Where did you first fall in love with horse racing?
Did you watch the movie Seabiscuit or Secretariat?
Or is racing in your family?
Maybe you’ve been a fan of the British fashion that accompanies watching an intense race.
However you found yourself down the path of constant left turns and absolutely stunning equines, we’re glad you came.
Now, grab your fanciest derby hat and your favorite beverage, and read on to find out some mind-boggling facts about horse racing.
Thoroughbred Race Horses
The lineage of the Thoroughbred horse can be traced back to the Godolphin Arabian, the Darley Arabian, and the Byerly Turk. All 3 horses are know for their speed and stamina. It would only make sense that their descendants would be just as well known for those traits too.
As they say, “with great power, comes great responsibility.” Only in this case, it’s in the form of a high food bill.
As you know, with a high energy horse comes a need for LOTS of food. Thoroughbreds that are expected to be in the racing circuit eat an average of 20 pounds of high quality grass hay per day.
That’s almost 10 pounds more than your average pleasure horse!
Race horses also have to use a special saddle. While it looks like a dressage saddle, it is actually flat. This allows for a lighter saddle, which means that the horse can go faster. These saddles can’t be used for every day riding as they do not have any of the safety structure that regular saddles have.
A Brief History of American Horse Racing
The history of horse racing as a source of entertainment can be traced all the way back to the ancient Mongolian warriors.
But did you know that racing in the Americas didn’t start until about 200 years ago?
Racing officially came to the States in about 1660 and still continues today as a major form of entertainment for lower, middle, and upper-class citizens.
Horse racing really grew in popularity after World War I and became a beacon of hope after the The Great Depression.
Over the next several years a horse named Seabiscuit raced his way into the hearts of Americans and the Racing Hall of Fame.
Today over 200,000 people attend, and bet on, horse races annually. Making it one of the most popular pastimes in America.
Who are some famous racehorses?
What is horse racing without its equine participants? The answer? A really sad foot race around a really large dirt-covered track. The excitement comes from listening to the pounding of hooves that echoes the beats of your heart. Seeing the crowds go wild for the powerful animals and their companion riders going as fast as your average interstate highway speed around a track is an art form in and of itself.
Even though these horses are elevated to celebrity status they are still horses. They still have a regimen every single day and have their own personalities.
Check out a few of our favorite celebri-ponies:
Seabiscuit
The little pony that could. Seabiscuit was considered a short horse and was not expected to be anything great. Standing at 15.2 hands high he was not a motivated runner. He did not start winning races or showing an interest in performing at his best until he was purchased by Charles Howard and worked with trainer Tom Smith.
Seabiscuit was a nervous horse. His owner noticed the horse’s behavior and decided to get him a competition horse. His best friend in the whole world was a palomino named pumpkin.
He had what was considered bad conformation in a racehorse. Even though he had bad conformation he still won over 3/4 of the races that he was in and his entire career.
Want to visit where Seabiscuit lived the majority of his life? You can! Check out Ridgewood Ranch in California.
Man O’ War
Man O’ War was only defeated in one race out of the 21 that he participated in and his entire career. The horse that beat him was appropriately named Upset.
Much like his grandson, Seabiscuit, Man O’ War also had a best friend. His best friend was a retired show hunter named Major Treat.
Man O’ War’s owner raised show horses alongside his race horses. After Major Treat suffered an injury and was deemed unfit to participate in any of the hunter jumper courses, Man O’ War’s trainer used him as a companion horse for the racing legend and his own mount.
Man ‘O War never actually raced in the Kentucky Derby. His trainer was a firm believer that the mile and a 1/2 race was too much for three-year-old thoroughbreds to do. But he was such a beloved horse in his hometown that word grew of his prowess and the races that he did participate in.
Man ‘O War passed away at 30 years old and his funeral was broadcast nationwide across radio stations.
Secretariat
Secretariat was the 9th winner of the Triple Crown races and still holds the record for the fastest time for all 3 races. In his short career of only 16 months, he won a grand total of over 1.3 million dollars. He was considered, by many professionals in the racing field, to be the perfect racing horse.
He was inducted into the national racing hall of fame in 1974.
Secretariat passed away from a horrendous case of laminitis when he was 19 years old.
When the necropsy was conducted to confirm that it was only the laminitis that had been the problem with Secretariat, the vet who had done it found that he had an enlarged heart. It weighed in at 21-22 lbs. Normally when there is an enlarged heart there are lesions or issues with the heart that cause health problems. But with Secretariat’s heart, it was perfectly healthy, just gigantic.
West Coast Racing Circuit
When can I watch horse racing?
Unlike most equine sports, horse racing happens all year no matter the weather. You can watch it on TV or head over to the nearest track and watch it live and in person.
Don’t know where to watch it?
Take a gander at a few of our suggestions.
Places to Watch
California: Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park is one of the most well-known race tracks in the world. It has held the Breeders Cup World Thoroughbred Championships 6 years running and continues to hold many races throughout the year. Most popular are The Santa Anita Handicap, Santa Anita Derby, and Summertime Oaks. All of the prizes are in the millions of dollars. The Santa Anita handicap is well known to be where Seabiscuit took home the $100,000 prize at the 1st ever “100 Grander Race”.
Oregon: Grants Pass Downs
If you’re in or around the Grants Pass area, you have to stop and check out the Grants Pass Downs race track. This stunning track is located at the Josephine County Fairgrounds, and has been home to Southern Oregon’s racing circuit since 1968. Racing season starts in June and goes though July 4th.
Washington: Emerald Downs
This beautiful race track is located in Auburn, Washington. It is home to some of the finest races on the West Coast and has been rated the number one thing to do in Auburn for several years in a row. This race track is open 7 days a week and there are a lot of things to do even if you’re not paying attention to the races or are between races. Check out their website for more info and to get into their exclusive Emerald racing club.
BONUS: If you can’t afford to go to the track you can watch the races at your local sports bar OR stay home and watch it via RFV TV.
Horse racing is a sport that has been a staple of escapism for humans for thousands of years. Even if you don’t bet money on a race, watching it can be just as exhilarating.
