Many Types of Racing

In the early 1900s as the anti-gambling force crossed the country, the sport of horse racing was almost wiped out. By the year 1908 there were just twenty five race tracks left.   In 1908, it all changed.  Horse racing is done in many forms aside from the traditional flat track.  There is Endurance racing, Harness racing, Thoroughbred racing , Quarter horse racing and the Steeplechase which is really a scary race to watch.  

The change that was made in 1908 was when Pari-Mutuel betting was introduced for the Kentucky Derby.  This began the trend toward more tracks opening. Just for the fact that the state legislature got a cut of the money, legalized betting was passed as law.

Any horse racing enthusiasts has heard of the most famous horse, Man ‘O’ War.  This horse was racing by the end of the first World War and he was so famous, that when he died there were, in attendance at his funeral, more than two thousand people.  Today the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing  is alive and well and actually includes three races. The title of the triple crown is give the to the one horse who wins all three of these races and goes on to be the current most famouns race horse.