At first glance, college sports and horse racing might seem like two very distant worlds apart. On one hand, you have students (teenagers) full of adrenaline thinking the world is theirs, and on the other hand, you have a sport where active riders can reach 40 years of age.

That’s a big age gap. On top of that, college sports are more about community and winning small tournaments with low financial benefit, but on the other hand, it’s all about champagne, fashion, and million-dollar prize purses.

But if you look closer, and maybe get past a few stereotypes, you’ll realize that both horse racing and college sports share many similarities. They are essentially distant cousins who took different career paths – one received a scholarship, while the other received a saddle.

Let’s go through some of the unexpected similarities between these two sports industries.

1. The Obsession Starts Young

Young stars matter in every sport. After all, they are responsible for promoting the sport’s popularity and shaping its future. Whether it’s a five-star quarterback being scouted in high school, a yearling Thoroughbred, or an aspiring jockey, the obsession with future stars starts early.

In both worlds, there is a huge industry dedicated to identifying talent before it becomes big. Most college games are filled with recruiters (scouts) who are looking for young talent with a fiery spirit and motivation that could propel them to greatness.

The same we have with horse buyers and young jockeys. Racehorse owners are always looking for talented individuals who can get the most out of their horses.

Scouting is a significant aspect of both college sports and horse racing.

2. Training Is Grueling, Competitive, and… Expensive

You think that college athletes are taking it easy? This is a common stereotype that’s actually wrong. Just because young people are still not competing in the big leagues, it doesn’t mean they aren’t grinding every day.

College athletes (ones that have a goal) wake up at 5 AM for strength training, then hit practice, classes, film study, and more practice. For them, it’s all about securing that deal to enter the big leagues, and with huge competition, the only way to stand out is by training hard every day.

Therefore, there is no rest for college students who aspire to be drafted into a major team.

We have the same thing with horse racing. Although races might last for a couple of minutes, the training part and preparation take months. Jockeys are one of the toughest athletes on the planet (even though it doesn’t seem like that), and they are training every day, even when their next race is a few months away. There is no doubt that they live a tougher life than other sports players.

Horses also have a strict training regime. Trainers are up before dawn, working horses in the fog, measuring strides and fine-tuning diets to the last calorie.

Therefore, it is essential to work diligently in order to succeed in both worlds. In college sports and horse racing, the competition is really tough, so the only way to make a name for yourself is to earn it through training and dedication.

3. The Coaches and Trainers Are the Unsung Heroes

In both college sports and horse racing, the person behind the scenes is often the mastermind or the scapegoat.

College coaches are part strategist, part motivational speaker, part babysitter. Do you know how hard it is to tame teenagers? Almost impossible! Trainers need to teach them about responsibilities, dedication, hard work, and how to take an L and bounce back.

Horse trainers? Same deal. They work long hours, make game-time decisions, and sometimes take the heat when things go wrong.

Also, let’s not pretend that both don’t have their share of drama. Scandals? Oh, yes. The occasional temper tantrum on the sidelines (or in the paddock)? Absolutely.

Both jobs come with pressure, passion, and just a dash of chaos.

4. Betting

What makes horse racing so exciting? Of course, the betting part. Betting on horse races makes the sport more exciting, and that’s a fact. Even for people who don’t know much about horse racing, they love to test their luck and pick a winning horse.

On the other hand, even though we talk about college sports, there is still plenty of betting action going on.

When we compare them both in terms of betting, we can also spot a few other similarities. For example, in both worlds there is a big percentage of underdog wins, which is what makes both so exciting to watch. On top of that, betting markets go way beyond “win or lose,” making the process even more exciting.

5. Crowds, Cheers, and Wild Superstition

You haven’t really experienced sports until you’ve been around college fans or die-hard racegoers.

In college, fans paint their chests, scream fight songs, and chant things that make zero grammatical sense but somehow strike fear into opponents. In horse racing, the fans might be dressed in tweed or sipping mint juleps, but don’t let that fool you; they’re just as intense.

And let’s not forget the rituals: lucky socks, weird handshakes, favorite parking spots, or bringing the same hat to every game or race. Whether it’s a college stadium or Churchill Downs, superstition runs deep.

So, as you can see, there are plenty of similarities between college sports and horse racing. It’s all about passion, pressure, and performance, and athletes in both worlds compete like their life depends on it.