When journalists covering an election focus primarily on who’s winning or losing instead of policy issues—what’s known as horse race coverage—voters, candidates and the news industry itself suffer. A growing body of research shows the harmful effects of this type of reporting, which is often characterized by quick polls that focus on who is up or down rather than what policy issues are at stake.
The term horse race is a broad one, and it can be used to describe a variety of close forms of competition, including contests for political office or for championship in various sports. In the context of politics, it is most commonly used to refer to a partisan political contest where the contestants are in close proximity in terms of electoral votes. This type of competition is a source of fierce mudslinging and name-calling, which can obscure the real policy issues at stake.
In the United States, horse races are usually run over distances ranging from five to 12 furlongs (1.0 to 2.4 km). Shorter races are known as sprints and long-distance races are called routes. Horses are required to accelerate rapidly in sprints and to maintain a sustained speed in routes.
Before a horse race begins, bettors watch the horses warm up in the exercise ring to observe their behavior and running style. Bettors also study a horse’s weight, which can be influenced by a number of factors, such as its age, sex and training.
While many spectators at a horse race cheer for their favorite horse, the athletes themselves can be dangerously injured. Some horses can be fatally injured by a fall or a collision with another horse or other objects, such as fences and rails. Injuries can also include heart attacks and respiratory failure, or even shattered bones and limbs.
Despite these dangers, horse racing remains a popular sport with millions of fans worldwide. Its traditions include the ceremonial pageantry of major events, the rich history of the sport’s equine stars and the love of the animals themselves. Nonetheless, animal welfare concerns have increasingly become a central issue for the industry.
Some horse owners and trainers have allegedly tried to boost their chances of victory by drugging their horses. The drugs may be performance-enhancing, such as furosemide, commonly known by the brand name Lasix, or painkillers designed to allow the horse to power through a painful injury. Despite a widespread belief that doping is not an issue in horse racing, the evidence is strong that it does occur, and some horse race officials have been implicated in the cover-ups.
While the majority of horse races take place in the United States, there are a few significant international horse races. The most important of these is the Breeders’ Cup, a series of thoroughbred horse races held annually in California. The race is one of the most prestigious in the world, and is contested by horses from all over the globe. Its winners are usually given a large cash prize.