When the triple crown races and other classic races are held each year, the topic of tactical speed and how to use it to undermine horse racing often comes up. Some people are confused about what tactical speed really is, while others deny its value. Tactical speed, in my opinion, exists and is very important for several reasons.

Tactical speed is a horse’s ability to approach leading runners early in a race and maintain a comfortable position so that it can take the lead when the opportunity presents itself. The opportunity is usually when the frontrunners are starting to shoot. Having tactical speed allows a horse to avoid trouble because he is closer to the front and less likely to be blocked or taken.

Tactical speed should not be confused with early speed, although tactical speed horses do have some early speed capability. The difference is that a horse with tactical speed does not have to be in the lead and can also change pace and speed later in the race when the other leading sprinters are getting tired. Horses like “Big Brown”, for example, have tactical speed. The fact that his dam has “Nureyev,” a bull known for producing horses that can go classic distances, is an indicator that he would likely have tactical speed.

When I handicap and look for tactical speed, I look at the position of the horse in his last races to see if he was within 5 lengths of the leader in the first calls and how much speed he exhibited at the end of the race. Now here is the key. A horse with good tactical speed not only passes the first ones who are tired, but also keeps up with or outruns horses coming from far away. For example, if a horse runs within 5 lengths of the leading runners, takes the lead at the top of the stretch, or gains the lead down the stretch, despite a late charge from another competitor coming from off the beat, I consider a horse with good tactical speed.