Quote:
Originally Posted by Saratoga_Mike
This concept ("sucking the horse along") applies to harness racing, but I don't think it applies to t'bred racing. Hopefully, someone with a database can show some stats.
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I'm not sure how to test that, but I have demonstrated some of this to my satisfaction.
If a horse moves way up in class and tries to compete, it will often fail to duplicate its figures earned at the lower class. Then when it drops back down in class its figure will jump back up (there are exceptions like high quality lightly raced horses that will move up in class and show even more).
However, if the same type of horse just sits in the back of the pack and makes a very non threatening very late move at the higher class, it will often run the same figure at the higher class.
It kind of like what we see with deep closers in general.
If they move very late, they'll often make a good run and earn a good figure, but without being in position to win. Next time, if they move sooner and actually try to get into position to win, they'll hang and disappoint. So to me, the sucking up late phenomenon is more about the timing of the move and whether the horse worked in the middle of the race to get into position to win or not.
