Why is horse racing called the "sport of kings"?

[Doogle]

...for those who enjoy the Sport of Kings, a reminder of greatness:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS4f6wiQJh4

(I still get chills when watching it)

[ThomasThomas]

Should we even ask these questions?‎ Somethings are better left unknown. Kinda like how many calories in a pizza. Personally I have never called horse racing any but horse racing. I know Elvis grew up in horse racing ask him.

[Irish Eyes]

LOL...having owned thoroughbreds in the past, it is called the “Sport of Kings” because only Kings can afford them.

They eat,train and have vet's visits etc. etc etc. win OR lose.

[ottbmare]

When they began returning from the Crusades with fast Arabians the sport really took off.

You have the principle right, but not the time period. The Darley Arabian, the Godolphin Arabian, and the Byerly Turk, the three Eastern stallions who were the founders of the Thoroughbred breed, made their appearance in England centuries after the Crusades. The Godolphin Arabian was imported from Tunisia to England in the late 1720s. The Byerley Turk was war booty captured by Captain Byerley after the Moslems were defeated at Buda in 1686. The Darley Arabian was brought from Syria to England in the first years of the 18th century. All covered native English mares and made great improvements in the quality of the bloodstock. There were, of course, many other Eastern horses who served English mares in that time period, but it is the descendants of these three stallions whom we race, hunt, and jump today, and all Thoroughbreds can be traced back to them.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

... because horses eat while you sleep.

[colorado tanker]

Thanks for the info. Sounds like you own or race horses.

[WOBBLY BOB]

sport of princes, too.

[ottbmare]

I have ridden a lot of them and own an ex-racehorse now. See my screen name and tagline? They are wonderful creatures, extremely intelligent but always with that wild love of freedom in them. It’s like having a Harley that will love you back.

[Talisker]

War is the sport of kings.

Everything else is just the sport of the well off.

[TexasTransplant]

*** They eat,train and have vet’s visits etc. etc etc. win OR lose. ***

They are like a Formula 1 car ... they are for Racing ... not Durability ... expensive just goes with the territory

TT

[smokingfrog]

Sport of Kings

[Waverunner]

It's good to be the King... ( #1 sport = ladies of the court)

[deweyfrank]

ping

[bkepley]

Charles II was an enthusiast right after the morbid republic pretty much banned any such fun and thus the “sport of Kings”.