Cross Breeds

What is the difference between thoroughbred racing and horse racing?

Public Comments

1. Thoroughbred horse racing is one TYPE of horse racing. Harness racing (trotters/pacers) is another very popular type of horse racing; these horses are called standardbreds. Quarter Horse racing would be another. Harness racing is contested at a distance of one mile almost exclusively; these are the races where you see the riders riding in a cart called a 'sulkie' being pulled by the horse. Quarter Horses usually race at a distance of a half mile or less; these are exclusively sprinters. Thoroughbred horse racing takes place on one mile to mile and a half long ovals, and races are anywhere from 5 furlongs [5/8ths of a mile] to close to 2 miles, though most often thoroughbreds run races at distances from 6 furlongs to a mile and a quarter, and occasionally a mile and a half. The thoroughbred, standard bred, and quarter horse are different breeds of horses (I'm not sure if I was clear on that before). I hope this helped.
2. Horse racing is a general term associated with all types of racing which could, in theory, include thoroughbred racing, standardbred racing, quarterhorse racing and even Arabian horse racing. Thoroughbred racing is the most commonly-known form of horse racing in the world. If you have an interest in thoroughbred racing, let me recommend two sites: www.bloodhorse.com - great general content covering every aspect of racing; and www.horseracegame.com - the best of all horse racing games tied to a social, very active community. It's a free game and is very engaging. If you're looking for more analytical information, try www.drft.com - rich, hard-core racing statistics.
3. Thoroughbred horse racing is one type of horse racing. Harness racing (trotters/pacers) is another very popular type of horse racing.
4. The Thoroughbred is a specific breed of horse, bred specifically and primarily for racing under saddle at the gallop. There are other breeds of horses that race at the gallop: Quarter Horses, Arabians, and Appaloosas are all raced under saddle, although these breeds of horses are not primarily bred for racing. Standardbreds are raced in harness at the trot or pace. Thoroughbred racing is most familiar to most people, primarily because it gets more news coverage than any other kind of racing and because more money is wagered, world-wide, on Thoroughbreds than on any other breed. With rare exceptions, the different breeds of horses that are raced do not compete outside their own breeds.
5. a thoroughbred is a type of horse so there you go.
6. Just want to add -- don't forget the paints and mules! Also, it's not that rare for different breeds to run against each other. Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses do it on a regular basis -- at Los Alamitos for instance, they run together in 870 to 1,000 yard dashes all the time. Also, paints and appy's run together in colored horse stakes traditionally, as there aren't that many of either breed to run seperately.