by Marion E. Altieri
Saratoga Race Course in the summer is searing, steamy, sweltering. Mop-your-brow hot. But the weather is merely a metaphor, the outward expression of the heat that’s generated by the power of the horses in residence during these six weeks. Of the fevered passion that those horses engender as they embrace their power to captivate the human soul.

The physical atmosphere is roasting, but the racing action is hotter, still. A haze of lazy hangs over the renowned venue on Union Avenue—the kind of heat that settles into the bones and takes your breath away. Only the horses are capable of moving at breakneck speed, as they run, not only toward immortality, but straight to the core of every human within eyeshot. This place may be managed by people, but make no mistake—total ownership belongs to the mighty equines who grace the stage of this, America’s oldest, most-photographed and surely most-treasured of race tracks.

Read more: Saratoga Race Course: Field of Dreams

Amanda Roxborough recently spent some time with Equine Info Exchange to share her fascinating journey from jockey to trainer and now an Award Winning video and television producer!

EIE: Amanda, please tell us how your love of horses began? Did you come from a horse loving family or was it your own passion?
AR: I fell in love with horses, and apparently donkeys, at the age of two, on a family outing to Blackpool beach in England [where I was born]. The story goes, that once upon the donkey, I refused to get off and the magical equine connection began. My parents did not have any connection to horses and from that day forward were hounded by my request for a pony.

EIE: How did you become a jockey?
AR: I finally achieved my dream at 11 yrs of age, when after 9 years of begging and many riding lessons, I got a pony. My passion [and obsession] was in full throttle, spending all waking hours at the barn where we boarded my pony.

Read more: International Horsewoman and Award Winning producer Amanda Roxborough

Courtesy of thehorse.com - Read the original article here... American Pharoah became Thoroughbred racing's 12th Triple Crown winner June 6 with a victory in the 2015 Belmont Stakes.

Photo: David Alcosser/NYRA

On an idyllic Saturday evening at Belmont Park, American Pharoah made it worth the 37-year wait.

Under a perfectly calculated ride by Victor Espinoza, the son of Pioneerof the Nile led the field from start to finish in the Grade 1 $1.5 million Belmont Stakes, drawing away in the stretch to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978 and end a drought that had seen the hopes of 13 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winners end in disappointment.

Read more: American Pharoah Wins Triple Crown

"He's [American Pharoah] obviously the real deal. He's the best three-year-old at this point, but the reason they call this the Test of Champions. . .it's a mile and a half and it's always a test, and you know, there's some nice horses that will be testing him." - Steve Cauthen, Jockey on Affirmed

Article courtesy Thorofan

The thirty-seven year drought in Triple Crown winners raises many questions about racing, breeding and training. Most experts believe the drought has been caused by breeding practices where the market driven sport is more about speed than endurance. With the growth of partnerships, ownership has shifted from the wealthy to the average fan who hopes to make a profit or at least break even. That was not the goal of the wealthy owners who did it for the sport.

If we believe breeding is the culprit, we have to explain the strange pattern in Triple Crown winners. The 1930s had three --Gallant Fox (1930), Omaha (1935) and War Admiral (1937). The 1940s has four -- Whirlaway (1941), Count Fleet (1943), Assault (1946) and Citation (1948). Then came a two decade drought --1950-60s. The explanation of breeding and form of ownership doesn't easily explain this pattern.

Read more: Winning the Belmont Stakes Won't be Easy

Race in honor of America’s greatest war horse to be run for Black Eyed Susan Day

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Preakness weekend is almost here, and Marine war horse hero Sgt. Reckless is bursting onto the Triple Crown scene with a sponsored race for Black Eyed Susan Day, Friday, May 15th.

The race is the sixth race of the day at Pimlico Race Course -- The Sgt Reckless Memorial Dash. Robin Hutton, President of The Sgt Reckless Memorial Fund and author of the New York Times bestseller Sgt. Reckless: America’s War Horse, will be in the Winner’s Circle presenting the trophies to the winners. Hutton will also hold a book signing from 12-4 pm.

Sgt. Reckless, a small Mongolian mare, earned two Purple Hearts for her heroics in the Korean War and is the only animal to ever be officially promoted in the U.S. military. Sgt. Reckless is the first-ever full biography of the mare, revealing the complete story of how a young Korean boy’s horse became one of the greatest Marine wartime heroes of all time.

Read more: New Sgt. Reckless Race Comes to Pimlico for Preakness Week

Ilka Gansera-Leveque takes time out of her very busy schedule of her 7 day a week job of wife, mother, veterinarian and race horse trainer to speak with Equine Info Exchange.

