If races with carriages (or bighe) of the Roman era are excluded, the first historical traces of horse racing in Italy date back to the end of the 18th century and, specifically, 1773: a deed that registers the arrival from Annecy, on behalf of Vittorio Amedeo II, Duke of Savoia, of a number of horses intended for Count Benso di Cavour, Camillo’s uncle. The horses were intended to be used to improve the breed, which is a clear indication of the existence of a breeding farm that already operated using selection criteria. A few years later, other documents make explicit reference to the stables of Regia Mandria di Chivasso.
However, there remain very few traces that confirm our centuries-old tradition in horse racing, which, even though it developed later than in England where the first “certified” races date back to 1400, and where already in 1700 the Jockey Club was established, it remains nonetheless one of the most affirmed at the worldwide level, especially for the quality of our horse breeding.
Horse races became more widespread at the beginning of the 1800s, when the nobles started to challenge one another to gallop races: races without cash prizes organized and, in any case, organized in the country, on unpaved city roads (the first “racetrack” of Milan was the track where Corso Buenos Aires is now located) and served mainly to earn honors and visibility. In 1846, in Bologna, the first races “with little seats” were held, which were the predecessors to the modern sulkies for trot races.
While the first rules for a horse race, held in Turin, dates back to 14 July 1809, the first “Horse racing company” was established in 1835, and Court Camillo Benso di Cavour joined such society. In 1855, in Turin, the first periodical dedicated to horse racing was founded, called “Giornale della Società Nazionale delle Corse”, and five years later, the first Derby of Italy was held, again in Turin.
The first foundations for the “stud book” were established in 1870, and by the end of the century the genealogical book on thoroughbreds was published, and the Royal Derby was established. In 1881, the Jockey Club d’Italia was established, and in 1892 the Società degli Steeple Chases d’Italia was established; in 1884, the first gallop Derby was held at the Roman racetrack known as Capannelle, and other racetracks were built in Milan, Turin, Pisa, Florence, Livorno, Florence, Livorno, Naples and Grosseto.
The trot race remains on the sidelines until 1885, when the “Consociazione ippica italiana” was established, which in turn gives rise to the genealogical book of the indigenous trot horse. Trot races are held in Bologna, Modena, Padua, Treviso, Parma, Reggio Emilia and Naples.
At the beginning of 1900, great effort was focused on the selection of foals, including by importing horses from abroad, but the first worldwide conflict led to a sudden halt in the process: not only due to the reduction of funds, but also due to the need for horses at the frontlines of battles, and this meant that horse races came to a virtually complete stop and many stables closed their businesses.
A recovery came once the war ended, thanks to the arrival of French thoroughbreds. One in particular: Havresac II, a stallion whose progeny includes such champions as Cavaliere d’Arpino, Nearco e Ribot, all raised and trained by Federico Tesio.
Year 1919 was a fundamental year in Italian horse racing: “Sire” , or Società per l’Incoraggiamento delle Razze Equine, was founded, which remains active even today: thanks to Sire, the calendar of the Milanese racetracks benefited from a considerable increase, and reached 100 days of races in 1932. Sire promoted the development of trot races by importing horses from the United States in order to improve the quality of foals.
In the same year, 1932, the Royal Decree establishing “Unire”, the entity subject to the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture was issued. The period 1930-1938 was a period of great successes in Italian horse racing: seven stables won seven Prix d’Amerique trot races, in Paris, and the Orsi Mangelli stable in particular enjoys great success; in gallop race, the Federico Tesio’s chamions emerge, such as Nogara, Donatello II, Tofanella, Nearco, Bellini.
When Italy went to war in 1940, the first reduction in races occurred, and later the total block on races in 1942. In 1943, through a mediation with the German army, a partial resumption was reached, even if after 8 September, Italian entities and companies, in addition to Unire, move to Varese. In order to resume ordinary operations, it was necessary to wait until 1945 and the liberation of Rome. In 1948, the first Totip game sheets were played.
In 1947, the great Tenerani arrived, who in 1952 became the father of Ribot, the greatest gallop horse in history, who remained unbeaten in all 16 races run. In 1952, Tornese, the “sauro volante” (flying sorrel horse), was born, who was considered the best trot horse in history until the arrival of Varenne.
In the 1950s, horse racing could count on solid financing thanks to the Orsi Mangelli law ad in the 1960s, it improved , in the 1960s, it improves thanks to the economic boom, and later stabilizes over the coming years. Unire adopts new by-laws starting in 1989, and in the meantime the horse racing agencies, which are located throughout the entire territory of Italy, offer totalizator bets, as well as “book” bets for horsetracks, as well as Tris bets.
