A horse race is a contest of speed or stamina between two horses or a combination of both. While the sport has evolved over the centuries from a primitive diversion of the leisure class into a huge public-entertainment business, the basic concept remains unchanged: The horse that crosses the finish line first is declared the winner.
Over the years, racing has been impacted by technological advancements, both on and off the track. Thermal imaging cameras can pick up a horse’s overheating, MRI scanners and X-rays can identify minor or major health conditions, and 3D printing can produce casts, splints, and prosthetics for injured racehorses.
However, horse-racing outsiders are still concerned about the use of corticosteroids and sedatives. The results of a postmortem examination of Havnameltdown, the horse that died in the Preakness, raises alarm bells as well. His bones were covered with bone cysts (holes in the bones), severe osteoarthritis, and degenerative joint changes. He also had a broken leg and an angular fracture of one of his front legs, which was likely caused by a collision with another horse or with the track itself.
The race in which Havnameltdown died was a handicapped race, meaning that horses are given a set weight to carry based on their ability. This is done to ensure that the best horse wins, rather than a fast but uncompetitive horse. The amount of weight a horse has to carry can be influenced by age, sex, distance, and other factors. A horse’s position in the field relative to the inside barrier is also important and is called a trip.
A jockey attempting to get his horse to run faster by using the whip on its neck is described as giving the horse a “bad trip.” The use of jiggers, battery-powered devices that deliver an electric shock, on horses is outlawed in most races. However, trainers and jockeys still resort to other forms of coercion, such as tongue-ties and spurs, to try to win races.
In fact, many of the most controversial issues that have surrounded horse racing in recent decades have stemmed from the relationship between horseman and racehorse, a kind of transactional ownership where a piece of property, which is what a racehorse is, has very little protection under the law and can be abused by its human handler with near impunity. This is reflected in the egregious cruelty, both on and off the track, that can be found in the sport of horseracing.
As a result, the sport’s popularity has been in decline. It has also been impacted by strategic news coverage, wherein the media features stories that are likely to discourage people from voting and thereby bolster the chances of the opposition party’s candidate winning. This strategy has proven to be especially effective at elevating cynicism toward the political elite in young people, who have limited experience with the democratic process. This type of reporting is common in left-leaning outlets such as FiveThirtyEight and The New York Times.