There are three main types of horse races: flat races, hurdle races, and steeplechases. These classify the structure of the race and the breeds of horses that take part. Here, we will cover the four main types of races, and throw in some horse racing betting tips along the way to help you get the most from your experience.
Flat Racing
In flat racing, horses gallop from beginning to end on an oval or straight track. They are obstacle-free races, hence one of the most prevalent varieties of this game.
Racing takes place on varying surfaces, ranging from grass to soil, depending on location. Individual flat races take place between 400 meters and 3 kilometers in length.
The most holiest competition in flat racing is the Kentucky Derby. The races typically last from 2 minutes. The only competitions that match the Kentucky Derby in terms of importance are the Royal Ascot races and the Epsom Derby.
Steeplechase
Steeplechase is the most dangerous type of racing. It involves older (not less than 4 years) and more endurance-sustained horses, as the race is as long as 7 kilometers, which requires careful energy and speed management. In general, horses that did not bring a good result in flat racing as young animals race in steeplechase.
Hurdle Racing
Hurdle races are over a distance of around 3 kilometers, which is an average distance between flat races and steeplechases. Hurdle races are meant for older horses as young horses cannot handle such pressure.
During the race, the horses encounter hurdles composed of twigs and branches, which are collapsible and do not harm the health of the horses. Unlike show jumping, the obstacles are longer (about 12 meters) and span the entire track.
Endurance Racing
Unlike other types of horse racing, endurance racing involves the horse racing over lengthy distances, 40 to 161 kilometers. Any shorter than 40 km is classified as limited-distance riding.
The racing is organized over a series of days and is done on natural terrain courses. Arabian horses are best suited for endurance racing.
Classes of Horse Races
With the evolution of horse racing as a sport, different categories and classes have been developed. The classification system determines the level of competition. Currently, there are four major classes of races:
Maiden Races – races for horses that have not won a race. This is the lowest class;
- Claiming Races – races for horses which can be purchased following the race. The entry fee for each horse participating is in proportion to the prize money;
- Allowance Races – races with some restrictions for participants, but all horses are protected from being claimed;
- Stakes Races – races where horse owners pay an entry fee. Winners receive large prizes. Stakes Races is the most superior class of horse racing.
Most Popular Horse Racing Bets
It is very important for a newcomer to the sport to familiarize himself with the type of bets made available in horse racing. There is a significant degree of variation, and the well-known ones include outright bets, place bets, trifecta, win without the leader, horses compared, and special bets.
Outright Bets
When placing a straight bet, the bettor tries to predict which horse will win the whole tournament. Apparently, long shots have the best odds since the bet is being placed before the contest starts.
And if the forecast works, then the gambler shall win a pleasant amount of money. Still, one has to know that anticipating the victor before the actual event happens is quite impossible. Even when competitions involve human participants, the anticipatory predetermination of a winner is complex enough, whereas at horse races one should anticipate the condition both of the horse and the jockey.
Exacta (or Perfecta)
Exacta (or Perfecta) is a bet on two horses to finish 1st and 2nd, in a specific order. You lose when the horses finish in the first two spots but not in the order you chose.
For example, if you bet $2 at odds of 4.0 on horses #3 and #5, you will win $8 if horse #3 finishes 1st and horse #5 finishes 2nd.
Trifecta
Trifecta is a bet on the three chosen horses to finish 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in that order. If you placed a $2 trifecta bet on 1-5-7, you win only if #1 finishes 1st, #5 finishes 2nd, and #7 finishes 3rd.
The trifecta bet can pay you large amounts of money. Remember, though, that it is very hard to predict the exact sequence of the top three finishers.
Special Bets
As in any other game, horse racing has some exclusive bets that cannot be included within the main categories. Some examples of special bets include:
- The jockey most likely to win the majority of races in the tournament;
- Number of mint juleps (alcoholic cocktail) consumed in the tournament;
- The fastest winning time, etc.
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