5 Horse Racing Events You Shouldn’t Miss

Horse racing is one of the most popular sports around the globe. It may not be as popular as basketball and football, but it still deserves its place among the top sports in the world. The only difference from other sports is that most people don’t tune in just because they want to see the horse race. 

Instead, most people watch horse racing because they want to win their bets. If you’re new to horse racing, you probably heard about your local racing events, but do you know about the popular racing events worldwide? Here are some of them.

Kentucky Derby

Arguably, the Kentucky Derby is the most popular horse racing event, if not the second. The Kentucky Derby is the first horse racing event in a three-horse race in the Triple Crown in the US. It’s usually held in Louisville, Kentucky, hence the name. Usually, it occurs on the first Saturday of May every year. However, in 2020, the date was changed and pushed to later in May because of the pandemic.

The Kentucky Derby was inaugurated in May 1975 and has since been one of the most famous horse racing events around the globe. The qualification for this year is a thoroughbred horse that’s three years old. The race has a distance of 2,000 meters but was formerly 2,400 before it was changed to the current one back in 1896.

In the US, it’s so popular that A-listers and popular celebrities attend the event to watch the race. The event is so big that the prize money is $1,860,000.The race lasts only two minutes and has been dubbed “The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports.” 

In all of the event’s history, only one horse has been able to finish the race in less than two minutes. That horse’s name is the Secretariat, which has been featured in many history books and documentaries worldwide.

So, if you’re planning to place your bet on this prestigious racing event, make sure to do your research and get to know horse betting terms for a smooth wagering experience.

Royal Ascot

The Royal Ascot is a 5-day racing event held in England every June. The event is huge and is usually a special occasion for celebrities and A-list millionaires to attend. It’s one of the most popular horse racing events in England and has a whopping winning prize of $8,101,800, thus attracting the biggest horse owners and trainers across the UK. Even the royal families attend the event, which is a British social season.

The event is usually formal; thus, the people attending are required to have formal attire, complete with suits, hats, and the finest dresses and corsets. And of course, casual clothing like shirts and jeans are not allowed. As for the ticket for the general populace, it’s usually hard to find one unless you have a connection up top.

Preakness Stakes

A few weeks after the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes starts. The Preakness Stakes is the second leg of the Triple Crown, and it’s as big as the Kentucky Derby. The Preakness Stakes started back in 1873 and has been held every year from then on, which, of course, was canceled back in 2020 because of the COVID pandemic. 

It’s considered the middle jewel of the Triple Crown because of the prize and the fact that the winner in this event will be able to attend the last leg of the Triple Crown, which is the Belmont Stakes, which we will talk about later. The event is usually held at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore every third Saturday. The race has a distance of 1,900 meters long and a money purse of $1,500,000 for the winners.

Belmont Stakes

The Belmont Stakes is the last event of the Triple Crown and is usually the biggest out of all the three horse racing events. It’s usually held in June in New York, and it brings about 20 million viewers online and thousands of people who were able to buy their tickets. The Belmont Stakes has a distance of 1 and a half miles; the fastest race record was the Secretariat with two minutes and twenty-four seconds.

Pegasus Cup

The Pegasus Cup brings about 12 veteran horses to compete in this event. The race itself is held in Gulfstream Park every January of every year. The Pegasus Cup was once named the Donn Handicap but was changed into what it is back in 2017, making it the newest horse racing event in the US.

Every year, many A-list millionaires and celebrities attend the event not just because of the horse races but also because of the parties and concerts usually held along the races. In its first year, it was announced as the richest race on the planet and still holds to this day. If you want to be informed on which horses will participate for 2023, you can check the 2022 breeders cup classic betting and contenders as sometimes, the contenders for the Breeders Cup can attend the Pegasus Cup if it meets the qualifications.

Final Words

You should not miss these horse racing events if you’re a horse racing fan. You probably can’t personally attend these events, but you can still bet on them online. And the bigger the event, the bigger your winnings can be, so if you want to be a hundred dollars richer, you shouldn’t miss these events.