Ilka's story is a unique one where her road less travelled spans the world. She is a native of Germany where she first apprenticed under European race horse trainer Bruno Schuetz. She then moved to California where she spent a year learning from Monty Roberts at Flag is Up Farms.

Afterwards, she moved to New York and worked primarily at Belmont Park but also in Florida and Kentucky where she was a freelance rider and assistant trainer. Ilka was then offered a full scholarship in Hannover Germany for Veterinary Medicine where she graduated in April 2009. Her experience also included a Diagnostic Imaging Internship at Rossdales Newmarket, UK Pferdeklinik Muenchen-Riem, an equine veterinary clinic in Germany.

Since September, 2011, she started her own company, Gansera-Leveque Equine Services, which offers the “full package” including vet work, sales work, training, and equine consulting.

Read more: Ilka Gansera-Leveque: "You Can Watch This!"

There are a few things that make wagering on horse racing in Australia unique.

• The variety of betting markets available. Australian bookmakers offer a wide range of betting markets on horse races, including win, place, show, trifecta, quadrella, first four, and exotic bets. This gives punters a lot of flexibility in how they can bet on races.
• The popularity of boxed bets. Boxed bets are a type of bet where you select multiple horses in a race and your bet will win if any of the horses you selected finish in the specified positions. Boxed bets are very popular in Australia because they offer a good chance of winning with a relatively small stake.
• The use of the whip. In Australia, jockeys are only allowed to use the whip a maximum of five times in the final 100 meters of a race. This rule is designed to protect the horses and to ensure that races are won on merit.
• The importance of the Melbourne Cup. The Melbourne Cup is the most famous horse race in Australia and it is also one of the most popular sporting events in the country. The Cup is held every year on the first Tuesday of November and it attracts millions of spectators and bettors from all over the world.

Overall, wagering on horse racing in Australia is a popular and exciting activity. The variety of betting markets available, the popularity of boxed bets, the use of the whip, and the importance of the Melbourne Cup all contribute to the unique appeal of horse racing betting in Australia.

Here are some other unique aspects of wagering on horse racing in Australia:

• The use of tote betting. Tote betting is a system where all bets on a race are pooled together and the winning bettors share the pool. Tote betting is very popular in Australia and it is the main way that people bet on horse races in the country.
• The availability of live streaming. Many Australian bookmakers offer live streaming of horse races. This allows punters to watch races in real time and to place bets on the races as they are happening.
• The use of mobile betting. Mobile betting is very popular in Australia and many bookmakers offer apps that allow punters to bet on horse races from their smartphones and tablets.

DISCLAIMER: By accessing the links from the EQUINE INFO EXCHANGE site, you are agreeing to the following terms and any other terms or conditions that management may see fit to impose from time to time. EQUINE INFO EXCHANGE, LLC accepts no responsibility or liability for any losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of the information, systems, plans, methods, competitions and games contained herein and made available on this site. Use the information provided on the EQUINE INFO EXCHANGE site at your own risk. EQUINE INFO EXCHANGE, LLC does not recommend an online casino or other Internet site or business, we accept no responsibility for anything which may or may not occur through any dealings you have with those other sites. It is your responsibility to satisfy yourself that all businesses you deal with have a good reputation and will honor their word and promises. No gambling occurs on the EQUINE INFO EXCHANGE, LLC website. EQUINE INFO EXCHANGE, LLC is not a casino. The EQUINE INFO EXCHANGE website may link to games which are provided on an 'as is basis' and may be played for free for fun purposes by registered members. EQUINE INFO EXCHANGE, LLC does not promote or encourage illegal or underage gambling, or gambling to persons who reside in jurisdictions where gambling is considered unlawful. In those instances, this site is presented for informational and entertainment purposes only. By entering websites which link from the EQUINE INFO EXCHANGE site, you agree that you are aware of the terms outlined herein and reside in an area where it is not unlawful to gamble online.

There are a few things that are unique about wagering on horse racing in the United States.

• The use of pari-mutuel betting. Pari-mutuel betting is a system where all bets on a race are pooled together, and the winners are paid out based on the odds. This system is unique to horse racing in the United States, and it ensures that all bettors have an equal chance of winning.
• The variety of wagers available. There are a wide variety of wagers available in horse racing, from simple win, place, and show bets to more complex exotic bets like trifectas and superfectas. This gives bettors a lot of flexibility in how they want to wager on races.
• The popularity of horse racing in the United States. Horse racing is one of the most popular spectator sports in the United States, and this popularity is reflected in the amount of wagering that takes place. In 2021, Americans wagered over $15 billion on horse racing.

