Man may be known to use horses for racing since this specie was first domesticated. Historical evidences reveal that as early as 4500 BC, the actual nomadic people of Central Asia has developed techniques of horse racing. Actually, the Greeks tend to be known to have incorporated horse racing in the Olympics since 638 BC.
Both the chariot horse racing and also the mounted horse racing were popular during these ages. These types of later became an obsession among Romans once they have adopted the sport.
For thousand of years that followed, this kind of sports was known to be performed only for the noble men as well as royalties.
Contemporary racing is said to have started in the 12th hundred years when the first breeding between Arabian and English horses were made. These were sparred by the return of the noble knights to the mother land after the Crusades. They are known to possess produced sturdy race horses with superb speed. Thus, breeders maximized the potentiality of a racehorse as well as put all of them into tracks. This particular breed is the Thoroughbred that we know of these days which is still typically the most popular breed in the United Kingdom.
King Charles II had been known to have held horse races in his private courses throughout 1660 to 1685.
Through the 16th century, the English have been known to produce a number of racecourses. Queen Anne that started the Ascot in 1711 is known to have made horse racing an official sport.
Halfway in 1700�s, the Jockey Club was created through the initiation of the elite figures involved with horse racing. This particular organization was the first legion of jockeys which established the actual comprehensive rules and regulations including the requirements as covered by the actual sports. Thus, these people became the overseers of the sports as well as sanctioned horse racing occasions.
The Jockey Club was also the actual initiator for the regulation of breeding among race horses. Thus, James Weatherby, an accountant of the Jockey Club during those times, traced back the family lines of all racing breeds in England. His researches brought forth the publication of the General Stud Book, that was basically, the basis of authority when it comes to the breeds that may be put to competition. Based on the General Stud Book, only those pedigrees which have descended from the line of the “foundations sires” are considered as Thoroughbreds. The foundation sires are the: Byerley Turk, Darley Arabian as well as Godolphin Arabian.
Only in 17th century did the activity arrive in America for which the very first racetrack was seen in the actual Long Island. Although it has turned into a favorite past time among Americans, no one initiated the actual formalization of horse racing until after the Civil War. Because of the already-established obsession plus the industrial development, and widespread betting on horse races, the sport grew largely by the year 1890 when 314 operating tracks are considered to be on regular operation in the country.
Due to the lack of a governing body, this sport had become purely dominated by criminal elements. In 1894 though, the most notable and high-ranking stable owners met and organized the American Jockey Club which was patterned on the system as used by the Jockey Club in England.
Nowadays the sport has reached various countries across the globe. Governing bodies were also formed to regulate the horse racing events.