Horse Racing
“And they’re off!” Horse racing of all types is found in our racing section, including Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse, Harness, Steeplechase and Arabian racing.
Want to get lucky? Take a look at the Wagering to help guide you. Keep track of upcoming horse races and racing events in our Calendar of Events for Horse Racing.
Want to live the dream of owning a racehorse? Check out the Breeding, Partnerships, Sales & Bloodstocks sections where you can help yourself be a force in the Sport of Kings.
Need a place to train your baby and help develop his successful career? You will find both training facilities and professional racehorse trainers in our Training section. See you in the winners’ circle!
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Horse Racing - General Information
by Chelsea Hackbarth
We walked in to the Keeneland Sales Pavilion with an idea, a little bit of hope, and a lot of bravado.
We walked out a little bit wiser, we hope, and with a renewed sense of faith in ourselves.
The eight months in between were a heck of a journey.
“We both graduated with equine business degrees, surely we can figure this out,” my business partner, Steph Settles, said to me last November. “Besides, it'll be fun to have a baby around.”
A couple of bloodstock industry neophytes, we were discussing our first pinhooking venture. Steph didn't know how prophetic her words would turn out to be, though. Just as we had organized a few of our friends to head into the Keeneland January sale and pick out our first prospect, Steph and her husband found out they were expecting a baby of their own.
Due in early September, as in right before the Keeneland September sale.
“If I have to go straight from the birthing suite to the sales ring, I'll be there when our filly sells,” Steph joked. “I'm not worried about it. I'm all in.”
Read more: More Than A Pinhook: Life Lessons From A Sassy Bay Filly
The sport of horse racing has been a source for entertainment and joy for thousands of years, in virtually every culture around the world. Now, in the 21st Century, trainers take great care to plan the racing career of every horse, considering carefully which races will fit each horse's potential and talent. It isn’t uncommon to see the best horses in the world racing at many tracks in the United Kingdom, or travel to Australia and the United States to take on worthy competitors.
Each country has its professionals and noteworthy races, of course: technology such as television, simulcasting and the Internet make it possible for race fans to watch thrilling races somewhere on the planet virtually every day of the year. (i.e., you don't have to be in Hong Kong to watch, bet and enjoy the races at Happy Valley.) Here are some of the best locations to watch racing across the globe.
United States
The love of the sport in North America dates back to 1665, when the first race was run in New York. (Very close to present-day Belmont Park, in fact.) Since then, the sport in North America has grown by leaps and bounds: the most popular races are big betting occasions, even for people who don’t usually bet.
Read more: A Primer on Thoroughbred Racing: the United States, United Kingdom and Australia
by Bill Finley
Cameron Beatty was at that stage in life–young, healthy, athletic, motivated, naive–where he never even imagined the possibility that everything he had could be taken away from him. He was the starting quarterback at Freehold Township (NJ) High School and had accepted an offer to play at Fairleigh Dickinson, where he had an academic scholarship. He was going places, and on the fast track.
In an instant, everything changed.
In 2010, Beatty, now 27, was on his way to the gym to workout when he had a motorcycle accident so serious that it nearly cost him his life. He suffered a brain injury, a ruptured spleen and internal bleeding. At first, the doctors did not realize the extent of the spleen injury and the bleeding it was causing, but when his heart rate dropped to under 20 beats per minute he was rushed into emergency surgery.
“I woke up one morning bleeding to death,” he said.
Read more: A Young Man, an Old Man, A Second Chance, and a Dream
A day at the races comes with connotations of elegant outfits, fascinating fascinators and a glass of champagne in hand and as we embark through the race season, we’ve seen plenty of it all. From flowing skirts and bodycon marvels, to three-piece suits and a top hat or two, Royal Ascot is one of the most well-known events for an elegant outfit or two. Dressed to the nines, attendants of Ladies Day, the royal procession or frankly any day at the races, come together to celebrate some of the most intense horse racing around while sporting top fashion from across the country.
With King George Weekend just around the corner, we’re taking a look at some of the best fashion from Royal Ascot, and what we can expect to see the future event.
The Style Guide
For anyone attending Royal Ascot, the main website publishes a style guide every year that covers the expected dress across different parts of the racecourse. From the Royal Enclosure to the Millinery Collective, each has its own suggested style of dress. For example, the Royal Enclosure requires:
- Ladies: Dresses of a moderate length and with straps one inch in width or wider, all midriffs must be covered and while trouser suits are welcome, they should be full-length and of matching colour.
- Gentlemen: Morning dress of a black or grey colour must be worn, including a waistcoat and tie (no novelty designs), a black or grey top hat and back shoes with socks.
- Girls: The dress code for girls should follow that of the women, however, they are allowed to wear a fascinator as opposed to a full hat.
- Boys: Young boys can choose to follow the same dress code as the gentlemen or opt for a black or grey lounge suit. In the Village Enclosure, however, the dress code is a little laxer but does include:
by Livia Manywounds
Competitors race bareback on thoroughbreds, with riders jumping from one horse to another
In its third season, the Canadian Indian Relay Racing Association is set to call the Calgary area home for its 2019 championship finals in the fall.
The association, which started in 2017, put a call out on social media for a venue to host the finals. Century Downs was the top bidder.
The championships are expected to have a prize purse of over $58,000 with more sponsors expected to jump on board.
Indian Relay is a sport that involves racing bareback on thoroughbred horses, with the rider jumping from one horse to another after each lap for three rounds.
