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The field consists of ten horses, which means that only ten of the city wards can take part in the Palio on any occasion. The seven wards which did not take part in the previous place are automatically included; three more are chosen randomly. Three days before the race, private owners offer the pick of their stables, from which representatives of the participating ''Contrade'' choose ten of approximately equal quality. A [[lottery]] then determines which horse will run for each ''Contrada''. Six trial races are run, the first on the evening of the horse selection and the last on the morning before the Palio. The devout residents of each ''Contrada'' invoke the sacred aid of their [[patron saint]] on their horse and jockey. The worldly improve their odds with more profane methods, chiefly [[bribery]] and [[doping (sport)|doping]]. The sensible simply keep a close watch on their stable and their rider.
[[Image:Palio - Carrocio.JPG|thumb|The ''[[carroccio]]'' of Siena, during the procession proceeding the Palio of August 2006]]
The race is preceded by a spectacular pageant, which includes (among many others) ''Alfieri'', flag-wavers, in medieval costumes. Just before the pageant, a squad of ''[[carabinieri]]'' on horseback, wielding swords, demonstrate a mounted [[charge (warfare)|charge]] around the track. <!--''much more needed here''--> Spectators arrive early in the morning, eventually filling the centre of the town square, inside the track, to capacity; the local police seal the entrances once the festivities begin in earnest. Seats ranging from simple [[bleacher]]s to elaborate [[box (theatre)|box seats]] may be had for a price, but sell out long before the day of the race. The [[landlord]]s of buildings overlooking the ''piazza'' sometimes stipulate that tenants must be absent on the day of the Palio, in order to rent the space to spectators.
[[Image:Siena plaza.jpg|thumb|250px|left|View of the ''Piazza del Campo'', where the Palio is run.]]▼
At 7.30 p.m. (July) / 7 p.m. (August), the detonation of an explosive charge echoes across the piazza, signaling to the thousands of onlookers that the race is about to begin. The race itself runs for three laps of the ''Piazza del Campo'', the outer course of which is covered with several inches of dirt and the corners of which are protected with padded crash barriers for the occasion. The jockeys ride the horses bareback from the starting line, where there is only room for nine horses. The tenth, the ''rincorsa'', stands behind those nine. The start is given by a local authority called ''Mossiere'', who has to wait for all the horses to be in the correct position. When this moment is (with great difficulty) achieved, he activates a mechanism that instantly removes the ''canapo'', the starting cord.
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In the race of July 2006 the Palio was won by the ''Contrada'' of the [[Contrade of Siena|Pantera]] after a gap of 12 years since their last victory. In the August 16 race, the Palio was won by Selva, the forest, who maintained a lead throughout most of the race.
▲[[Image:Siena plaza.jpg|thumb|250px|left|View of the ''Piazza del Campo'', where the Palio is run.]]
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