The History of Horse Racing

People has been known for using horses for racing since they were first domesticated. In History as early as 4500 BC, the nomadic people of Central Asia had already developed horse racing systems. In the Olympics since 638 BC, the Greeks were known to have incorporated the sport of horse racing.

During this part of history the mounted horse racing and the chariot horse racing became very popular. The Romans were obsessed with chariot horse racing who adopted the sport.

For thousand of years that followed, this sport was known as "The Sport of Kings" and only noble men and royalties performed this sport.

In the 12th century with the first breeding between Arabian and English horses, modern racing is said to have started. These were sparred by the return of the noble knights to the mother land after the Crusades. These are known to have produced sturdy horses with excellent speed. Thus, breeders maximized the potentiality of a racehorse and put them into tracks. The Thoroughbred is the breed that we know of today and is still the most popular breed in the United Kingdom. During 1660 thru 1685, King Charles II was well known to have held horse races at his private courses for his friends.

The English, by the 16th century had been known to develop numerous race tracks. In 1711, Queen Anne who founded the Ascot is known to have made horse racing an official sport.

In the mid 1700’s, the Jockey Club was created through the initiation of the elite people involved in horse racing. This organization was the first legion of jockeys that established the comprehensive rules and regulations including the standards as covered by the sports. Thus, they became the overseers of the sports and sanctioned horse racing events.

The Jockey Club was also the initiator for the regulation of breeding among horses. Thus, James Weatherby, an accountant of the Jockey Club during those times, traced back the family lines of all racing breeds in England. His researches brought forth the publication of the General Stud Book, which was basically, the basis of authority in terms of the breeds that could be put to race. According to the General Stud Book, only those pedigrees that have descended from the line of the “foundations sires” are considered as Thoroughbreds. The foundation sires are the: Byerley Turk, Darley Arabian and Godolphin Arabian.

The very first racetrack was built in the Long Island area by the 17th century where the sport of horse racing arrived in North America. Among Americans it has become a favorite past time, although, no one initiated the formalization of horse racing until after the Civil War. Because of the already-established obsession plus the industrial development, and widespread gambling on horse races, the sport grew largely by the year 1890 when 314 operating tracks are known to be on regular operation in the country.

This sport had become purely dominated by criminal elements due to the lack of a governing body. Although, in 1894 the most prominent and high-ranking stable owners met, organized and formed the American Jockey Club patterned after the system used by the Jockey Club in England.

Nowadays this sport, horse racing has reached various countries around the world. Many Governing bodies were also formed to regulate the horses racing events.

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