A horse race is a spectacle, but it’s also an event that showcases a nation’s passion for racing. Whether they’re betting on the outcome of the race or attending a live race, fans can be found in cities and towns across the country. The races are a source of pride for many countries and can even represent their culture and heritage.
In the last century, racing has been impacted by a series of technological advancements while retaining most of its rules and traditions. One of the most significant changes has been in the area of race safety. As a result, horses are now subject to the utmost security measures on and off the track. They are monitored by thermal imaging cameras, MRI scanners, and X-rays, while 3D printing has made it possible to produce casts, splints, and even prosthetics for injured or ailing horses.
Despite all these advances, the sport is still a dangerous and brutal affair for horses. These beautiful animals are pushed beyond their limits, forced to run around tracks of hard-packed dirt at speeds up to 30 miles an hour while carrying people on their backs. Many of them die from injuries sustained during races, and those that survive often end up in slaughterhouses. Moreover, most racehorses are given cocktails of legal and illegal drugs that mask the effects of racing on their bodies and boost their performance.
The day before the Preakness, a young Mongolian tycoon named Ganbaatar Dagvadorj, dressed in traditional robes and big leather belts, sat with his family in the grandstand to watch the horses. His favorite was Mongolian Groom, a 3-year-old colt who had been beaten to victory in the Kentucky Derby a month earlier. The horse’s lower legs were wrapped in blue bandages, and his jockey wore a heavy blue hood and a shadow roll on his nose to help him focus on the track ahead of him, rather than any other distractions.
A field of 22 horses lined up for a race at Pimlico, the storied course in Baltimore that’s home to the Triple Crown and the Belmont Stakes. In the early stages of the race, War of Will held a lead from McKinzie and Mongolian Groom. But as they headed into the first turn, you could see that War of Will was tiring, and as the runners entered the first stretch, Mongolian Groom was coming up on him.
In a typical thoroughbred race, horses are assigned weights to carry, with a few exceptions based on the pedigree of the horse (i.e. its father and mother must be purebreds). As the runners come into the homestretch, the tension mounts: The winner of a horse race is usually the one who can push past his or her opponents at the final turn. But a horse can also fall from the lead, or “flatten out,” when it stops running because of fatigue or injury. A horse that does this is checked, and may be pulled up for a moment by its rider to let other riders pass.