In horse racing, there are many types of bets, from betting to win a race to placing a bet on each of several horses to finish in one of the “payout” places. Bettors may also bet on a horse to make up a place, known as a show, which pays out depending on the number of runners and the size of the field. The odds of a particular horse winning are often based on its pedigree.
The horse race drew crowds of thousands to a park, where fans clad in fancy clothes and drank mint juleps to watch. Behind the romanticized facade, however, is a world of drug abuse, gruesome breakdowns and slaughter. The horses are forced to run at speeds so fast that they can sustain serious injuries, including pulmonary hemorrhaging, and they’re subjected to whips and other cruel practices.
A group of horses competing in the same race is called a set, and a set of eight or more is called a field. In a race in which all of the horses are of the same gender and age, the entire set is called a filly or mares’ set. A jockey’s name is written on the back of his or her silks, which are color-coded to designate the owner of a particular horse. A jockey may wear multiple sets, with each set representing a different horse.
Horses that are preparing to compete in a major race are said to be on the racetrack. They’re given medications and are injected with a fluid called Lasix, which helps prevent the pulmonary bleeding that hard running can cause. The drugs are legal, but they can be dangerous for the horses and can have negative health effects for humans, too. A few years ago, a trainer publicly boasted about his star horse’s use of Lasix before the Preakness. The horse, Big Brown, finished dead last.
The term horse race has been used as a synonym for political polling, referring to breathless coverage of numbers and statistics, rather than to actual events or substantive debate. But the practice of comparing political contests to a horse race is more widespread than it may appear, according to an analysis of newspaper articles from 2004 to 2008. Researchers Johanna Dunaway and Regina G. Lawrence found that larger-chain and corporate-owned newspapers were more likely to frame elections as a horse race, particularly in close races and the weeks leading up to Election Day.
As the election draws near, journalists face a challenge to provide complete context for their readers, and that includes ensuring that the numbers actually mean something. This means putting the horse-race journalism in its proper perspective and looking at the real stakes of the national issues being debated. It’s not just about the odds of a candidate winning; it’s about what will truly be in the best interest of the country.
