A horse race is a competition in which horses are ridden by jockeys or pulled by sulkies and drivers. Horse racing has been around for thousands of years and continues to attract millions of fans worldwide. It has a rich history of ceremonial pageantry and is a beloved sport for many cultures, including the United States, where it is regulated by law and supported by millions of people who watch races on television or at live venues.

It is possible to find wild horses running free and moving fast, but winning a race, which requires precise steering and the control of a human, does not come naturally to them. Instead, horses, who are prey animals, prefer to run in groups to keep safe from predators and other competitors.

Horse racing has a long and distinguished history, with archeological records of it dating back to ancient Greece and Rome, Babylon, Syria, and Arabia. The sport is also an important part of many myths and legends, most notably the contest between Odin’s steeds Hrungnir and Frigg in Norse mythology.

In modern times, a horse race has become a global sport with participants from all over the world competing in major events like the Kentucky Derby, Dubai World Cup, and Melbourne Cup. Its popularity is fueled by a combination of factors, including the high pay-outs for winners, the excitement of betting, and the beauty and athleticism of the horses themselves.

However, as the race industry grows and becomes more financially lucrative, so does the pressure on horses to perform. Pushed to extremes of speed and endurance, they can become prone to injuries like bleeds from the lungs. Despite these problems, the industry claims that it is working to improve animal welfare standards.

The purses for winners at Yonkers, for example, are enormous, bringing in investors with “both fists full of money,” Faraldo says. This money stimulates a multibillion-dollar equine economy, from breeders to trainers and the farmers who grow carrots and hay. But it also keeps a notoriously corrosive form of gambling alive, when there are plenty of other sports that receive government subsidies.

But for the horses, the end of their racing careers is a brutal one. Most do not make it to retirement on a farm, where they would be protected from the harsh conditions of the track and the intense stress of daily racing. In the end, most of them wind up in slaughterhouses in Canada, Mexico, and Japan, where they are used to make glue or dog food or are eaten by local people, who consider their meat a delicacy. A few will be rescued, but most of them will die untimely deaths. One estimate says that three thoroughbreds die every day in North America from fatal injuries sustained in races. Unless the industry changes its ways, many of these animals will continue to be put in harm’s way. But this can change, and we hope that the sport will heed the lessons of its past.