Horse racing in the United States
Horse racing in the United States dates back to 1665, which saw the establishment of the Newmarket course in Salisbury, New York, a section of what is now known as the Hempstead Plains of Long Island, New York.[1] 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.
Horse racing remains a popular sport throughout the United States.
Thoroughbred racing
The American Stud Book was started in 1868, prompting the beginning of organized horse racing in the United States.
Horse racing, especially thoroughbred racing, was a sport enjoyed by all during the progressive era. According to Steven A. Reiss "[2] Thoroughbred racing was the rare sport that was trending with both social and economic elites and the lower classes". Horse racing was an enamored sport that was popular for its time in all regions of the United States and took a downturn for a while as the economy, gambling reformers and some interest faded. Reiss states that post-Civil War America was the rebirth of the horse racing sport and it relied on the status of men who bred and raced horses and operated jockey clubs and racetracks.[2] "The powerful alliance between urban machine politicians and racetrack owners enabled thoroughbred racing in New York to flourish for about for forty-five years without interruption".[2] Horse racing endured several ups and downs throughout the era to include socioeconomic status, political gain, morality imposition or just a mere stronghold for the pleasure of the sport.
History
There were 314 tracks operating in the United States by 1890; and in 1894, the American Jockey Club was formed.
Endurance racing
Contemporary organized
Quarter horse racing
The first record of quarter mile length races dated back to 1674 in
In 1940, Rillito Park Race track was built on the grounds of the Rukin Jelks stud farm in the heart of Tucson, Arizona and has long been recognized as the birthplace of Quarter Horse racing. The initial track consisted of a 3/8th mile straightaway, which later became the model for the “chute system” used in modern-day quarter horse racing. In 1954, Rillito added a 5/8ths mile oval and has since been the southern Arizona home of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing. In 2012, Rillito Park Race Track was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Major racetracks
- Freehold Raceway in Freehold, New Jersey (1830s)
- Fair Grounds in New Orleans, Louisiana (1838)
- Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York (1863)
- Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland (1870)
- Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey (1870)
- Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky (1875)
- Aqueduct Racetrack in the Queens, New York neighborhood of Ozone Park (1894)
- Yonkers Raceway in the New York City suburb of Yonkers, New York(1899)
- Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas(1904)
- Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, just outside New York City on Long Island (1905)
- Fairmount Park Racetrack in the St. Louis suburb of Collinsville, Illinois (1925)
- Hialeah Park Race Track in Hialeah, Florida, near Miami (1925)
- Arlington Park in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights, Illinois (1927–2021)
- Santa Anita Park in the San Gabriel Valley community of Arcadia, California, near Los Angeles (1934)
- Suffolk Downs Race Track in the Boston, Massachusetts neighborhood of East Boston (1935)
- Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky (1936)
- Del Mar Racetrack in the San Diego suburb of Del Mar, California(1937)
- Delaware Park in Wilmington, Delaware (1937)
- Hallandale, Florida(1939/1944)
The Washington Jockey Club was founded in 1797 by John Tayloe III of The Octagon House and Charles Carnan Ridgely of Hampton. Its first racecourse was 4 blocks from the Whitehouse, it extended from 17th and 20th Streets and extending across Pennsylvania Avenue into Lafayette Park,[7] now the site of Decatur House at H Street and Jackson Place, crossing Seventeenth Street and Pennsylvania Avenue to Twentieth Street, today's Eisenhower Executive Office Building.[8] The course was relocated in 1802 to the Holmead Farm two miles north of the Executive Mansion, to what is now Meridian Hill.[9]
Belmont Park is part of the western edge of the Hempstead Plains. 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.
One of the latest major horse track opened in the United States was the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It first commenced Thoroughbred racing in 1977, but, since 1976, it is primarily a harness racing venue. The racetrack gave birth to what is now called the Monmouth Cup Stakes, now currently held at Monmouth Park, in 1977.
Other more recently opened tracks include Remington Park, Oklahoma City, opened in 1988, and Lone Star Park in the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex, opened in 1997; the latter track hosted the prestigious Breeders' Cup series of races in 2004.
The
In North America, most racehorses are stabled in the backstretch of the racetrack at which their trainers are based. The backstretch has extensive facilities to house the horses and workers.[10]
Types of racing
In the United States, Thoroughbred flat races are run on either dirt, synthetic or turf
The Pleasanton Fairgrounds Racetrack at the Alameda County Fairgrounds is the oldest horse racing track in America[citation needed], dating back to 1858, when it was founded by the sons of the Spaniard Don Agustin Bernal.
Flat racing
In 1665, the first racetrack was constructed on Long Island. It is the oldest
The first record of quarter mile length races dated back to 1674 in
Belmont Park is part of the western edge of the Hempstead Plains. 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.
One of the latest major horse track opened in the United States was the
Endurance racing
The length of an endurance race varies greatly. Some are very short, only ten miles, while others can be up to one hundred miles. There are a few races that are even longer than one hundred miles and last multiple days.[11] These different lengths of races are divided into five categories: pleasure rides (10–20 miles), non-competitive trail rides (21–27 miles), competitive trail rides (20–45 miles), progressive trail rides (25–60 miles), and endurance rides (40–100 miles in one day, up to 250 miles (400 km) in multiple days).[6] Because each race is very long, trails of natural terrain are generally used.
The longest endurance race in the world is the Mongol Derby, which is 620 miles (1000 km) long.[12]
Arabian horse
The Arabian horse was developed by the Bedouin people of the Middle East specifically for stamina over long distances, so they could outrun their enemies. It was not until 1725 that the Arabian was introduced into the United States.[13] Arabians appeared in the United States in colonial times, though were not bred as purebreds until about the time of the Civil War. Until the formation of the Arabian Horse Registry of America in 1908, Arabians were recorded with the Jockey Club in a separate subsection from Thoroughbreds.
