Definition

1. Noun:
   • A contest of speed between horses: A competitive event where horses, typically ridden by jockeys or pulling sulkies, run over a set distance to determine the fastest. These events are often organized at racetracks and are frequently associated with betting.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The Kentucky Derby is a famous horse race held annually in the United States.
  • We placed a small bet on the afternoon's featured horse race.
  • The history of the horse race in this country dates back centuries.

Advanced Usage

• "to be a horse race": Used figuratively to describe any close and competitive contest, especially in politics or sports.
  • The election is too close to call; it's a real horse race.
• "one-horse race": An idiom describing a competition where one competitor is so far ahead that the outcome is not in doubt.
  • With their star player back, the championship final was a one-horse race.

Variants and Related Words

• Horse racing (n): The sport or industry of conducting and breeding horses for races.
  • He has been involved in horse racing his entire life.
• Racehorse (n): A horse bred and trained for competing in races.
  • The stable invested in a promising new racehorse.

Synonyms

• Equine race: A more formal term for a horse race.
• Thoroughbred race: Specifically denotes a race for purebred horses of the Thoroughbred breed.

Related Phrases

• To call a horse race: To provide a live commentary on the event as it happens.
  • His job is to call the horse race for the television audience.
• To fix a horse race: (Illegal) To illegally predetermine the outcome of a race.
  • The gang was arrested for trying to fix the horse race.

Related Idioms

• "It's not a horse race": Said to urge someone not to rush or treat a situation as a frantic competition.
  • Slow down and check your work; this exam is not a horse race.
• "A different breed of cat" (from "a horse of a different color"): While not containing the exact phrase, this idiom shares the equine imagery and means an entirely different matter. (Note: The common idiom is "a horse of a different color").
  • Financing the project is a horse of a different color altogether.

Noun

1. a contest of speed between horses; usually held for the purpose of betting