Horse races are competitions between horses ridden by jockeys over an oval track and with organized betting taking place on its outcome, usually witnessed by large audiences who gather to witness this spectacle of nature and place bets for its outcome. Horse racing dates back centuries in history with its origins being traced back to ancient Greece.
Racing has evolved over time from an ancient contest of speed or stamina into a grand spectacle with enormous stakes and sophisticated monitoring technology, but its core principle remains unchanged: The horse who crosses the finish line first is victorious.
War of Will led a pack of eleven horses into this year’s Preakness backstretch racetrack drenched with pinkish light before Mongolian Groom and McKinzie took control of clubhouse turn.
Once they had reached the stretch, it was evident that all three would compete to achieve victory. While jockeys urged their mounts forward at once, conserving energy for one last push at the finish. The pack shifted slightly as jockeys jostled for position while listening for any change of position from earth movements or one another. As they jockeys encouraged faster movement but held back slightly to save energy for later efforts, jockeys began encouraging faster speed from each mount while saving some for later push.
The winner of a race would depend on several factors, including: recent form, previous track history and field size as well as how much each entrant betted. Sometimes a racing secretary assigns weights based on past performances of each entrant to ensure an equal playing experience – this practice is known as handicapping.
Handily describes a style of riding whereby jockeys utilize their hands instead of whips to urge horses forward, which was the trademark style used by legendary Jockey Club founder Cornelius Vanderbilt who won two Triple Crowns (1905 and 1910).
Though popular, horse racing is far from ethical. According to Patrick Battuello of Horseracing Wrongs – an animal rights advocacy group – many animals who compete die from heart failure or other ailments caused by racing including pulmonary hemorrhage (blood seeping out of lungs), spinal fractures, and broken legs.
Critics of horse race coverage have been vocal over the years. Yet it remains widely adopted by news outlets because it’s quick and easy to do; freedom of speech and press allow them to report whatever they choose at any given moment. But what cost does the horse race mentality impose on voters and candidates alike? To understand its effects we asked scholars who specialize in elections and news coverage about its consequences; their answers can be found in this updated roundup of research compiled here. While horse race mentality might reduce winning chances for candidates or hinder democracy itself – detriments exist that undermine both.