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May, 2017 The Antique Shoppe Page 33

Horse Racing

By: Jeff Figler
If you are like most people who go to a horserace you wage on a particular However, organized racing in the United States did not exist until 1868.
horse because of its name, or maybe on how it looks. Sure, there are some By 1890, there were over 300 tracks operating in the United States. As there
people who study the racing program, and bet on a horse because of the jockey was no governing authority by then, many track had criminal
or even the trainer. elements. Finally, in 1894, the country’s biggest track and stable
But lets face it, most people who are novices at the track, and don’t mind too owners met and formed the American Jockey Club.
much losing a few dollars, will have fun just betting on the horses with unusual In the early 1900s, an anti-gambling feeling almost wiped out
names. the sport. By 1908, only a couple dozen tracks remained. In that
Pity the poor horse with a name of I WAS A MISTAKE, or I’M A LOSER, or same year, pari-mutuel betting on the Kentucky Derby
DON’T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON ME. The horses have to bear being called was introduced, and a turnabout occurred. State
those names their entire life. legislatures allowed horse racing in exchange for
And to think that horse racing has been a portion of the money wagered. Horse racing
called the sport of Kings. It makes you started to flourish again. Horses like Man O’
wonder what some of the kings called War captured the imagination of people
their horses. Prince? Duke? Earl? across the country.
But how did horse racing become After a decline in the sport during the
so popular and remain that way to this 1950s and 1960s, the sport bounced back
day? After all, its origins date back to about in the 1970s, due in part because of such
4500 BC among the nomadic tribesmen of Central horses as Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and
Asia, the ones who first domesticated the horse. The Affirmed. All three of those horses won
ancient Greek Olympics had events for both chariot and the American Triple Crown, consisting
mounted horse racing. of the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness,
Modern horse racing had its origins in the 12 century, and the Belmont Stakes. The popularity of the sport has continued to this day.
th
when English Knights returned from the Crusades with Wagering on the races has been the main appeal of the sport, and the
Arab horses. For the next 400 or so years, Arab stallions reason that horse racing has survived. Betting at American tracks is done using
were imported and bred to English mares to produce a pari-mutuel wagering system. Under this system a fixed percentage of the
horses that had both speed and endurance. total amount wagered is taken out for racing purses, state and local taxes, and
track operating costs. The remaining
amount is divided by the number
of individual correct wagers, to
determine the payoff, or odds, on
each bet. The odds are continuously
calculated and posted on the track
toteboard during the open betting
period before each race.
English nobles started to wager on Naturally, horse racing items are
their own on races between the fastest very popular among collectors.
of the horses. A lot of three Triple Crown horse
And so began betting on the ponies! racing jockeys signed photographs,
During Queen Anne’s reign in the signed by jockeys Edgar Prado, Ron
18 century, horse racing became a Turcotte, and Steve Cauthen sold for
th
professional sport. Racing evolved to slightly over $200.
the point where spectators bet as well. Four silver racing trophies owned
Tracks sprung up all over England, and by actor Jack Klugman were sold at
large purses of money were offered to auction for $2750.
attract the best horses. Owning and However, two gold horse racing
breeding horses for racing became very trophies were individually auctioned
profitable. The first central governing for much more, one for $13,000, and
authority was formed in 1750 in the other for $31,000, which was
England, and called the Jockey Club. It awarded to Stagehand for winning the
still regulates English racing to this day. Santa Anita Handicap in 1938.
As you might expect, British settlers brought horses, and horse racing as well And for those real horse racing enthusiasts, a signed race worn silk from
to America. The first racetrack in America was laid out in 1665 on Long Island. 2002 was auctioned for $457. Try fitting into one of those. I know I could not.