Three horses and four people — a mugger, rider and two holders — make up a team.
Read more: Century Downs to host Canadian Indian Relay Racing Championships
Tiger Roll etched his place in history as one of the finest horses to grace jumps racing after winning the Grand National for the second year in a row. The bay gelding produced an outstanding performance at Aintree to beat out his nearest rival Magic of Light to claim the victory by two-and-three-quarter lengths.
Tiger Roll becomes an Aintree legend...
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) April 6, 2019
He's the first horse to win back-to-back Grand Nationals since Red Rum 45 years ago 👏👏👏
Follow: https://t.co/8pvEbGaVAQ #grandnational #GrandNational2019 pic.twitter.com/j2dcOj8ZU7
by Christina Moore
After a dramatic edition of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve, all eyes now turn to the second jewel of the Triple Crown: the Preakness Stakes. First run in 1873, the 144th edition of the race is this Saturday at Pimlico in Baltimore, and though it doesn’t feature the Derby winner it will have no shortage of excitement with 12 horses expected to square off.
Read on for 12 fun facts about the race.
1. This year is the first time since 1996 that the Derby winner won’t be running in the Preakness. Country House came down with a cough last week. In 1996, Grindstone sustained an injury winning the Derby and was retired.
2. The silver Preakness trophy is the most valuable in sports, according to the Preakness media guide. The Woodlawn Vase, as it’s known, was created by Tiffany and Co. in 1860 and was appraised at $1 million back in 1983.
Read more: Twelve Things You Should Know About the 2019 Preakness Stakes
by Andrew Champagne
“What is a foul that merits disqualification?”
Like everyone else, I’ve been struggling to wrap my head around what happened Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs. It’s something we’ve never seen before: The winner of the Kentucky Derby was disqualified for interference during the running of the race.
As the social media age dictates, reaction to the decision has been mixed and loud, and it’s not expected to quiet down anytime soon. Many people I like and respect voiced support for the unanimous decision that disqualified Maximum Security and elevated Country House to the top spot. Many people I like and respect also thought it was a terrible, awful, no-good, very-bad call that disgraced the biggest race of the year.
My opinion is that the DQ was warranted. We can go on and on about this, but while Maximum Security didn’t bother Country House, his drifting nearly caused War of Will to clip heels, and Long Range Toddy was sandwiched as a result. Maybe neither horse was winning, and maybe Country House was never getting by, but I don’t think any of that matters.
However, I’m writing this not to take one side or the other, but to put forth an alternate hypothesis. With all due respect to the writers, handicappers, and pundits that have voiced their opinions…I don’t think it matters what any of us think of the decision.
Why? Because there’s a bigger elephant in the room nobody wants to address that was front and center Saturday afternoon.
“What is a foul that merits disqualification?”
Ask that question to officials in Kentucky, New York, Florida, and California, and you’re going to get four different answers. By the letter of the rules in each state, infractions that merit disqualification in one state don’t necessarily merit disqualification in another. This is even before the human element of the story comes into play (as a former TVG colleague states often, horse racing is the only sport where officials consult the athletes on whether or not to call a penalty).
Read more: Country House, Maximum Security, the Kentucky Derby, and the Question Nobody’s Asking
Alexis Garske works in the media and press relations department at Santa Anita Park. She also is one of the founding members of the #IAmHorseRacing campaign. Garske took some time to explain the origin of this new initiative and how it became a reality.
Can you explain the idea behind #IAMHorseRacing?
The main objective was to create a platform to share the stories that exist in and around racing. We certainly didn’t reinvent the wheel. Stories are being told every day by very talented people within the business providing thoughtful features and interviews, but it’s hard to get the traction those so often deserve.
Our idea was to create snapshots of these people’s story using a medium that was easily digestible, incredibly visual, and had the raw potential to go viral. Our main focus is the extensive care for these horses, the passion for the sport, and the many jobs that make up this industry.
We’re a community of hard-working, resilient men and women who are passionate about what they do. How many people outside of racing can say they get out of bed at 3:30 a.m. every morning to go to work no matter the day, the weather, or the sacrifice it can sometimes entail? Many do this for decades and wouldn’t have it any other way.
We come from all walks of life and each have a story to tell about what brought us here. There’s nothing more empowering than sharing your truth in a way that people can relate to, in one way or another. It invites compassion and shows our humanity. And, just maybe that will encourage a greater curiosity and willingness to learn.
On Thursday, March 21, the Secretariat Heritage Center announced its formation as a new 501c3 organization designed to celebrate the legacy of Secretariat and Meadow Stable at The Meadow Event Park. The nonprofit has plans to elevate the current Secretariat tour program and its existing historic assets to a national heritage tourism destination and educational center.
Secretariat, acclaimed as the greatest racehorse in America’s history, was born at The Meadow in Caroline County on March 30, 1970. His Triple Crown victory in 1973 stands as one of the greatest moments in all of sports, and he remains the only Triple Crown winner since 1919 to set track records in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. Those three track records remain unbroken today, and his bloodlines continue to dominate Thoroughbred racing.
Initial plans for the Secretariat Heritage Center focus on restoring the original barns, which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register. Included are the yearling barns, with the farm manager’s office and tack room, the stallion barn, Secretariat’s foaling shed, training barn, and a horse cemetery. A Hoofprints of History Trail will link all the key points of interest on the property.
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