What’s in a (Race) Name? The Legend of Lecomte
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If a modern-day horse racing fan were transported back in time 160 years, they might hardly recognize the sport. Thoroughbreds weren’t as fast back then, but they ran longer distances and could do so multiple times per day. The six-furlong sprints of today were nowhere to be found; instead, the biggest races were usually held over four miles with multiple “heats” in a single day. In other words, the winner was usually the first to win two heats, which required them to run at least eight miles a day.