A small revolution occurred in 1996: Sogei, the IT structure of the Ministry of Finance, took over the management of horse racing totalizators, while the only fixed odds (“book”) bets continue to be handled by Unire.
In 1998, a horse named Varenne, who was born three years prior in Zenzalino di Copparo, won the trot Derby, beating Viking Kronos: this marks the beginning of the career of the greatest trot horse in history, with 73 races run, 62 victories, and at least one victory in all of the most important Italian and foreign races, including the Prix d’Amerique, the Premio Lotteria and Elitloppet. Varenne beat all speed records for all distances, won the grand slam in Europe (twice) and the Breeders Crown in the USA. He was one of a kind in the history of horse racing, and was named “horse of the year” in three different countries: Italy, France and the United States.
In 1999, Legislative Decree no. 449 of 29 October reorganizes UNIRE and estbalishes the incorporation of technical entities in the structure of the entity starting from 1 January 2000. Starting from this year, several tender procedures have expanded the network for the acceptance of bets, which rises form a few hundred gaming points to several thousand.
Today, Italian horse racing is governed by the Ministry of Agricultural and Forestry Policies, which absorbed Unire (which in the meantime had become Assi, Agenzia per sviluppo del settore ippico – Agency or the development of the horse racing sector), while the management of gaming was entrusted to the Minsitry of the Economy and Finance. Totip was closed in 2007, in order to leave room for other types of betting such as quarté, quinté and V7.
The first documented “traces” of trot races in Milan date back to 1831: such races were competely different from modern races, and were held on a track installed what was then Piazza d’Armi. The racetrack was 1.5 miles long and the horses were attached to heavy vehicles called “buggies”. At the beginning, there was not even any betting or, at least, not officially: the first authorized bookie began to operate in 1851.
The Racetrack of Piazza Andrea Doria
The first “true ” Milanese trot racetrack was inaugurated on 27 October 1892 in Piazza Andrea Doria: the track was 900 meters long, and the racetrack was established thanks to a popular subscription process launched by the periodical called “Lo Sport Illustrato”, the official body of Milanese horse racing, which obtained support from 140 subscribers. Thanks to the racetrack, Milan began to take on an increasingly important role on the Italian horse racing scene, but already starting at the beginning of the 20th century, following radial changes to the urban planning laws of Milan, it became necessary to move to an area further away from the city center. Piazza Andrea Doria was located where the Central Station stands today and therefore this was an area that was increasingly affected by residential development.
The “Trotter” in the Turro neighborhood
In 1906, the trot racetrack moved to a new racetrack constructed in the Turro neighborhood: a beautiful half-mile track constructed by the Società Nazionale Trotto (National Trot Company), with grandstands and infrastructures. The area continues to be called “Trotter Park” today and the circular roadway within the park is actually the original trot racetrack. Races were held at the Trotter until 1924, when the insolvency of the Società Nazionale led to amost a disappearance of trot racing in Milan.
San Siro
The intervention by Sire – Società per l’incoraggiamento delle razze equine – which already operated at that time the gallop racetrack allowed trot racing to survive. Also as a result of the personal interest taken by Benito Mussolini, Sire decided to build a new and more modern racetrack next to the gallop racetrack. On 25 November 1925, the trot racetrack of San Siro was inaugurated, and continued to operate until 2012. Already at the time of its opening, the one kilometer track was the best in Italy, offering, in addition, adequate stables and spectator capacity well over the average. Soon, the San Siro ring became known by everyone as “La Scala of trot racing”.
This track hosted victories by some of the most famous trotters in history: Muscletone, Guy Fletcher, Calumet Clancy, Keno. After the end of WWII, the gold books began to register the names of Tornese and Crevalcore, Sharif Di Jesolo and Scellino, Extreme Hanover, Indro Park, Lemon Dra, up to the biggest champion in history, the legendary “Captain” Varenne. It is 2002, and trot racing reaches its highest peak of success and fame in Italy and abroad.
La Maura
San Siro turned out not to be immune from the general crisis that impacted the horse racing sector and, at the end of 2012, Snai, the owner of the racetrack, decided to suspend operations at the racetrack which had become disadvantageous from an economic standpoint. Trot racing leaves Milan until the spring of 2015 when works began for the construction of a new racetrack, La Maura, which is smaller and more managable than the previous one. Snai decided, however, to keep the magical San Siro track: the materials used to build it were moved to the new track in order to give new life to the fastest and most selective track in Italy, surrounded by the greenery of Trenno Park.