Horse racing is among the oldest of sports, but its fundamental structure has remained the same for millennia: the horse that completes a designated course in the least amount of time wins. Automobile racing is a much more recent invention, with its origins in the late 19th century, but its identical structure would be familiar to an ancient Greek charioteer. In the United States, two of the most storied races in these fast-paced sports occur in May: the Kentucky Derby and the Indianapolis 500. Go Inside Britannica to learn more about the men and women who have earned their living from speed.
Famous Horse Races
In the United States, May accommodates two of the Thoroughbred calendar’s famous Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. The unofficial championship is then finalized in June by the oldest of the trio, the Belmont Stakes. In the UK, one of the Classic English horse races, Two Thousand Guineas, is also held each year in early May (sometimes it falls in late April).
Types of Horse Racing
Although spring is a popular time for horse racing, it isn’t limited to any particular season, or to flat oval tracks. The sport has a long history and a wide variety of types:
Horses and Jockeys
Some horses and jockeys have become legends through their accomplishments in history’s celebrated races:
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• Eddie Arcaro (pictured) – First jockey to ride five Kentucky Derby winners and two American Triple Crown champions. |
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• Bill Shoemaker (pictured) – This jockey won the Kentucky Derby four times and the Belmont Stakes five times.
• Seabiscuit – This horse captivated the American public during the Great Depression with an unlikely defeat over a Triple Crown Winner. |
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• Julie Krone (pictured) – The first female jockey to win any of the American Triple Crown races.
• Seattle Slew – One of the last horses to win the Triple Crown.
• Sir Gordon Richards – First jockey to be knighted. |
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Automobile Racing
Horse Racing isn’t the only popular racing sport that has a busy May. The American automobile racing community fills the month's last weekend with two important races: the longest NASCAR race of the year and the Indianapolis 500, one of the best-known auto races in the world.
Drivers
Race through history - see how quickly you can name the automobile-racing drivers that match these milestone accomplishments:
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In the late 18th century James Watt (pictured) established the value of one horsepower as the unit of power necessary to lift a mass of 33,000 pounds one foot in one minute. Although he derived that value from experiments with dray horses, one horsepower actually represents 50 percent more than the rate an average horse can sustain for a working day. Engines in today's race cars can produce 800 horsepower or more.
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Le Mans: 1950s
The 1950s were exciting years for the world's most famous auto race.
Acquired from Vast Video
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Horse Breeds: The Thoroughbred
Learn about the origins and characteristics of the Thoroughbred.
Acquired from Vast Video
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The Ihurtadog? (The Iditarod's Trail of Death and Suffering)
by RaeLeann Smith
On March 8, the media reported that the first dog—a 7-year-old named Zaster—had died in the 2008 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, a grueling 1,150-mile trek from... (read more)
The Britannica Blog is a place to share smart, lively conversations on just about any topic.
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