Horse races offer the thrill of watching top athletes compete on their favored steeds. But behind the glitz of the racetrack, where spectators wear their best and drink mint juleps, there is a hidden world of pain, drug abuse and gruesome breakdowns. During their lives, horses are often forced to sprint at speeds that cause them to bleed from the lungs–a condition known as exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH). While they run for the glory of winning and the rewards of betting, many horses become injured or die during the course of each race. Sadly, some of the greatest racehorses of all time have been lost to the sport.

Among the most famous horse races in the world are the Kentucky Derby and Breeders Cup Classic in America, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in France, the Epsom Derby in England and the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups in Australia. While the prize money offered in these events is substantial, there are other horse races that attract a much smaller crowd but still hold great prestige and significance.

While there are many types of horse races, the basic rules of all are similar. Each race starts at an equal distance and the first horse to have its nose over the finish line is considered the winner of the race. In addition, a jockey riding on a horse must ride it safely and follow the prescribed course, including jumping hurdles if there are any.

In order to make the race more competitive, some races assign a set amount of weight that the horse must carry. This system is called handicapping and it is used to ensure that horses of equal ability compete fairly. In addition, certain classes of horses are given weight allowances based on their age and gender. For example, fillies, which are female horses, generally have to carry less weight than males of the same age.

The earliest recorded accounts of horse racing date back to the Greek Olympic Games from 700 to 40 B.C. The sport was brought to the United States by colonists who began holding standardized horse races, known as King’s Plates, which consisted of match races between two horses over four-mile heats. These races remained popular until the 1860s, when five-year-olds were admitted to the King’s Plates and the races were reduced in length to two miles.

The biggest problem facing the modern horse racing industry is declining popularity. Despite a strong marketing campaign, the sport is struggling to compete with professional and college team sports for spectators’ attention. It is also suffering from the image of being a sport for old, retired men and a lack of diversity among its fans. Moreover, many experts believe that the sport needs to address its issues of animal cruelty and do more to embrace technology to connect with fans. The racetracks should also stop relying on old-fashioned marketing tactics and start taking advantage of new opportunities. By changing these tactics, the industry can reclaim its status as one of the world’s most popular sports.