A race for horses, usually over an oval track and with organized betting on the outcome. A horse race is a highly competitive contest requiring skill and endurance from its participants, whether they are riding jockeys or pulling sulkies and their drivers. The most important race in American Thoroughbred racing is the Triple Crown, which requires a horse to win the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes. The term also can refer to a close, closely contested political race.
A fixed scale of weights that a horse is assigned, based on its age, sex, distance of the race and season of the year. Added to this is the weight of the jockey and all of his equipment (saddle, etc.).
Generally, a horse with low odds will be considered a longshot or outsider. A horse with a high odds to win is called a favorite.
The method by which every horse’s post position in a race is determined. The horse with the lowest number is assigned the most advantageous post; the one with the highest numbers is in a less desirable location.
Often used in conjunction with the phrase “take the lead,” this means that a horse has assumed the early, commanding position on the track, with its rivals trailing behind. This can indicate a serious challenge for the leader as it must maintain its pace over a distance that will tax even the most robust of horses.
In the case of a horse that is favored in a race, the highest bets will be placed on it to win. It is not unusual for such a horse to fade in the final stages of a race and finish well back in the pack.
When a horse carries a weight heavier than it should, this is known as being over-weighted. This can be a result of an injury to the horse, a poor showing in a recent race, or a general lack of ability to compete against its rivals.
After each race, riders speed into a sort of equine pit row and meet up with fresh mounts waiting for them. The jockey then takes one, two or three steps onto the back of a new horse and sets off again around the track.
The jockey slackens his grip on the horse’s reins and lets it run free for a while as he speeds through the homestretch. If he can get the horse to jump clear of any lingering horses, it may be able to slingshot itself into a winning position in the final furlong. A jockey who gets his mount to do this is referred to as an “angler.”
