The sport of horse racing has entranced spectators for centuries. It is one of the oldest organized sports and has evolved from a primitive contest of speed or endurance between two horses into a global public entertainment industry that involves large fields of runners, sophisticated electronic monitoring equipment, and immense sums of money. Despite these technological advances, the fundamentals of horse racing remain largely unchanged from its origins.

The Belmont Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held at Elmont, New York on the third weekend of June. The race is the third and final leg of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred horse racing. The race is also known as the Test of the Champion and The Run for the Carnations.

Injuries are commonplace in horse races, largely because horses are bred for speed at the expense of bone mass and overall health. This leads to them being pushed far beyond their natural abilities in races, where they must sprint and jump over fences while carrying weight. As a result, they often suffer from debilitating medical conditions, including bleeding lungs and ringbone, heart attacks, and gastric ulcers. They are also prone to fractures of their necks, backs, and legs.

Those who do survive a race will not enjoy a happy retirement, either. Most of them are valued only for their ability to bring in winnings, and will be sent to slaughterhouses once they no longer produce enough income. The ones who make it to the end of their “careers” often die in terrifying accidents on the track or are euthanized after suffering from crippling injuries.

To determine the winner of a horse race, handicappers use a numbering system to assign a numerical value to each runner. This numbering system takes into account a runner’s age, sex, birthplace, and previous performance. It also factors in the weather and track conditions of a race. A runner with the lowest number is considered the favorite and has the best chance of winning.

In order to attract more entrants and boost the size of the field, many races feature a minimum purse amount. The higher the purse, the more money a horse will win if it wins. This creates a cycle in which races with smaller fields have smaller prizes, and larger prizes encourage more horses to enter. The problem is that the horse racing industry can not sustain this trend forever, especially as it continues to lose fans, revenue, and entries. Fortunately, more people are becoming aware of the dark side of horse racing and taking action. Increasing pressure from activists like PETA is helping to improve the lives of these sensitive creatures. It is time to end this cruel sport for good.