Here are some of the most common wagers in horse racing:

• Win: This is the simplest type of wager, and it simply requires you to pick the horse that will win the race.
• Place: This wager requires you to pick the horse that will finish first or second in the race.
• Show: This wager requires you to pick the horse that will finish first, second, or third in the race.
• Exacta: This wager requires you to pick the horses that will finish first and second in the race, in the correct order.
• Trifecta: This wager requires you to pick the horses that will finish first, second, and third in the race, in the correct order.
• Superfecta: This wager requires you to pick the horses that will finish first, second, third, and fourth in the race, in the correct order.

These are just a few of the many wagers that are available in horse racing. If you're interested in learning more about wagering on horse racing, there are many resources available online and at racetracks.

DISCLAIMER: By accessing the links from the EQUINE INFO EXCHANGE site, you are agreeing to the following terms and any other terms or conditions that management may see fit to impose from time to time. EQUINE INFO EXCHANGE, LLC accepts no responsibility or liability for any losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of the information, systems, plans, methods, competitions and games contained herein and made available on this site. Use the information provided on the EQUINE INFO EXCHANGE site at your own risk. EQUINE INFO EXCHANGE, LLC does not recommend an online casino or other Internet site or business, we accept no responsibility for anything which may or may not occur through any dealings you have with those other sites. It is your responsibility to satisfy yourself that all businesses you deal with have a good reputation and will honor their word and promises. No gambling occurs on the EQUINE INFO EXCHANGE, LLC website. EQUINE INFO EXCHANGE, LLC is not a casino. The EQUINE INFO EXCHANGE website may link to games which are provided on an 'as is basis' and may be played for free for fun purposes by registered members. EQUINE INFO EXCHANGE, LLC does not promote or encourage illegal or underage gambling, or gambling to persons who reside in jurisdictions where gambling is considered unlawful. In those instances, this site is presented for informational and entertainment purposes only. By entering websites which link from the EQUINE INFO EXCHANGE site, you agree that you are aware of the terms outlined herein and reside in an area where it is not unlawful to gamble online.

There are a few unique things about wagering on horse racing in France:

• The Pari Mutuel system. All betting on horse racing in France is done through the Pari Mutuel, which is a pool betting system. This means that all bets on a race are pooled together, and the winnings are divided among the bettors who picked the winning horse. This system is different from the way betting is done in many other countries, where bets are placed with individual bookmakers.
• The écurie system. The écurie system is a way of betting on multiple horses in the same race. Under this system, you can bet on a group of horses to finish in any order, and if any of your horses win, you will receive a payout. This system is popular in France because it allows you to spread your risk and increase your chances of winning.
• The minimum bet. The minimum bet on horse racing in France is €2. This is lower than the minimum bet in many other countries, which makes it more accessible to casual bettors.
• The dividends. Dividends in France are declared to a one-euro unit. This means that if you win a bet, you will receive your winnings rounded down to the nearest euro.

In addition to these unique features, there are also a few other things to keep in mind when wagering on horse racing in France:

• The language. The Pari Mutuel system is conducted in French, so you will need to be able to understand the betting terms if you want to place a bet.
• The taxes. There is a 7.5% tax on all winnings from horse racing bets in France.
• The legal age. The legal age for betting on horse racing in France is 18.

DISCLAIMER: By accessing the links from the EQUINE INFO EXCHANGE site, you are agreeing to the following terms and any other terms or conditions that management may see fit to impose from time to time. EQUINE INFO EXCHANGE, LLC accepts no responsibility or liability for any losses which may be incurred by any person or persons using the whole or part of the contents of the information, systems, plans, methods, competitions and games contained herein and made available on this site. Use the information provided on the EQUINE INFO EXCHANGE site at your own risk. EQUINE INFO EXCHANGE, LLC does not recommend an online casino or other Internet site or business, we accept no responsibility for anything which may or may not occur through any dealings you have with those other sites. It is your responsibility to satisfy yourself that all businesses you deal with have a good reputation and will honor their word and promises. No gambling occurs on the EQUINE INFO EXCHANGE, LLC website. EQUINE INFO EXCHANGE, LLC is not a casino. The EQUINE INFO EXCHANGE website may link to games which are provided on an 'as is basis' and may be played for free for fun purposes by registered members. EQUINE INFO EXCHANGE, LLC does not promote or encourage illegal or underage gambling, or gambling to persons who reside in jurisdictions where gambling is considered unlawful. In those instances, this site is presented for informational and entertainment purposes only. By entering websites which link from the EQUINE INFO EXCHANGE site, you agree that you are aware of the terms outlined herein and reside in an area where it is not unlawful to gamble online.