Horse races are events where horses compete to win a prize. The horses are led by jockeys, who are often professional athletes. The race can take place on a flat surface or over obstacles. The first horse to cross the finish line is declared the winner of the race. Horses have been used for racing since ancient times. A number of races are held worldwide, including the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, which form the American Triple Crown. The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the Caulfield Cup in Australia and the Sydney Cup in New South Wales are also prestigious races. The most significant positions in a horse race are the horse and jockey, but there are many others who play an important role behind the scenes. Trainers, grooms and owners are all crucial to the success of a race. They train the horses to be in top condition, groom them and provide them with the equipment needed for a race. They are also responsible for providing the horses with nutrition and care. Owners are the people who purchase the horse, and they work with their trainers and grooms to ensure that they get the best out of them. Races may be run over a variety of distances, but most are between one and two miles. Shorter races are called sprints, while longer ones are known as routes in the United States and staying races in Europe. A good turn of foot is required to win a sprint, while stamina is key to winning a long-distance race. As with any sport, there are rules and regulations that must be followed during a horse race. The officials in horse racing are called Stewards, and they serve to make sure that the rules of a race are followed. If a steward believes that a rule has been broken, they will call a halt to the race and investigate the incident. If a steward finds that there was a violation, they will disqualify the horse that committed the offense. In the early part of the 20th century, horse racing was plagued with doping scandals. The medications that were available to humans — painkillers, anti-inflammatories and blood doping — were easily absorbed by the horses and could cause them to overdo it on the track. Trainers would give their horses medications before and during races to prepare them for the exertion, but they didn’t always keep track of how much each horse was getting. The sport’s biggest moments come not from the win of a major event like a Triple Crown, but from head-to-head matchups that are both dazzling and eloquent. Certainly, Secretariat’s 31-length demolition job in the 1973 Belmont ranks high on the list. But so does Sea Bird’s extraordinary six-length routing of a field at the 1965 Prix de l’Arc de triomphe.