Whether you are watching the race on television or at a track, you will probably notice that there are many rules that govern how a horse race is run. These rules are intended to ensure that everyone has a fair chance to win the race. The rules are usually based on the sex of the horse, its age and the previous performance of the horse. Horse races have evolved over the years. Originally, the sport was considered a contest of speed. After the Civil War, speed became the benchmark for success. Since then, more public racing has been held with larger fields of runners. The sport has evolved into a spectacle, featuring elaborate electronic monitoring equipment and large fields of runners. Today, there are thousands of jockey clubs all over the world. Most of these clubs are members of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities. These clubs are primarily responsible for monitoring the rules of the sport and making sure that the rules are followed during every race. They also discuss issues related to breeding and breeding techniques. Horse races can be divided into three types: Graded Stakes, Local Stakes and Restricted Stakes. Graded Stakes races are the highest level and feature top-notch horses from across the country and abroad. They are typically run at major racetracks. In addition, they offer the largest purse money for the top finishing horse. In contrast, local stakes races are restricted in some way, typically requiring horses to be bred in the state. Local stakes races are similar to Graded Stakes races, but they feature the best local horses. They usually offer a larger purse money than the Graded Stakes races. They may also have age restrictions, requiring the horse to be two years of age or older. In addition, some local stakes races allow no gender restrictions at all. Allowance races are races where horses may carry less weight. Usually, only non-winners or non-winners of previous races are allowed to participate. As a result, the horses in these races do not have as high a chance of winning. However, they may prove important to the overall success of the race. A Triple Crown is a set of three races that must be completed in order for the winner to earn the title. They include the Kentucky Derby, the Belmont Stakes and the Preakness Stakes. The order in which the races are run is a matter of debate, and the order does vary each year. For example, in the year 2020, the Preakness was run first because of a pandemic. In addition, the order for the Belmont Stakes has changed in recent years, as has the order of the Triple Crown. The International Federation of Horseracing Authorities holds an annual conference in Paris to discuss issues relating to racing. Aside from reviewing the racing industry’s most recent developments, the conference discusses breeder’s issues and breeding techniques. The earliest European races involved Barb horses, Arabian horses and Turk horses. The sport grew in popularity and spread to neighboring countries such as India, Australia and New Zealand. The sport also spread to Canada in the 19th century.