Horse races are held on tracks or dirt fields and feature a group of horses running against one another. The horse whose nose crosses the finish line first is declared the winner. Horses are usually ridden by jockeys, who use their skills and judgment to coax the best performance from their mounts. There are many different kinds of horse races, but they all follow the same basic rules.

The most popular horse race is the Triple Crown, which consists of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. The prestigious series of races draws massive crowds to the grandstands, where bettors cheer for their favorite horses by name, not numbers. Bettors can win big money by placing a bet on the winning horse, but they must understand the fundamentals of horse racing to make sound decisions.

While horse races can vary in the number of participants and the size of the purse, the basic rules remain the same. The starting gates, which are horizontal across the track at a chosen point, open simultaneously and the horses race away. The goal is to get off to a fast start while saving enough energy for the final stretch known as the home stretch. The race is won by the first horse to have its nose pass the finishing line, which is often marked by a white line painted on the track.

The stewards oversee the race, looking for any fouls during its course. A horse may be disqualified if it jumps the starting gate or otherwise interferes with another horse, or if it breaks into another horse’s path. A jockey can also be disqualified if he or she is found to have jumped off of his or her mount during the race.

Some horses are bred for speed, while others are bred to be longer-running. The breed of a horse is noted on the racing form, as well as its age, sex, and other qualities that might affect its performance.

In the United States, horse racing is legal in nearly all states, and a large portion of the nation’s population enjoys watching the sport at least occasionally. The industry is regulated by the state and federal governments, and is supported by an array of organizations. There are more than a million registered thoroughbreds in the country, and the sport has been estimated to generate more than $30 billion in wagers each year.

Animal rights activists are calling for reform in the way horse races are conducted. In a video that surfaced recently, PETA accused two trainers of cruel treatment of world-class horses. The allegations are especially disturbing because they center on Churchill Downs and Saratoga, two of the most esteemed race tracks in America.