Horse races are a popular form of sport in which horses compete to win. They are usually held on a track and bets are placed on which horse will finish first, second, or third. The winning horse is rewarded with the highest amount of money for its victory. Some bettors are also interested in accumulator bets which involve placing multiple bets on one outcome. The types of horses that race vary, but the most common are Thoroughbreds and Arabian Horses. Despite the popularity of horse racing, there are a number of things that should be considered before betting on a race.

The first recorded horse race took place in France in 1651. During this time, organized racing was a popular sport and gambling was the main motivation behind it. During this period, the French royal court regulated races and imposed rules such as requiring certificates of origin for horses and imposing extra weight on foreign horses.

Throughout the years, racing has made some commendable improvements to its safety protocols for horses. But despite these advances, horses still suffer horrific injuries and deaths in the sport. Even with the best of care, equine athletes are not immune to the exorbitant physical stress that is inherent in the rigours of racing and training. This is sadly evident in the death of five-year-old Creative Plan at upscale WinStar Farm in February and the suspicious death of three-year-old Eight Belles in the Kentucky Derby last year.

In order to win a horse race, the winning horse must cross the finish line before all other competitors. If there is a tie, it is determined by photo finish in which a panel of stewards examines a photograph of the final moment of the race to determine which horse broke the plane first. If there is still no determination, the dead heat rule applies in which both horses are pronounced winners and awarded a total of prize money.

A handicap race is a type of horse race in which the weights that a horse must carry are adjusted according to its age, class, or form. The idea is to level the playing field so that the best horses can be judged against each other based on their merits. This is a clear repudiation of the classic concept that the best horse should always win.

The history of horse races is a long and winding road. In prehistory, chariot and mounted races were popular forms of public entertainment. In Greece, four-hitch chariot and bareback races were part of the Olympic Games from 700 to 40 BCE. During this period, the sport became well organized and the emphasis was on stamina rather than speed.