Blog #6: The Palio is an anything-goes horse race with ancient origins, but the emotional residents of Siena, Italy, care only about today’s race.

Each of the eight times I have seen the Palio there were downed horses and riders, usually in the first tight turn of the three-lap race around the piazza (Il Campo). The picture shown above is one I took the first time I saw the race in 1987. Il Palio is not a horse race like any other you know about. A good horse and skilled rider are not enough to win.