A horse race is a contest in which horses compete against each other to win a prize. The most popular form of the sport is flat racing, in which horses run on a track or over jumps. Other forms include steeplechasing and harness racing, in which the animals trot or pace while being pulled by a driver in a sulky. Many countries have their own variants of the sport, which has a long and rich history. It is a major source of entertainment and is associated with substantial gambling, which generated a world-wide market in 2008 worth around $115 billion.

There are a number of factors that influence the outcome of a horse race, including a horse’s age and weight, its position relative to the inside barrier, sex, trainer, jockey, and track conditions. Generally, the more experienced and talented a horse is, the better its chances of winning. However, a horse’s performance can be influenced by outside interference and other circumstances. In order to compensate for these factors, horse races are often classified as handicapped, meaning that the winner must be superior to the other runners in the field.

Horse racing is a popular sport that has numerous traditions, from the ceremonial pageantry of the most elite events to the mint juleps and lavish hats of spectators at lesser events. While the sport’s popularity continues to grow, there are a number of concerns about the welfare of the horses. As a result, there are many ongoing initiatives to improve racetrack conditions and advance animal welfare practices.

The earliest recorded horse races were likely held in the 1600’s. At the time, horses were often imported from Europe and assigned weights according to their age and sex (male vs. female). Later, the sport expanded to America and a fast, compact breed of horses became popular known as the quarter horse. These horses were used to pull sulkys in the west and are credited with helping the settlers move out of the wilderness.

When journalists focus on election outcomes instead of policy issues – what scholars refer to as horse race coverage – voters, candidates and the news industry suffer, a growing body of research indicates. This updated roundup includes recent research on third-party political candidates, probabilistic forecasting and TV news coverage of the presidential race. It also features a new look at how the term “horse race” is morphing to be used in unexpected ways to describe other contests and close races.