Horse racing, and the horse industry in general, is one of the biggest entertainment and sporting industries in the United States.

More than $9 billion was wagered on races across the country in the first nine mons of the year. Industry pundits have been predicting the demise of horse racing betting for years.

However, while the number of overall race days has been trending down, the arguably more important metrics of purse sizes and total betting handle are increasing.

Most notably, the U.S. horse racing industry achieved this growth while recovering from the effects of a global pandemic, significant negative press resulting from well-publicized scandals, safety issues, and regulatory changes stemming from new legislation.