From the receiving barn, the grooms lead the horses to the paddock and walking ring. | Photo: Erica Larson/The Horse

You are intimately familiar with your off-track Thoroughbred’s daily routine. You know when he eats, plays, and sleeps—it’s part of the fun of ownership.

But what was his routine like at the racetrack? In particular, what regimen did he follow on competition day?

Racing is highly regulated to ensure the participants’ safety and to protect those who bet on the horses. The established safeguards mean your horse had to undergo several steps before and after he raced