The history, the great races, and the key facts of one of the world’s oldest sports — from its origins in the ancient civilizations of the Middle East and Mediterranean to the modern racing calendar that draws audiences across more than fifty countries. An independent guide on HorseRacing.com since the mid-1990s.
(22 km) — speed of horses in a race competition
(660 kg) — average weight of a competitive racehorse
Year of the first Kentucky Derby
Triple Crown winners
Annual wagering on horse racing across 53 countries
HorseRacing.com — online since
HorseRacing.com has covered the sport of horse racing since the mid-1990s — one of the longest continuously operating category platforms on its subject. What began as a portal of news, information, and community devoted exclusively to the worldwide sport of horse racing has grown, over nearly three decades, into a structured guide spanning a track locator across the United States and internationally, profiles of famous horses and jockeys, coverage of horse farms and breeding, a reference layer of organizations, glossary, and racing clubs, and a deep editorial archive. The profile on this page draws on that accumulated knowledge to introduce the sport — its history, its great races, and the facts every follower should know.
Often called the “Sport of Kings,” the history of horse racing has its origins in the ancient civilizations throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean regions, the nomadic tribes of Asia, and in European mythology. Archaeological records reveal that equestrian events, such as chariot races or contests between horses and riders, prevailed in the Syrian, Egyptian, and Grecian civilizations. Horse racing events also took place during the Olympic Games during the sixth century BC.
Although many countries have developed rules and traditions governing horse racing, the premise of the sport has not changed over time. Horse racing will always define a competitive event between horses and riders. A few examples of horse racing events include thoroughbred, flat, saddle, harness, jumping, and endurance competitions. Most of the events outline the specific types of breeds that can run, the distances of the tracks, surface types, course specifications, distance and time durations, and the weight of the rider.
Globally, horse racing represents one of the most popular spectator sports among sports fans, proven by the fact horse racing enthusiasts wager billions of dollars annually. Each year, approximately 50 countries hold racing events whose pari-mutuel wagering exceeds $100 billion annually.
The worldwide popularity of horse racing has been revealed by the certification of 360 horse racing tracks in Australia (the most of any country); 250 racing sites in France; 200 tracks in the U.S. and its territories; and 60 tracks throughout the UK. In addition, numerous international organizations have been founded and established to preserve and promote this timeless and traditional sport.
In the United States, thoroughbred racing is anchored by the Triple Crown — the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico in Baltimore, and the Belmont Stakes in New York — three races for three-year-olds run over five weeks each spring. Only twelve horses have won all three. American racing is predominantly run on dirt, distinguishing it from the turf tradition of Europe, and the Breeders’ Cup, staged at a different host track each year, serves as the season’s championship meeting across multiple divisions.
The American Stud Book, established in 1868, set the registry standard for the U.S. thoroughbred and remains the foundation of the breed’s record-keeping. The Triple Crown has proven one of the hardest achievements in sport: after Citation won in 1948, a drought of twenty-five years followed before Secretariat’s 1973 sweep — still the record-holder in all three races — and only two horses, American Pharoah (2015) and Justify (2018), have completed it since. The U.S. and its territories support roughly 200 racing sites, and the sport sustains a deep breeding economy centred on Kentucky’s Bluegrass region, where the limestone-rich pasture has long been associated with the raising of thoroughbreds.
British and Irish racing divides into two codes: Flat racing on turf through the summer, and National Hunt — jump racing over hurdles and fences — through the winter. The British Flat season features the five Classics, including the Derby at Epsom and the historic races at Newmarket, while Royal Ascot remains the calendar’s most prominent meeting. The National Hunt season builds to the Cheltenham Festival and the Grand National at Aintree. Ireland, relative to its size, is one of the most significant thoroughbred breeding and racing nations in the world.
The five British Classics — the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas, the Oaks, the Derby, and the St Leger — date in their earliest form to the late eighteenth century, making them among the oldest continuously run races in the sport; the St Leger, first run in 1776, is the senior of the group. Newmarket is regarded as the historic headquarters of British racing and home to its principal training grounds and bloodstock sales. The Grand National at Aintree, run over roughly four and a quarter miles with thirty fences, is among the most-watched horse races in the world. Ireland’s breeding industry, centred on the limestone pastures of County Kildare and the surrounding region, produces and exports thoroughbreds in numbers far out of proportion to the country’s size, and Irish-bred and Irish-trained horses are a dominant presence at the major British and French meetings.
France centres its racing on Paris, where ParisLongchamp hosts the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe each October — widely regarded as the most prestigious all-aged middle-distance race in Europe. French racing maintains both a Flat and a jumps calendar and is supported by one of the largest pari-mutuel systems in the world, the PMU, whose model of pooled betting on racing has been adopted internationally.
