Horse racing enjoys a robust audience in America. Most experts agree the business of pari-mutuel betting is the primary reason for its continued prominence in the culture.

History

Horses were domesticated thousands of years ago in Asia. Horse racing is documented in many cultures through the ages. Europe became a thoroughbred breeding ground after Arabian horses were brought back by warriors from the Crusades in the 12th and 13th centuries. In England, the breeding of thoroughbred racing horses, with ties to Arabians, began in earnest in the 1700s.

During this time the sport was one savored by the English noblemen. The Jockey Club of England was founded in order to document the pedigrees of the developing race horse stock. The Jockey Club became the authority on thoroughbred horse racing, laying the foundation for America’s horse racing history. By this time is history, horse racing had become a betting sport already. Large purses were won and lost.

In the United States, nearly half of all states have legal racing tracks.

The Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby was first run in 1875 in Churchill Downs, Kentucky. The race continues to enjoy this venue even today.

Handicapping

Handicapping is the practice of studying a horse’s history, pedigree, and performance statistics in order to make a qualified and educated bet on a horse race. Experienced handicappers have various resources available, such as trade publications and racing statistics.

Jockey Silks

Jockey “silks” is an expression for the colorful jerseys the jockeys wear. Jockey silks originated in early English horse races where it was nearly impossible to distinguish horses and their riders apart from a distance. Jockeys took up the practice of wearing brightly colored silks. Today, the tradition has been kept alive in the brightly colored jerseys of the jockeys in the colors typically associated with the horse’s owner.

Kentucky Derby Mint Julep

The mint julep is not so much a myth as a traditional practice before the Kentucky Derby. The mint julep is the fashionably accepted drink of the Derby. A julep is a mixture of Kentucky bourbon, fresh mint, and a simple syrup of sugar and water over ice.

Kentucky Derby Hats

The colorful hats worn by the ladies of the Kentucky Derby have been a traditional good luck practice besides being a sure spectacle. Hats fall into all categories: fashionable, daring and whimsical.