Horse racing is an activity that almost entirely consists of just a handful of horse breeds. These are breeds that have been bred over the last two hundred years to be the best racing breeds that money can buy, and almost all of history’s greatest racers have inevitably come from one of these breeds. Learning about the different and most popular breeds in horse racing is a great way of gaining an edge while taking out a new bet, or simply to learn more about the fascinating history of horse racing and how it works.
Arabian
The Arabian is one of the world’s oldest known breeds, and its lineage can be traced back as far as 4000 years. The original Arabians came from the Arabian Peninsula, an area known for being extremely flat and dry, creating perfect conditions for a large animal to roam wide. They are also famous for their incredible speed and stamina and are able to run for hours without getting tired. On top of this, Arabians generally have an extremely mild temperament, and are usually quite easy to work with. Originally, the Arabian breed was used as a war horse, where it provided the perfect method of surprise attacks. A few hundred years later, and Arabians could be found across the globe, with their genes creating entirely new breeds of racing horse.
Thoroughbreds
Thoroughbreds are commonly mistaken as being horses that are part of a distinct bloodline, but they are actually an entire breed of horse of their own. Thoroughbreds make up the bulk of the horse racing world today, with almost all modern racers being part of the Thoroughbred breed, and tends to be the first choice for bettors that wager at australiansportsbetting.net.
For this reason, they tend to be the breed most often competing in international racing events, and their powerful bodies, calm nature, and amazing speed have made them a favourite for both trainers and jockeys alike. Some of the greatest racehorses in history, including Secretariat, Man o War, and Seabiscuit were Thoroughbreds. When a Thoroughbred’s racing days have come to an end, it’s extremely common for them to retire to a stud farm and become the parents of an entirely new generation of racers. Some gifted Thoroughbreds are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, and their children are sought after by trainers and breeders from around the world.
Standardbreds
Standardbreds were originally developed during the 18th century in the United States, where they were original used for the trotting races that were beginning to gain popularity at the time. The breed is made up of a number of others, including Thoroughbreds, Morgans, Norfolk Trotters, and Canadian Pacers, creating the best of all worlds. They tend to have longer bodies than the standard Thoroughbred and aren’t usually quite as fast or have as much stamina as their more powerful cousins. Nonetheless, Standardbreds can still be found in events from all over the world of horse racing and are still a favourite for bettors and fans.