A horse race is a competitive event in which horses compete against one another to determine the winner. The race is governed by rules and regulations designed to prevent cheating or unfairness. During the course of the race, jockeys guide their horses along the track and over hurdles.
In racing, a horse is assigned a specific starting position, often based on their previous performance. Jockeys also ensure that their horses are properly shod and that they are not injured. Then the horses are positioned behind the starting gate. Once all the horses are ready, the race begins.
The horse is given the lead in the race and he is under pressure to hold off a rival, usually less than a length back in the field. If the leader retakes the lead, he may gain a short advantage over his rival. This term can apply at any point in a race.
Generally this term is used to describe the situation in which a horse is in good position, but loses ground due to traffic or other reasons. It can also be applied to horses that are gaining position due to other horses tiring, but not significantly gaining on the leaders.
Sometimes the term FOUND BEST STRIDE LATE is used in conjunction with this term. Often this is an indication that the horse is making up ground steadily and finishing closer to the leaders than he was when entering the stretch run.
This term is a relatively mild description for a horse that drifts gradually to the outside through the stretch run. This can only be determined by reviewing the head on video tape replay of the race.
Normally this term is used to describe the situation in a horse that has just moved into contention during the middle part of a race and lacks a strong closing kick to bring them to victory. This can be caused by the horse having a rough start, racing wide, or other factors.
Some horses that are new to the track or have not raced in a long time, or even young or inexperienced, may be unable to settle into their stride and become clogged with dirt on the tracks. The clogging can cause the horse to hold their head up and legs high, which compromises their stride. This condition is normally corrected by the horse quickly in future races and will not affect them permanently.
The term MENACE is a similar term that applies to horses that do not react to a jockey’s attempt to get them untracked during the course of a race. This can be caused by a variety of things such as a stiff track, being bumped, or having to steady for some reason or another.
In other cases, the term FAILED TO RESPOND is used when a jockey fails to get their horse to untracked or to respond to any pressure placed upon them by the rider. This can occur if a jockey is trying to get their horse untracked and they do not respond, or if a horse tries to gain ground on their rivals but fails to respond, or if the horse is overmatched and cannot make a strong move for any reason.