Horse Racing: The Sport of Kings

HorseRacing.com offers descriptions of nine different forms of horse racing, listed in the left menu.

The International Museum of the Horse in Lexington, Kentucky, covers the history and legacy of horses. The Flash presentations on the different breeds of horses and “The Horse in Sport” are particularly interesting.

The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga, New York, honors horse racing’s legendary horses, jockeys and trainers. It contains online profiles of all Hall of Fame members, with stats, a biography and film clips. Only a few exhibits can be viewed online, but there is a comprehensive history of horse racing.

The Unofficial Thoroughbred Hall of Fame is written by a dedicated racing fan and includes an introduction to thoroughbred racing and profiles of legendary racehorses.

National Thoroughbred Racing Association has a “Virtual Q&A” designed to help beginners understand the sport. Receive a video answer by typing in a question or clicking the “Help” button and choosing from a list of phrases.

Oaklawn Jockey Club describes how thoroughbreds differ in colors and running styles, and how races vary in level, distance, surface and track conditions.

Equibase has a glossary of horse racing terms.

The Jockey Club has a glossary of terms for horses, explaining what a horse is called based on its sex, age and other factors.

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association governs thoroughbred racing in the United States, including the Breeders’ Cup. The NTRA establishes laws and regulations, licenses breeders and organizes political advocacy; learn about its work in the “Industry” section. Use the clickable map to find links to racetracks around the country.

The Thoroughbred Racing Associations (TRA) is a collection of 49 American racing associations, all of which are listed in the TRA member directory. The TRA is known for the creation of the Equibase statistical database and the Eclipse Award for horse of the year.

Churchill Downs Incorporated owns not only Churchill Downs (home of the Kentucky Derby) but also Arlington (Illinois), Calder (Miami) and Fair Grounds (New Orleans).

The New York Racing Association controls three thoroughbred racetracks in New York State: Belmont Park, Saratoga and Aqueduct.

Magna Entertainment manages many well-known tracks, including Pimlico (Baltimore), Gulfstream (Florida) and Santa Anita (California).

The Kentucky Derby is the first jewel of the Triple Crown. Contested annually since 1875, the Derby is run on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Its Web site includes news, blogs, profiles of contending horses and coverage of prep races. Visit the “History” section to see lists of winning horses and connections, charts of past races and a glance at the role women and African-Americans have played.

The Breeders’ Cup is a series of championship races run over two days in late fall, at a rotating list of host tracks. The site has bios of all the horses, jockeys and trainers contending for a spot in the Breeders’ Cup, as well as historical stats and records in PDF format. There are also recaps and video for each of last year’s races.

Equidaily may not be the best-looking site, but it is the single best source of horse racing news on the Internet. Run by one individual with a tremendous passion for the sport, the site provides links (updated daily) to relevant stories about horse racing from newspapers around the world, grouped by subject matter.

The Blood-Horse is a well-regarded publication on the subject of breeding thoroughbred racehorses that also features news and analysis of racing. It offers information on breeding, horse health and auctions, as well as a directory of stallions. On the racing side, you’ll find transcripts of chats with prominent figures in the racing world and a “Blog Stable” with several blogs on subjects such as breeding, Triple Crown racing, maidens and general thoroughbred racing.

The Thoroughbred Times is a Kentucky-based weekly magazine featuring news and commentary on racing, breeding and buying horses. Its Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup sections are quite detailed, with news stories and profiles of competing horses. Look for news stories, an international stallion directory and a schedule of upcoming sales. The Buyer’s Guides and yearly Auction Review can be purchased online.

HorseRaceInsider.com offers horse racing analysis and commentary from John Pricci, longtime horse racing writer for Newsday, as well as several other veteran racing writers.

The Thoroughbred Bloggers Alliance is a group of bloggers dedicated to covering the sporting aspects of thoroughbred horse racing.

The Daily Racing Form is the most popular choice for bettors planning their wagering strategies. Free registration gives you access to news, entries, results and analysis from a large collection of experts. Subscribers receive past performances, speed figures and race charts as part of a $9.95 monthly (or $89.95 yearly) subscription. For major races like the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup, past performances are available for free to registrants.

Equibase is the thoroughbred industry’s official database of racing information and stats and the sole provider of data to the Daily Racing Form. It provides a wide range of handicapping information sold individually and through monthly and yearly subscriptions. Available information includes race programs, past performances of varying detail, race charts and video race replays. The Equineline service offers lifetime past performances and five-generation pedigrees for all horses.

The Sheets is a handicapping tool that relies on a performance rating system to assess a horse’s potential and where the horse is in its current form cycle. View analyses of established patterns and a sample of The Sheets before purchasing by e-mail, fax, FedEx or at selected tracks.

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association explains the different types of wagers you can make.

The Daily Racing Form teaches you how to read the form with an interactive Flash tutorial, a glossary of symbols and abbreviations, and advice on what to look for.

TVG explains how to handicap through its “Learn To Play” instructional videos. It explains how races are set up, how wagering works and what to look for when handicapping. It also allows you to practice handicapping by betting virtual money on real races.

TVG is a horse racing television network that allows you to bet online, by phone and with your television remote. A $19.95-per-month account gives you access to unlimited wagering and live video streaming. The “Handicapping Store” features race programs, past performances and other handicapping information for small fees.

Youbet is the largest online horse racing wagering site. Placing wagers on races requires no membership costs, but there are subscription plans that offer live streaming and race replays.

XpressBet offers wagering online and by phone to residents in 32 states. Opening an account is free with a $50 deposit.

TwinSpires is managed by Churchill Downs Incorporated and offers wagering for all U.S. residents. Accounts require an initial $50 deposit, but there is no monthly subscription fee. Account holders have access to live streaming video and race replays, past performances and handicapping software.

The Racing Game is designed to help small investors buy horses. Partially sponsored by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, the site puts you in contact with an experienced advisor who can guide you through the process of thoroughbred ownership.

The Jockey Club is the registrar for all thoroughbreds bred in the United States. It maintains “The American Stud Book”, which certifies the correct pedigree for all thoroughbreds, as well as a database of horse names, stable names and silks currently in use. The site is full of resources for horse owners, including the rules and requirements of “The American Stud Book,” guides to breeding and the thoroughbred industry, and breeding statistics.