Harness racing, a popular form of horse racing at local tracks nationwide, distinguishes itself from thoroughbred horse racing by using standardbred horses to pull a jockey on a wheeled vehicle called a “sulky,” rather than carrying the jockey. Unlike thoroughbred horses, these horses have shorter legs and do not sprint; instead, they pace or trot themselves, with races handicapped by making stronger and more mature horses run longer distances than their younger counterparts. Due to the size of the sulky, traditional starting gates are not commonly used, and instead, many races begin with a trotting start, with a vehicle leading the field before pulling away when the race begins.
