America’s Biggest Horse Racing Events
Horse racing is not only popular in Europe and in the United Kingdom, but it is also one of America’s favourite sports. Horse racing events are some of the most sought-after gatherings with VIP guests looking to get their hands on a ticket.
There are several reasons behind the popularity of horse races. They are very entertaining to watch and require a wonderful collaboration between human athletes and highly trained horses.
This joint effort between jockey and horse to win a race is what attracts so many people to equestrian sports.
Individuals also love to bet on their favourite horses, which makes the sport more exciting, entertaining and captivating.
Fans usually look to the Kentucky Derby betting guide before placing their bets and compare jockeys and their horses’ statistics before placing their bets.
By betting on their favourite players, fans become more involved in the races themselves and, therefore, more engaged. Betting is one of the main reasons behind the popularity of horse racing events.
In America, the general interest and love for horse racing events has led to the creation of many horse racing celebrations and gatherings. This article will focus on some of the biggest horse racing events in America.
What Are The Biggest Horse Racing Events In America?
Here is a list of the most important and well-known horse racing events in the US.
Note that the order of these events is subjective and that readers should try out different horse racing events to find the one that best suits their personal preferences.
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is considered to be the most important and the most famous horse race in the United States. It was first inaugurated in 1875 and has taken place every year since then without any interruptions.
This major horse racing event usually takes place on the first Saturday of May in Louisville, Kentucky. It takes place at the end of a two-week-long festival known as the Kentucky Derby Festival.
The race is open to three-year-old thoroughbreds and promises a reward of approximately $2 million USD to its big champion. It is a Grade I stakes race that tends to last around two minutes.
Because of its very short duration, the race is commonly known as “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports”.
The Kentucky Derby owes a lot of its fame and reputation to its status as the first leg of the American Triple Crown. Indeed, the Kentucky Derby race is the first race of the American Triple Crown, followed by the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes.
Those who win all three races will have won the American Triple Crown.
Preakness Stakes
This race follows the Kentucky Derby event. It also takes place in May but on the third Saturday of May instead of the first.
The Preakness Stakes is held in the city of Baltimore in the American state of Maryland.
It is the second leg of the American Triple Crown and is also a Grade I stakes race. It takes place on the Pimlico Racecourse known for being a dirt racetrack.
The Pimlico Racecourse is a left-handed track and the Preakness Stakes is, just like the Kentucky Derby, open to 3-year-old thoroughbred horses.
This race was inaugurated in 1873. It is commonly known as “The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans” due to the ‘crowning’ of the winner with a blanket of Maryland’s state flower.
Belmont Stakes
This race is usually held three weeks after the Preakness Stakes and five weeks after the Kentucky Derby. The race is held at Belmont Park in the city of Elmont, located in the state of New York.
It is the third or final leg of the American Triple Crown and can usually be watched on television on the first or second Saturday of June. The race was first inaugurated in 1867 and has only gained in popularity since then.
The Belmont Stakes are also commonly known as ‘The Test of the Champion’ of ‘The Run for the Carnations’ because of how decisive this race is in the run towards the American Triple Crown.
The racetrack itself is considered to be one of the fairest racetracks because of its structure and its valorization of tactical speed rather than luck. The track includes wide turns and a long homestretch patch for which jockeys and horses have to strategically control their speed.
Conclusion
This article focused on three of the biggest horse racing events in America. Some of the other events that could not be mentioned in this article include the Breeders’ Cup, the Travers Stakes and Arlington Million, among others.
As mentioned before, this ranking is subjective and based on reputation, history and attendance of these events. Some readers might prefer different horse racing events than the ones mentioned in this article.
To find the event that is right for you, it might be worth attending several of the most famous ones in order to find the one that suits your personal taste and preferences.
