for entertainment purposes only. No betting was conducted. It was in 1920s that "Modern Horse Racing" involving a betting system made its debut. In 1922, the Chosun Racing Club, the nation's first-ever authorized horse racing club, was established to make horse racing more systematic and better organized. In 1923, the pari-mutuel betting system was officially adopted for the first time in Korea. The Sinseol-dong racecourse opened in 1928 and incorporated racing clubs were allowed to have their own racecourses.

Finally in 1933 a decree on horse racing was promulgated. Under the decree, only incorporated racing clubs were entitled to conduct horse racing. The Chosun Horse Racing Authority was also established in 1933 to coordinate and control incorporated racing clubs across the nation and ensure consistency in their administration.

In 1945, the Chosun Horse Affairs Authority was renamed to the Korea Racing Authority, and efforts were made to restore the national identity in horse racing. However, the Korean War which broke in 1950 resulted in great turmoil for Korean society, thus undermining the development of horse racing. Worse yet, during the three-year war, racecourses were requisitioned for military training and horse racing came to an abrupt halt. To keep the tradition of horse racing alive, the Korea Racing Authority worked out a plan to reestablish the racecourse at Ttuksom in Seoul. The construction, which began during the war, was completed in May 1954. With its dedication, horse racing resumed, and the newly constructed Ttksom racecourse served as the hub of Korean horse racing until it was relocated to the modern racecourse in Gwacheon in 1989.

Pari-mutuel bets were tallied manually until 1984. The inefficient management of pari-mutuel betting system was a major stumbling block to broadening the fan base. To overcome this fundamental obstacle, the computerized pari-mutuel betting system was established in 1984, and at the same time, horse racing came to be televised in color, both on-&off-course. These two measures have played a decisive role in boosting attendance and turnover. For instance, in 1984, turnover and attendance increased at 67% and 58%, respectively, from the previous year.

To form a link in the chain of the program to make the most of the Olympic facilities, the government designated the KRA as the organization exclusively responsible for providing the Olympic Equestrian Park. Accordingly, the KRA secured 280 acres (1. 1 km²) of the land in Gwacheon area on the southern outskirts of Seoul, and began its construction in 1984 till 1988. After the Olympics, the Park was converted into racing facilities named Seoul Racecourse and the first race was held on September 1, 1989. Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) With the opening of the Seoul Racecourse, the 36-year-long era of the Ttuksom Racecourse came to an end and the nation's horse racing continued to make great strides.

As part of the efforts to preserve the ponies native to Jeju Island, which has been designated as Natural Monument No. 347, the KRA began the construction of the 180-acre (0. 7 km²) Jeju Racecourse at the foot of Mt. Halla in October 1987. Three years later in October 1990, the Racecourse opened for pony racing.

As an effort to raise racing quality and promote horseracing nationwide, the KRA started to construct the new thoroughbred racecourse in Busan, the second largest city in South Korea. The racecourse opened in September 2005. The stellar growth of Korean racing and KRA's internationalization efforts have drawn the international attention since the beginning of the 2000s. Led by this, in October 2002, the Asian Racing Federation decided to designate South Korea as the host of the 30th Asian Racing Conference in May 2005. Also, in June 2004, the International Cataloguing Standards Committee included Korea as one of the Part III countries, and decided to add seven South Korean Grade Races to the Blue Book list starting from 2005.

United Arab Emirates

The big race in the UAE is the Dubai World Cup, a race with a purse of six million dollars, making it the largest purse in the world. The Dubai World Cup is a Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 1996 at the Nad Al Sheba Racecourse in the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates Within around two and a half years time Dubai will have a horse racing city named Meydan.

There is no parimutuel betting in the UAE.

Pedigree

For more details on this topic, see Horse breeding. Horse breeding refers to reproduction in Horses and particularly the human-directed process of Selective breeding of animals particularly Purebred

While the attention of horse racing fans and the media is focused almost exclusively on the horse's performance on the racetrack, or for male horses possibly its success as a sire, little publicity is given to brood mares. Such is the case of La Troienne, one of the most important mares of the 20th century to whom many of the greatest thoroughbred champions, and dams of champions, can be traced. La Troienne, born in France in 1926 was a Thoroughbred racing mare by Teddy (Fr out of Helene de Troie (Fr by Helicon (GB

In most flat horse races, not including steeplechases, the pedigree of the horse is one of the things that allow it to race: the horse must have a sire (father) and a dam (mother) who are purebred individuals of whatever breed is racing. For example, in a normal harness race, the horses sire and dam must both be pure Standardbreds.

