Man may be known to make use of race horses for racing since this specie was first domesticated. Historical evidences uncover that as early as 4500 BC, the nomadic people of Central Asia has developed techniques of horse racing. In fact, the Greeks are known to have incorporated horse racing in the Olympics since 638 BC.

Both the chariot horse racing and the mounted horse racing were well-liked during these ages. These types of later on grew to become an obsession among Romans when they have adopted the activity.

For thousand of years that followed, this kind of sports was known to be performed only for the noble men and royalties.

Contemporary racing is believed to have started in the 12th hundred years when the first breeding between Arabian and English horses were made. They were sparred by the return of the noble knights to the mother land after the Crusades. They are known to possess produced sturdy horses with excellent 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 the most popular breed in the United Kingdom.

King Charles II had been known to have held horse races in his private courses during 1660 in order to 1685.

By the 16th century, the English had been known to make a number of racecourses. Queen Anne that founded 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 organization was the very first legion of jockeys that established the actual comprehensive rules and regulations including the standards as covered by the actual sports activities. Thus, they grew to become the overseers of the sports as well as sanctioned horse racing events.

The Jockey Club was also the initiator for the legislation of breeding among horses. Thus, James Weatherby, an accountant of the Jockey Club during those occasions, traced back the family lines of all racing breeds in England. His researches brought forth the publication of the General Stud Book, that was essentially, the basis of authority when it comes to the breeds that may be put to race. According to the General Stud Book, only individuals pedigrees that have descended from the line of the “foundations sires” are believed as Thoroughbreds. The building blocks sires are the: Byerley Turk, Darley Arabian as well as Godolphin Arabian.

Only in 17th century did the sport arrive in America for which the initial racetrack was seen in the actual Long Island. Although it has turned into a favorite activity among Americans, no one initiated the 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 known to be on regular operation in the country.

Because of the lack of a governing body, this activity 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 actual 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.