Most horse racing tracks or racecourses offer nine or ten races per day, usually in the afternoon. Meetings, or consecutive days of racing at a track, continue for one month or longer in the United States. British meetings are usually only several days in length.

Horse races follow a strictly organized procedure. Horses are saddled and jockeys mount in the paddock area in full view of the spectators. Often escorted by outriders and riders on lead ponies, the horses are positioned in individual stalls within the starting gate, located at the starting line. When the field, as the entrants are collectively called, is evenly aligned, the starter presses a button to open the stall gates.

Strategy is an important part of racing, particularly in contests of a mile or longer. Those horses that possess “early speed” are sent to the lead as soon as the race begins, while jockeys on “come from behind” horses gallop more slowly at first to save energy for a stronger effort in the homestretch (the last section of the race). Whether the “speed” horses will maintain their early lead or yield to fast-closing competitors depends on the animals’ quality and condition, and on other variables known as “racing luck”—which include such factors as whether the jockeys make the right moves at the right time.

Races are scrutinized by the track stewards and recorded on videotape. In addition, photoelectric timers measure the leading horse’s time at specific places around the track and at the finish line. Results are reported by times and also by margin of victory, expressed in lengths (one length is about eight and a half feet, or the length of a horse’s body). The record for the fastest mile on a dirt course—1 minute 32ƒ seconds—was set by the American horse Dr. Fager in 1968.