A horse race is a competition between two or more horses that takes place on a fenced track. It is a form of gambling and one of the oldest sports in human history. It has been practiced in many civilizations since ancient times. Archaeological records show that horse racing was common in ancient Greece, Rome, Babylon and Syria. It also plays a prominent role in myth and legend, such as the epic battle between the gods and giants on the backs of steeds in Norse mythology. The main purpose of a horse race is to determine which of the competing horses crosses the finish line first. Unlike other sports that use point systems to determine the winner, a horse race simply involves a simple count of which horse finishes the fastest. The horse that wins the race is awarded a certain amount of money, known as the prize money. Depending on the type of race, the first place finisher may be given a higher or lower amount than the second and third places. In addition, the winner of the race may be awarded special awards such as a trophy or best dressed. Historically, horse races were “winner take all” in that the winning horse was awarded the entire purse. However, to encourage greater participation among the general public, the concept of handicap races was introduced. In a handicap race, horses are assigned weights that are based on their performance and other factors. This allows a slower but more well-bred or evenly matched horse to compete with faster and more athletically superior horses. There are a wide variety of horse races, with the most famous being the Kentucky Derby, Epsom Derby, and Dubai World Cup. Other prominent flat races include the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the Caulfield and Sydney cups in Australia, the Gran Premio Internacional Carlos Pellegrini in Argentina, the Queen Elizabeth Stakes in England, and the Durban July in South Africa. Jumps races are also popular, and the majority of these races in the United States take place on grass surfaces. A horse’s pedigree is a significant factor in its eligibility for jumping races, and the horses are usually restricted to specific breeds. A jumps race is typically longer than a flat race and requires a certain degree of endurance, as well as the ability to quickly accelerate over obstacles. All horse races must be started either from starting gates or stalls, and all hurdle races and steeple chases must start from a starting gate (unless permitted by a steward). In most cases, the starting stalls will only be opened once the starter has declared that a false start has not occurred. Riders must follow the prescribed course and jump all hurdles if present in order to complete a race and win. Riders who do not follow the proper course or fail to jump a hurdle may be disqualified.