The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, first run in 1920 over 2,400 metres, draws the leading middle-distance horses of England, Ireland, and beyond, and carries one of the richest purses in the sport. The pari-mutuel system itself — in which all bets are pooled and the odds set by the weight of money rather than by a bookmaker — was devised in France in the nineteenth century by Pierre Oller and has since become the dominant form of racetrack wagering across most of the world, including the totalisator systems of the United States, Australia, and Asia. Chantilly, north of Paris, serves as France’s principal training centre and hosts the French Derby (the Prix du Jockey Club). Beyond France, racing is followed intensely across Japan, Hong Kong, and the Gulf, where the Dubai World Cup meeting has, since 1996, drawn international runners to one of the sport’s richest cards.
Why is Australia the most popular venue for horse racing enthusiasts? While gambling and the winning of money is, no doubt, a draw, Australians also have other reasons why they love the ponies.
Australians are known for their love of sports the world over. People in the country are either spectators or participants. Therefore, not all Australians bet on the horses. Some like to attend a race because they enjoy the activity. Australians, as well as other sporting enthusiasts, cannot help but admire the athletic ability of racing horses. Australians love horse racing as much as they like watching the Olympics, and often get caught up in seeing horses compete week after week at various sites in the country.
Outside of Australia, most people do not realize that horse racing is one of the oldest sports in the land down under. Professional horse racing has taken place in Australia since the early part of the nineteenth century. Horse racing was therefore popular before Australians got involved in national sports, such as the NRL, AFL, and rugby. Of the older traditional spectator sports, both cricket and horse racing are standout favorites among Australians.
Moreover, Australian’s love spending a day at their many horse racing tracks. Although they can see horse races on TV, nothing excites Aussies more than enjoying a fun day at the horse track with their friends and family. They don’t have to wait for the yearly running of the Melbourne Cup in November either. They can watch horses race at one of a variety of first-class race tracks throughout the country any time.
Indeed, local horse racing comprises a full-day event. Even if you do not spend the entire day at the track, you can still see some local horse racing live. Big races, such as the Melbourne Cup or Cox Plate, only serve to fuel the interest and thrills experienced by horse racing enthusiasts.
Aussies are so mesmerized by the sport they will stop whatever they are doing to watch a 4-minute horse race. In fact, the country has people who actually make their living by wagering on horses and therefore boasts a high number of professional punters.
Now that Australians can wager on the horses, as well, from home, the sport will prove to be even a stronger draw for veteran and beginning bettors alike. No one can deny that the future of horse racing looks bright throughout the world, especially in the horse-friendly country of Australia.
Nearly three decades of coverage, organized for the follower of the sport. Explore the platform’s standing sections — tracks by region, the great horses and the people who rode them, the breeding farms, and the events that define the calendar.
United States
A prestigious gathering and part of the National Hunt racing calendar, held in England.
The Australian race, which started in 1861, is promoted as the “race that stops the nation.” It is noted as being the most prestigious 2-mile handicap internationally.
Recently introduced in 1996, the Dubai World Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is as much about horse racing as it is about fashion and style.
Held in Paris, France, usually the first Saturday in October. The winner receives one of the richest payouts of all sporting events worldwide; as of 2020, the amount awarded stood at $10,500,000.
This thoroughbred race takes place in a different location each year. Awards amount to over $30 million during the two-day annual event.
Held in Belmont, New York each June, the Belmont Stakes normally represents the final race in the Triple Crown Series of horse racing.
Held yearly in Aintree, England, this National Hunt race features 30 fences, all of which must be jumped, to complete the 2-mile course with a straightaway.
Held at the Pimlico Racetrack each year in Baltimore, this race usually takes place on the third Saturday in May. It is the noted second leg of the famous Triple Crown event.
Held in England, a fancy gathering and an opportunity for the English gentry to show off their prized thoroughbreds. The four-day event comprises 24 separate races and is held only 6 miles from Windsor Castle.
Considered number one among famous horse races in the world — the first event that starts off the Triple Crown. The race takes place at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, and is open to 3-year-old thoroughbreds. (The 146th running was held on September 5, 2020 rather than the first Saturday in May because of the COVID-19 pandemic.)
A profile of facts and figures about horse racing, compiled from a variety of sources (credited below).
| Average weight of a competitive racehorse | 1,000 pounds (660 kg) |
| Height range of a professional jockey | 4 ft 10 in (147 cm) to 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) |
| Weight of a horse’s heart | 9 pounds (5.4 kg) |
| Speed of horses in a race competition | 38 miles per hour (22 km) |
| Annual wagering on horse racing events | $100 billion, across 53 countries |
| Career earnings of Jockey Mike Smith | $300,000,000 |
| Country with the most horse racing tracks | Australia |
| Name of horse racing tracks in Europe and many parts of the world | Hippodrome |
| Year of the first Kentucky Derby | 1875 |
| Creation of the American Stud Book | 1868 |
| Number of Triple Crown winners | 12 |
| Nickname of the Kentucky Derby | “Run for the Roses” |
If you enjoy horses and racing, explore more about the famous horses, jockeys, tracks, and events that make the sport as timeless as it is exciting — or browse the full guide to horse racing and the reference library.
The facts and figures on this page were compiled from a variety of published resources. Figures carrying a date qualifier (for example, “as of 2020”) are presented as originally published.