Thoroughbred horse race

• Handicap Race: One in which the runners have been 'handicapped' according to their performance in other races and other factors such as age ans gender. The handicapping is done by changing the weight that the horse must carry on its back. Theoretically, all horses have a chance of being competetive in a race that is correctly handicapped.
• Stakes Races are ones where the competetors are usually belong to the same gender, age and class. These races may be 'weight-for-age', with weights adjusted only according to age, and also there are 'set weights' of which all horses carry the same weight.
• Jumping Races and Steeplechases are done over long distances, and horses carry more weight. Normal jumping races involve horses that are starting out a jumping career, including horses that previously were trained flat racing.

Horses are judged on the weight (a horse carrying 52 kg is said to have better chances than one who carries 58 kg), the barrier gate (horses have less distance to make up if they start from an inside barrier, such as 1, rather than from an outside one, such as 15), the performance over the last three starts, and also the performance on wet tracks, against horses of gender and class (weak or strong opposition). Time ratings and jockey statistics are also factors in a horse's performance in a race, but they are considered less important.

Horse races

Among the most prestigious thoroughbred horse races in the world are the following:

• Dubai World Cup, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• Melbourne Cup, Melbourne, Australia
• Queen's Plate, Woodbine racetrack, Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada
• Epsom Derby, Epsom, Surrey, England
• Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Longchamps, Paris, France
• Grosser Bugatti Preis, Iffezheim racecourse, Baden-Baden, Germany
• Irish Derby Stakes, Curragh, County Kildare, Ireland
• Kentucky Derby, Louisville, Kentucky, United States
• Preakness Stakes, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
• Belmont Stakes, Elmont, New York, United States
• Breeders' Cup, location varies each year in the United States and Canada; made up of the following races (all on dirt unless otherwise indicated):
  • Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (2-year-old fillies, 1-1/16 miles)
  • Breeders' Cup Sprint (3-year-olds and up, 6 furlongs)
  • Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (3-year-old and up fillies and mares, 1-3/8 miles on turf)
  • Breeders' Cup Mile (3-year-olds and up, 1 mile on turf)
  • Breeders' Cup Juvenile (2-year-old colts and geldings, 1-1/16 miles)
  • Breeders' Cup Distaff (3-year-old and up fillies and mares, 1-1/8 miles)
  • Breeders' Cup Turf (3-year-olds and up, 1-1/2 miles on turf)
  • Breeders' Cup Classic (3-year-olds and up, 1-1/4 miles)

See also

• flat racing
• United Kingdom horse-racing
• Australian horse-racing
• Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
• National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame

Referenced By