The Pace Makes the Race – Understanding Running Styles

A key element of handicapping is learning how to identify the running style of each horse in a particular race. When you are able to determine the running style, a picture begins to emerge of how the race will develop. You’ll know which horses are likely to be on the lead, which horses will sit right behind the leaders, and which horses will drop to the rear and run late.

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Before we start looking at the different types of running styles, here’s an old adage that you will often hear on the racetrack: a good horse carries his track harrow wherever he goes. What this simply means is that the most talented horses can display a variety of running styles that suit the race they are in today. They are multi-dimensional. These kinds of horses should always take precedence in your evaluation prior to making a bet.

The Front Runner, horseracing’s version of the Flash

A front runner is a horse that likes to break from the gate like lightning and run as fast as they can for the entire race. These horses like to be up front on the lead. Many of them run this way because they do not particularly enjoy dirt from horses in front of them being kicked into their face. A front runner is a dangerous competitor, especially when there are no other front runners in the race. If a horse makes the lead unchallenged, it can then set the pace with which it is most comfortable and have plenty of gas left for the final strides.

Front runners are even more dangerous when they have an inside post position. This means they are number 1, 2, or 3. In horseracing this is called being “on the rail.” Why is this an advantage? It should be obvious. Racetracks are an oval, and the shortest way around the track is to the inside along the inner rail. Horses that are pushed wide and must race away from the rail have more ground to cover. When a jockey puts a horse down near the rail we call that “saving ground.”

The Stalker, breathing down their necks

Stalkers, or pace pressers, are horses that like to sit just behind the leader. They will remain in this position until the late stages of the race and then pounce on the weary front runner, passing horses up on their way to winning a race. Stalkers are pretty exciting to watch, and they probably win the greater share of races on a given day.

The downside to a pace presser is that they are so dependent upon jockey timing. The jockey must ask the horse for their maximum effort at just the right time. If the stalker moves too early, they will tire in the stretch. If the stalker moves too late, they might not be able to catch the tiring leader. A pace presser running style creates far more opportunities for jockey error, so always prefer experienced jockeys on these types of horses.

Using Pace Analysis to Build Better Exotic Tickets

Pace analysis becomes most powerful when it is used not just to identify likely winners but to structure exotic ticket construction around the race scenarios most likely to develop. When pace analysis projects a contested early pace — multiple speed horses fighting for the lead — the likely outcome is a race that sets up for closers or stalkers rather than front-runners. This scenario should be reflected in your trifecta and superfecta tickets by concentrating your front-position horses among the stalkers and closers while relegating the identified speed horses to lower finishing positions.

Conversely, when pace analysis identifies a lone front-runner in a field of closers, your ticket construction should reflect the possibility that the front-runner holds on while closers fight out the place positions. In this scenario, using the lone front-runner on top of your exotic tickets — even at short odds — and spreading underneath with multiple closers produces better coverage than boxing a group of closers while ignoring the front-runner’s structural advantage. This pace-informed approach to ticket building produces tickets that are better calibrated to the actual race dynamics rather than simply covering the obvious form choices regardless of how the race is likely to be run. For more on pace analysis fundamentals, our article on the pace makes the race covers the foundational concepts. And our guides to betting running styles and understanding track bias cover the complementary analytical dimensions.

The Deep Closer, winning in dramatic style

A deep closer is a horse that will go right to the back of the pack from the very beginning of a race. It is not unusual for these horses to be dead last for more than half of a race! Then, they unleash what is known as their “kick” and sweep past all the horses in front of them for a dramatic, come-from-behind victory.

While deep closers are definitely the most exciting horses on the racetrack, they do not win their fair share of races. It is a rare animal that can consistently spot the rest of the field eight or ten lengths and then win. Don’t be afraid to bet a deep closer when they run, but only if you are sure the pace of the race suits them. Now, it is time to explore some horse betting sites so do check our Bovada racebook review, Twinspires review or even our Betamerica review. All great choice if you are in the US. 5Dimes review for folks anywhere!

Now that you have read this you should check out the next article —identifying running styles