Speed Duel

by Mike
(McDavid, FL)

American Pharoah

In a speed duel at a 10 F race, how far can the leaders typically go at high speed before beginning to tire and lose speed?

Answer: It very much depends on a horse's style of running. Some horses prefer to run the entire race at a steady pace and maintaining a fairly constant speed right to the end.

Others who have what is known as a 'turn of foot' often prefer to track the pace set by the leaders and then are able to quicken at around 8f to take them past the leaders.

An example of the former is American Pharoah who usually led from the start and was then able to maintain a high cruising speed throughout the race.

The only time he got beat after his first race was in the Travers Stakes in Saratoga. He had been harried by other horses while in the lead and was tiring towards the end when he was headed by the fast finisher Queen Ice.