A horse race is a form of competition in which a group of competitors attempt to reach a destination within a set amount of time. The first competitor to reach the finish line is declared the winner. Horse races have been held since ancient times and continue to be popular. The term is also used for competitive events such as marathons, triathlons, and bike races. The sport is popular around the world, with an estimated 1.5 billion people watching and betting on the event.

A racetrack is a large oval-shaped track where horses run in a pack to win money. Each horse has a jockey who sits on it and guides the animal through the course. During the race, jockeys must keep their horses in front of them, to the side, and behind them. The jockeys use a whip and their hands to direct the horse. They may also use a stick to help control the animal. A rider who tries to control the horse but fails to steer it in the proper direction will be disqualified from the race.

The horse races are popular among many people, including athletes, celebrities, and businesspeople. Some people like to place bets on the winners of a race, while others prefer to wager on a specific horse. A person who bets on a specific horse wins money if that horse finishes in the top three places. A racetrack takes a percentage of all bets on the races.

One of the oldest and most famous horse races is the Triple Crown, which consists of the Belmont Stakes (1867), the Preakness Stakes (1873), and the Kentucky Derby (1875). Other countries have established their own Triple Crown series of elite races.

Horse racing has a reputation for being cruel, with horses being whipped and pushed beyond their limits. The animals are often given cocktails of drugs to mask injuries and enhance their performance. They are forced to sprint over hard tracks at high speeds, which causes a lot of damage and can even lead to pulmonary hemorrhaging (bleeding in the lungs). Many of these horses are then killed or sent to slaughterhouses in foreign countries.

A recent New York Times article about a video released by PETA exposes horse-racing abuses at two trainers. Despite this, the racing industry’s legions of apologists have been quick to slam the paper and the activists, who they love to hate. It’s a mistake, however, to conflate hostility toward PETA with dismissal of its work. Virtually no one outside of the racing world cares how PETA got the footage; they only care what it shows. It’s a reminder that the sport needs to do more to protect its animals and the health of its fans.