They must be able to withstand traveling long distances at a moderate pace. Arabians have an abundance of Type I fibers. Their muscles are able to work for extended periods of time. Also, the muscles of the Arabian are not nearly as massive as those of the Quarter Horse, which allow it to travel longer distances at quicker speeds. The Arabian is primarily used today in endurance racing, but is also raced over traditional race tracks in many countries.
Arabian Horse Racing is governed by IFAHR (The International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities).[14]
Quarter horse
The ancestors of the Quarter Horse were prevalent in America in the early 17th century. These horses were a blend of Colonial Spanish horses crossed English horses that were brought over in the 1700s. The native horse and the English horse were bred together, resulting in a compact muscular horse. At this time, they were mainly used for chores such as plowing and cattle work. The American Quarter Horse was not recognized as an official breed until the formation of the American Quarter Horse Association in 1940.[15] In order to be successful in racing, Quarter Horses need to be able to propel themselves forward at extremely fast sprinter speed. The Quarter Horse has much larger hind limb muscles than the Arabian, which make it much less suitable for endurance racing.[16] They also have more Type II-b fibers, which allow the Quarter Horse to accelerate rapidly.
When Quarter Horse racing began, it was very expensive to lay a full mile of track so it was agreed that a straight track of four hundred meters, or one quarter of a mile would be laid instead.[17] It became the standard racing distance for Quarter Horses and inspired their name. 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. The track surface is similar to that of Thoroughbred racing and usually consists of dirt.
Important races
The traditional high point of US horse racing is the
The Breeders' Cup event is held in late October or early November at different race tracks every year. It receives less attention than the Triple Crown series from the general public but is of great importance in determining the American Horse of the Year and annual Eclipse Award divisional winners. It is normally held at a different track every year, though some racetracks have held back-to-back renewals. It currently consists of thirteen races held over two days with total prize-money of $28 million, with the Breeders' Cup Classic being the most prestigious.[18][19]
The richest horse race in the United States is the
There are also a
Thoroughbred and Arabian fillies have their own "Triple" series, commonly referred to as The Triple Tiara. While there is some disagreement over which three races make up the Triple Tiara of Thoroughbred Racing, the Arabian list is more formal and consists of Daughters of the Desert Oaks in California, the Texas Yellow Rose Stakes, and the Cre Run Oaks in Delaware.[20]
Betting
Horse racing betting is legal in the United States with a unique legal status compared to other forms of gambling. The Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978 grants specific exemptions to horse racing from federal anti-gambling laws. American betting on horse racing is sanctioned and regulated by the state the racetrack is located in.[21][22]
Simulcast betting almost always exists across state lines with no oversight except for the companies involved through legalized
Advanced deposit wagering
Advanced deposit wagering is a form of gambling on the outcome of horse races in which the bettor must fund his or her account before being allowed to place bets. ADW is often conducted online or by phone. In contrast to ADW, credit shops allow wagers without advance funding; accounts are settled at month-end. Racetrack owners, horse trainers and state governments sometimes receive a cut of ADW revenues.
It typically involves betting on horse or greyhound racing. Wagering may take place through parimutuel pools.
See also
References
- ^ "Horse Racing History". Horseracing-hq.com. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
- ^ OCLC 785782990.
- ^ a b c "History of Horse Racing." WinningPonies.com. April 7, 2009.
- ^ Burton, Bill. "History of Pari-mutuel Betting". Archived July 24, 2011, at the Wayback Machine About.com. April 7, 2009
- ^ "Endurance Horse Racing". HorseRacing.com. The Horse Racing Channel. April 8, 2009
- ^ a b "Endurance Riding". Equiworld.net. April 8, 2009.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 29, 2016. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Irons in the Fire: The Business History of the Tayloe Family and Virginia's Gentry, 1700-1860, Laura Croghan Kamoie, University of Virginia Press, 2007, pg 119
- ^ Harper's Magazine, Volume 41, Frederick Lewis Allen, Thomas Bucklin Wells, Harper's Magazine Company, 1870, pg 97
- ^ "An Ethnography of the Saratoga Racetrack". www.nyfolklore.org. Archived from the original on January 18, 2017. Retrieved June 4, 2017.
- ^ "Endurance Riding" Equiworld.net. April 8, 2009
- ^ "Longest multi-horse race". Guinness World Records. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
- ^ "History Of The Arabian Horse". Essortment.com. May 16, 1986. Archived from the original on December 25, 2010. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
- ^ "International Federation Of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities". Ifahr.net. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
- ^ "Quarter Horse History" Essortment.com April 8, 2009 Archived December 25, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Crook, T.C., et al. "Comparative Anatomy and Muscle Architecture of Selected Hind Limb Muscles in the Quarter Horse and Arab. " Journal of Anatomy February 2008: 144–152. Academic Search Complete EBSCO. University of Arizona Library, Tucson, AZ. March 4, 2009
- ^ "Quarter Horse Racing" HorseRacing.com. The Horse Racing Channel. March 13, 2009
- ^ "Purses Increased for 2016 BC Classic, Turf". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved June 4, 2017.
- ^ "Learn the History Before You're Part Of It". www.breederscup.com. Retrieved June 4, 2017.
- ^ "Arabianracincup.com". Arabianracingcup.com. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
- ^ "Is Betting on Horse Races Legal?". Gambling Sites. January 1, 2024. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
- ^ "Off To The Races: NC Enacts Long Awaited Sports Wagering Legislation with Live Horse Racing". Ward and Smith, P.A. Attorneys at Law. September 18, 2023. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
- ^ "Thoroughbred racing". Archived from the original on March 1, 2014. Retrieved April 5, 2014.