A stallion who has won many races will usually be put up to stud when he is retired. This means that the owner of a mare can pay to breed his mare to that stallion. The more successful a stallion has been, the more expensive it is to breed the mare. An owner who is serious about racing will pay a great deal for a breeding to a successful stallion. Because stallions can breed many mares per season but a broodmare can only have one foal, an owner who has had a successful colt and keeps him as a breeding stud will probably make more money than an owner with a successful filly. However, the advent of embryo transfer technology--by means of which broodmares may have more than one offspring per season--might bring changes to the traditions of breeding.

Pedigrees of stallions can be seen at Weatherbys Stallion Book and pedigrees of recent Stakes race winners can be found on sites such as the-racehorse.com. Thoroughbred pedigree database: Pedigree Query

Betting

Main articles: Gambling, Parimutuel gambling, and Mathematics of bookmaking

At many horse races, there is a gambling station, where gamblers can stake money on a horse. Parimutuel betting (from the French language: pari mutuel, mutual betting is a betting system in which all bets of a particular type are placed together in a pool In Betting parlance making a book is the practice of laying bets on the various possible outcomes of a single event (Gambling on horses is prohibited at some tracks; the nationally renowned Colonial Cup Steeplechase in Camden, South Carolina, is known as one of the races which betting is illegal, because of a 1951 law in the state where betting on horse racing is illegal. Camden is a city in and the County seat of Kershaw County, South Carolina, United States. ) Where gambling is allowed, most tracks offer Parimutuel betting where gamblers' money is pooled and shared proportionally among the winners once a deduction is made from the pool. Parimutuel betting (from the French language: pari mutuel, mutual betting is a betting system in which all bets of a particular type are placed together in a pool In some countries, such as UK, Ireland and Australia, an alternative and more popular facility is provided by Bookmakers who effectively make a market in odds. A bookmaker, bookie or turf accountant, is an organization or a person that takes bets and pays winnings depending upon results and depending on the nature A market maker is a firm that quotes both a buy and a sell price in a Financial instrument or Commodity, hoping to make a profit on the turn This allows the gambler to 'lock in' odds on a horse at a particular time (known as 'taking the price' in the UK). Parimutuel gambling on races also provides not only purse money to participants but considerable tax revenue, with over $100 billion wagered annually in 53 countries. Parimutuel betting (from the French language: pari mutuel, mutual betting is a betting system in which all bets of a particular type are placed together in a pool ^[4]

Types of bets

Main article: Glossary of bets offered by UK bookmakers

The three most common ways to bet money are: bet to win, bet to place, and bet to show. This glossary of bets offered by UK bookmakers is a non-exhaustive list of traditional and popular bets offered by bookmakers in the United Kingdom Bet to win means that you stake money on the horse, and if it comes in first place, the bet is a winner. In bet to place, you are betting on your horse to finish either first or second and 'show' is first, second or third. Since it is much easier to select a horse to finish first, second or third than it is to select a horse just for first, the 'show' payoffs will be much lower on average than win payoffs. Betting 'show' is really playing it safe while win betting is a bit more risky, yet the rewards are better.

In Europe, betting to show is less commonplace since the number of "payout places" varies depending on the size of the field that takes part in the race. For example, in a race with seven or less runners in the UK, only the first two finishers would be considered winning bets with most bookmakers. Three places are paid for eight or more runners, whilst a handicap race with 16 runners or more will see the first four places being classed as "placed". Betting to place takes on a different meaning in Europe for this reason. In the US a place bet would only pay out if the horse in question finished first or second, whilst in the UK, a place bet would be deemed a winner based on the aforementioned criteria.

