American Horse Racing

 
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American horse racing is very popular and incorporates various forms of racing including thoroughbred racing, harness racing, steeplechase racing, hurdling, and quarter horse racing. American horse racing is the second most widely attended sport, apart from baseball.

To begin with, horse racing was just considered a pastime, organised horse racing did not begin until after the Civil War. By 1890, there were 314 operational race tracks across America. Without any governing body to monitor the racing, some tracks fell into criminal hands. the American Jockey Club, modelled on the English version, was established to prevent such corruption.

By the 1900s, bookmaking was banned by all states which led to the severe decline in race tracks. However, with the introduction of pari-mutuel betting for the Kentucky Derby being legalised, more tracks opened. American horse racing prospered until World War II, declined until the 1960s and regained popularity in the 1970s.

Harness racing became popular in 1825, and with it came the introduction of the standardbred. This horse was directly descended from an English thoroughbred named Messenger. Messenger was bred with various mares until a new breed was produced with the endurance and temperament suited to harness racing.

Other races include steeplechase, hurdle and point-to-point racing. Steeplechases take place in a course of 2 - 4 miles, and include obstacles such as timber rails, water jumps, stone walls and brush fences. It was originally used in England and Ireland where fox hunters would test the speed of their horses during a cross-country race. The most significant U.S. race is the Grand National Steeplechase held annually at Belmont Park.

Hurdling is similar to steeplechases, except that the only obstacles are hurdles. This type of race is mostly used for training horses which will compete in steeplechases.