Horse Racing is a sport that has been around for centuries. Horse racing is popular not only in America, but all over the world. Breeding, training, and racing horses have become a significant economic activity as well as to the gambling industry. Horse racing has many different styles, distances, and events. The most common style is the thoroughbred. Thoroughbreds generally run anywhere from 5 furlongs to 1 ½ miles. Because race horses run at a particularly longer distance, breeders are able to breed these horses by the dosage index; a mathematical figure used to calculate a horses ability or inability to run certain distances. This index is used also by betting handicappers to determine the odds the horse has of winning a particular race.
The peak of the United States thoroughbred season comes at the beginning of May with the Kentucky Derby. That is followed by the Preakness Stakes, and lastly the Belmont Stakes. Those three races make up horse racing’s Triple Crown. Along with the Triple Crown, at the end of the racing season, is the Breeders Cup. These series of races are Grade 1 championship races and has been a single day event since 1982, but starting in 2007, The Breeders Cup will expand to 2 days. The location of this event changes every year and with prizes that are nearly $20 million, is the 2nd richest day in sports coming in a close 2nd to the World Series of Poker where there was nearly $40 in prize money.
Horse Racing is a sport that thrives on its gamblers. Horse handicapping influences the odds of each horse, and in turn helps betters decide which horse to wager on. Without handicappers and horse racing life for people like Barry Meadow, would be completely different.
See how people like Meadow make a living out of beating the horse handicappers in Players.
For more on horse racing, and other gambling games, purchase a copy of the Players DVD.
