The positions of horses at the beginning of the race.

Question

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Followup To: Am I to understand that the rail is on the inside? Also, what are the characteristics of a front runner?  Does that just mean he jumps out in fron first and stays ahead of the bunch, or does it refer to more detailed things like his stride and physical characteristics?

Question -
When horses are brought to the starting gate, is any one position more favorable than another?  For instance, is the horse that runs on the extreme inside of the track in any better position to win than the horse on the extreme outside, or the one in the middle of the track?

Answer -
It all depends on the horse, and his running style.  A front runner has a better chance if he is on or near the rail, since he needs to be out front and into position quickly.  But inside horses also run the risk of getting squeezed out or boxed in by outside horses dropping down to the rail if they don't get up and out of the gates quickly enough.

The horses on the extreme outside have to travel farther than the ones inside, but generally they have a good shot at gaining the inside positions during the race itself, regardless of where they started in the gate.  If a horse is held to the extreme outside throughout the race, then he is definitely at a disadvantage, especially in the longer races.

Stephanie Frost
www.alchemybloodstock.com

Answer
Yes, the rail is on the inside, and that is generally where all of the horses want to be during the race.  It is a real advantage to be on or near the rail when making the turns.  If a horse is carried wide into the turn, he loses lots of ground.  So generally, the horses drop out of the gate, and then immediately start angling down to the rail, so as to get there before entering the first turn.  It isn't as crucial for a late runner, since he will stay to the back of the pack until late in the race, and then pour on the steam, but for a horse who needs to be near the lead, inside position is important.
A front runner is indeed a horse who likes/needs to be in front, or very near the front.  They usually break quickly and accellerate from there.  They don't like to have other horses in front of them, and only run well when they are on or near the lead. It is more attitude related than a physical characteristic.  They are just so competetive that they don't relax unless they are near the front. This can be a distinct disadvantage because often they will burn themselves out if the pace is too fast, leaving the door wide open for a horse who was able to relax off the pace early, and still has plenty left to finish.


Stephanie Frost
www.alchemybloodstock.com