The term "Each-Way" bet is used across the globe, but again has a different meaning depending on your location. An each-way (or E/W) bet sees your total bet being split in two, with half being placed on the win, and half on the place. US bettors would only see a payout for a first or second place finish with this type of bet, whilst European and British bettors (or "punters") would receive a payout if the horse either wins, or is placed based on the place criteria as stated above. Most UK bookmakers cut the odds considerably for an each-way bet, offering the full odds if the horse wins but only a third, a quarter or a fifth of the odds if only the place section of the bet is successful. In the UK some bookmakers will offer a sixth of the odds for a place on the Grand National and increase the number of places available to achieve this to finishing in the first five. The Grand National is the most valuable National Hunt horse race in the world This additional concession is offered because of the large number of runners in the race (maximum 40). Occasionally other handicap races with large fields (numbers of runners) receive the same treatment from various bookmakers.

Betting Exchanges

In addition to traditional betting with a bookmaker, punters are able to both back and lay money on an online betting exchange. The term betting exchange is used to describe a form of bookmaking in which the operator offsets its risk perfectly through technology such that the effect to the customer is that customers Punters who lay the odds are in effect acting as a bookmaker. The odds of a horse are set by the market conditions of the betting exchange which is dictated to by the activity of the members.

Criticism

Organized groups dedicated to protecting animals, such as the Humane Society of the United States and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, target some horse sports with claims of animal cruelty. The Humane Society of the United States ( HSUS) is a Washington D Cruelty to animals refers to the infliction of unnecessary Suffering or Harm to animals Horse racing and rodeo are most commonly targeted, due both to their high visibility and to the level of stress and potential physical dangers to the equines involved. Rodeo (ˈroʊdioʊ or /roʊˈdeɪoʊ/ is a sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States Criticism of horse racing and its practices runs a wide gamut, however; while some individuals consider even fairly drastic discipline of horses non-abusive, others consider abuse to be anything done against the will of the animal in question. Some consider poor living conditions abusive, while others consider riding itself abusive.

Some behaviors and activities are widely criticized as abusive by people within the horse industry, even if not illegal as a matter of public law, while others are so widely condemned that they have been outlawed at the federal level and violations can incur criminal penalties.

Dangers

There are many dangers in horse racing for both horse and jockey: a horse can stumble and fall, or fall when jumping an obstacle, exposing both jockey and horse to the danger of being trampled and injured.

In 1984, R. J. McCunney and P. K. Russo published a study entitled Brain Injuries in Boxing. The study demonstrated that the U. S. sport with the highest number of deaths per 100,000 participants was horse racing:

Fatality rates per 100,000 participants

1. Horse racing: 128
2. Sky diving: 123
3. Hang gliding: 56
4. Mountaineering: 51
5. Scuba Diving: 11
6. Motorcycle racing: 7
7. College Football: 3
8. Boxing: 1. Parachuting, also known as skydiving is where a person jumps from enough height so that he can deploy a fabric Parachute and land safely History See also History of hang gliding Summary: Hang gliding existed in China perhaps by the 4th century AD according to the writing of the “Alpinist” redirects here See also Alpinist (magazine Mountaineering is the Sport, Hobby or Profession of Scuba diving is swimming underwater, or taking part in another activity while using a Scuba set. Motorcycle racing (also known as Moto racing and Bike racing) is a Motorcycle sport involving Racing Motorcycles. College football is American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, Colleges and military academies Boxing (sometimes also known as English boxing or pugilism) is a Combat sport in which two participants generally of similar weight, 3

See also

• Equestrian property
• List of horse racing tracks
• List of jockeys
• Horse trainers
• Fully Automatic Time
• Length (horse racing)

Notes

References

• http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/2988827.stm
• http://www.elegantdestinations.co.uk/mauritius/horseracing.htm
• http://www.maurinet.com/racing.html
• http://www.mauritiusturfclub.com/page.php?sid=9131c01a97d61858c06d1f79f6a88863&content_id=7
• http://www.otayo.com/mtc.htm
• http://www.asianracing.org/members/manr.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champ_de_Mars_Racecourse
• http://www.users.bigpond.com/clancy/trivia.htm#The%20Mauritius%20Turf%20Club