Horse racing
Horse racing is a sport in which a race is held between racehorses (horses bred for racing). Racehorses are most often thoroughbreds. The Kentucky Derby is a major horserace that is held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky every year. The Kentucky Derby is part of the Triple Crown, which includes two other races. Yonkers, New York is a major venue for harness racing.
Important races outside the US include Longchamp near Paris, the Dubai Gold Cup and the Melbourne Cup, held every year in Australia on the second Tuesday of November. Heralded as "the race that stops the nation," this one race alone keeps hatmakers in the city of Melbourne in business for an entire year. Every year, during the cup, over 11 million people from Australia and New Zealand tune in to listen to the race, starting at 3:00pm.
Racing is also popular in the UK and Ireland. Major races include Ascot, Newmarket and the Grand National. Racing also takes place at Epsom, Chepstow, Goodwood, York, Cheltenham and Punchestown, County Kildare.
In the Far East Japan, Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore are major race centres.
People often gamble on horse races. They will bet money on a particular horse.
