Horse racing takes many forms around the world and is a popular sport with a global market estimated at $115 billion. The sport has a rich history that extends back to the chariot races of ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. It has evolved to a number of different styles and distances, including flat racing, steeplechasing (racing over obstacles) and harness racing (where horses trot or pace while pulling a driver in a sulky).

In addition to promoting gambling, which is a huge part of the industry, it is widely considered to be an art form and is often compared to ballet or opera. It is a complex sport that requires a high level of skill from the jockey and driver. It also involves a significant amount of physical exertion and can be dangerous. The most prestigious races carry large purses and are often designated as stakes races, a classification reserved for horses that have proven their ability to perform at the highest level.

The sport is wildly popular in the United States, where people wager more than $4 billion per year. However, it is not without controversy. A major issue is the fact that Thoroughbreds are bred for speed and are forced to run at speeds too fast to be healthy. The horse’s lungs are not designed to handle such intense exercise and they can suffer from a variety of health problems, from broken legs to hemorrhage in the lungs. The industry is constantly trying to improve training practices, but a growing awareness of the darker side of the business has fueled animal rights groups’ investigations into drug use, abusive training and gruesome breakdowns.

Another problem with the sport is that it is expensive. Although most racehorses cost less than a used car, their trainers have an incentive to run them past their limits in order to make money. The industry also benefits from taxpayer subsidies in the form of casino cash that jacks up race purses.

There are a number of ways to change horse race reporting, but it will not be easy. Despite research documenting how it damages voters, candidates and newsrooms themselves, it is unlikely that anyone will stop covering elections as a horse race. Instead, journalists should focus on the issues that matter to the public and try to incorporate more substantive coverage of candidate qualifications and policy proposals.

One way to do this is to track the results of straw polls, which are conducted online and at in-person events and provide a snapshot of who might win. Another is to include information on the candidates’ fundraising activities, which can help gauge a candidate’s strength and momentum. Lastly, it is important to report on a candidate’s ability to draw support from influential community leaders and organizations such as teacher unions and law enforcement associations. These kinds of data can be more meaningful than simply who leads in a horse race.