Horses and horse racing have had a substantial impact on the history of America and continue to be an important part of American culture today. It's easy to see how horse racing has evolved by going back in time and identifying how it all began. First of all, Thoroughbred: Born to Run, a PBS documentary produced and directed by Oscar-winning director Paul Wagner, discusses the origins of horse racing: "The first steeplechase in Ireland in 1600 was a race between two steepled churches " (Thoroughbred). This was the first historically recognized "horse race", although it is very likely that horses had already been used for racing before. Two men decided to race their horses to demonstrate the basic principle that which horse was faster than the other. It was much later, in the 1750s, that a group was established to define the standards and regulations of breeding, racing and racetracks. This regulatory group was known as the Jockey Club and still dominates racetracks today. Second, the movement of horse racing across America is identified by PBS's timeline of horse racing in the United States: “in the 1840s settlers moving west brought horse racing with them, establishing the sport in Illinois, Missouri, Texas and Louisiana. ..and in the 1850s gold rush prospectors brought Thoroughbreds to California" ("Timeline"). Settlers during the Westward Movement spread out and established horse racing throughout Illinois, Missouri, Texas , Louisiana, and finally to California. Not only did horses help settlers work the land and travel, they also provided a means of entertainment and pleasure at the racetrack. However, horse racing came to an abrupt end during the Civil War in the 1860s. when Thoroughbreds were in the middle. paper... claiming races, selling races, maiden races, and apprentice races ("Types"). horse racing, the Kentucky Derby comes to mind, there is nothing more exciting than watching the "most exciting two minutes in sports." Since the Kentucky Derby was established in 1875, it has become a nationally recognized event , which takes place on the first Saturday in May and attracts over 16 million viewers each year. Whether jumping over hurdles or racing on the flat, horse racing is a physically demanding sport for both horse and jockey. Horse racing will continue to be a controversial sport, and hopefully the flaws within it will one day be overcome, but horses will not cease to impress audiences with their compassion in racing and seemingly limitless abilities on and off the track..