Form - Three Types or Four?

jjohns7777

For the past 20 years, I have put horses into three groups when handicapping: Speed, Pace, and Closers. I'm sure you all know, but to clarify exactly what I mean, Speed horses are the front runners to fight for the lead from the start and want to stay there, Closers will stay back behind the pack and make a strong finish. I have always put all the others into one big group, the Pace horses. So, my handicapping experience has always been to pick out the Speed horses and the strong closers.

Recently, I read about a guy (I believe it was Davidowitz in Handicapping 101, which is new to me) who divides what I called the Pace horses, into Pressers and Early Pressers. The Early Pressers are those horses that like to sit in 2nd or maybe 3rd, close to the front without ever actually challenging for the lead.

So, if I were to adjust my handicapping style to break my "Pace" horses into two groups, can someone suggest how I could use that information and when an Early Presser would have an advantage in a race?

Thanks,

DiscreetCat

I think you're placing too much emphasis on terminology, and/or pigeon-holing horses into a certain category for handicaping purposes. For me, pressers are simply horses that have enough tactical speed to race on or slightly off the lead, but don't require it (as some need-the-lead type horses do). These types of horses (as well as stalkers) often benefit by sitting just off or slightly behind the pace and then surging to the front when the pacesetter tires. It just enable the horse to keep a little bit in reserve while at the same time giving the rider more options. Frontrunners themselves are often good plays as well, most often when they are capable of/accustomed to setting faster fractions than their opponents, enabling them to maintain a clear advantage while ideally keeping some in reserve themselves (going as slow up front as their pace advantage allows).

Obviously, the more frontrunners of comparable pace ability there are within a certain race, the more you'd be looking for a presser, stalkers, or perhaps even a closer. The fewer there are, the better for the frontrunners themselves.