Horse racing is a sport in which thoroughbred horses compete to win a race by either finishing first or second. It has a long history and is practiced in many countries. The sport is a major source of entertainment and betting, as well as an important part of culture. The most popular type of horse race is the Kentucky Derby. The event is broadcast around the world and attracts thousands of spectators.

In addition to being a popular sport, horse races are also a lucrative business. The winnings for a single horse can reach up to millions of dollars. This makes the sport one of the most profitable in the world. However, this lucrative industry comes at a high cost to the animals involved. The exploitation of horses in the sport often leads to injuries and even deaths. It is also illegal in some countries.

A horse race is a contest between two or more horses, typically over a set distance and over obstacles. It can be a flat or jump race, and may be a group or individual competition. The sport has a rich and varied history, with evidence of it having been practiced in ancient Greece, Egypt, Babylon, Rome and Arabia. It is also a central element in myth and legend, such as the contest between Odin’s steeds Hrungnir and Hrólfr in Norse mythology.

The IFHA World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings are the official assessment of the best performing horses in the world. They are compiled by racing officials & handicappers from across the five continents who share a common system of rating horses based on their performance over elite races. The ratings are published annually and take into account performance on both dirt and turf, surface distances, quality of opposition & achievements of each horse.

There are many different ways to bet on a horse race, but the most common is to bet to win, place and show. The ‘win’ bet is when you stake money on a horse to finish first, the ‘place’ bet is if it finishes second and the ‘show’ bet is if it finishes in first, second or third. Show bets offer lower payoffs on average than win bets.

While the criticism of pre-election polls and political reporters parsing them for every nuance gets plenty of play, there’s a less well-known critique of another form of journalism that has just as long of a history: horse race journalism. The term gets a bad rap for the breathless focus on odds and statistics ahead of elections, but journalism scholars say it’s just as valid a tool as any other. For a look at both sides of the debate, we turned to actual horse-race journalists for their opinions. They agreed that, despite its flaws, it’s still important to report on early polls.