Blood racing
It begins with a Lepti in a small stall. A wooden divider in front of it keeps it from running onto the narrow track. Behind an identical divider, an annoyed Galardi snarls in a separate stall. At a shout from the organizer, a rope is pulled to lift the two wooden walls and release the animals.
From this point, it's a race. The lepti, terrified by the predator behind it, hops forward along the track as fast as it can. Depending on space, the track might be a straight line or a ring. It's always narrow, no more than two feet wide. The only way to run is forward. The galardi hasn't been fed all day, and the little scurrying creature ahead of it looks delicious. It pursues, but leptis are fast.
The owner of the lepti waits at the end, holding the rope of another wooden divider. The moment the animal passes under it, they release the rope and the wall slams down. The lepti is safe and the galardi occasionally crashes right into it, depending on how close it was to catching it.
At this point, the money can be distributed. The most simple bet is on whether or not the lepti will make it to the end. More specific bets are on how far the lepti will make it before getting eaten. The galardi usually wins, giving rise to the sport's name, since the track tends to get streaked with blood by the end of the night.
Sometimes the lepti does win, and goes on to win several more races because it's exceptionally fast. Unfortunately for the little critters, a lepti has to be faster than the galardi every race it's put into - the galardi has to be faster only once.
Blood racing is a popular sport in Maloa and surrounding areas. It's been around for about two hundred years, but it's controversial, especially in recent decades as more and more people keep leptis as pets. Still, most major cities have several tracks set up and even small villages will organize a ring when needed.
From this point, it's a race. The lepti, terrified by the predator behind it, hops forward along the track as fast as it can. Depending on space, the track might be a straight line or a ring. It's always narrow, no more than two feet wide. The only way to run is forward. The galardi hasn't been fed all day, and the little scurrying creature ahead of it looks delicious. It pursues, but leptis are fast.
The owner of the lepti waits at the end, holding the rope of another wooden divider. The moment the animal passes under it, they release the rope and the wall slams down. The lepti is safe and the galardi occasionally crashes right into it, depending on how close it was to catching it.
At this point, the money can be distributed. The most simple bet is on whether or not the lepti will make it to the end. More specific bets are on how far the lepti will make it before getting eaten. The galardi usually wins, giving rise to the sport's name, since the track tends to get streaked with blood by the end of the night.
Sometimes the lepti does win, and goes on to win several more races because it's exceptionally fast. Unfortunately for the little critters, a lepti has to be faster than the galardi every race it's put into - the galardi has to be faster only once.
Blood racing is a popular sport in Maloa and surrounding areas. It's been around for about two hundred years, but it's controversial, especially in recent decades as more and more people keep leptis as pets. Still, most major cities have several tracks set up and even small villages will organize a ring when needed.
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