NMR Online Exhibit:

The History of the Thoroughbred in America

The flag is low’red—they’re off—they come!

The squadron is sweeping on!

There’s a sway in the crowd—a murmuring hum,

They’re here—they’re past—they’re gone.

They came with the rush of the southern surf

On the bar of the storm-girt bay;

And, like muffled drums on the sounding turf,

Their hoof-strokes echo away.

--Gordon

The wonder and mystery of the racing horse have captivated men and women for thousands of years.  The “Sport of Kings” has gathered followers around the world, and has created a culture that crosses gender, race, and class lines.  It was the love of the sport of racing that originally led to the development of the Thoroughbred, a horse designed specifically for the racetrack and its glory.  And today, the sport that created this magnificent animal exists to ensure that the breed continues: “Racing is at every level about the pursuit of quality and a striving for excellence.  The notion of improving the breed permeates every aspect of the sport.” (Bowen, 18)  It is because of this integration of sport and player that a discussion of the Thoroughbred cannot be accomplished without a simultaneous study of the history of horseracing.  This essay will introduce the Thoroughbred as a breed, but it will go further, and will place the Thoroughbred in its proper context of racing and sport in both England and the United States.