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SWITCHING LEADS CAN LEAD RIGHT TO WINNERS CIRCLE.
Understanding the importance of racehorses switching leads in a race is yet another piece of information a handicapper can use to enhance his chances of cashing a winning ticket.
When horses run they are either leading with their left legs or their right legs, imagine yourself running in a tight circle. If you are running to the left, you will notice that you are leading with your left leg. By leading, it means that you are reaching out with your left leg first, and furthest. This is what horses do. Notice they are always on their left lead when going around the left hand turns of the race track. They switch to their right lead (right legs leading), when they are running on the straight way.
Horses naturally want to switch their leads ever 1/4 mile or so. When they are out in the wild running from a predator this is what they will do. When they switch it gives them renewed energy because a horse will tire if they stay on one lead.
They alternate using each side of the body, and each corresponding muscle group, to propel them forward.
The most important time for a horse to switch leads in a race is when they have turned for home. This is when most horses make their run. or, if they are running on the lead, try to sustain their run. Swirching leads is similar to changing gears in a car from 3rd to 4th. A horse is at a great disadvantage if he stays on his left lead. That's why you will notice jockey's desperately trying to get their horse to switch to their right lead at the head of the stretch, if the hrose has not already done it own their own. You'll see most good jockeys switch their sticks from their right hand to their left hand when coming out of the final turn. They also try to shift their own weight to "swing' the horse (make the horse throw his weight to his other side or lead)
Almost all sound horses will automatically come out of the gate on their right lead, or, if they break on their left will shortly switch to their right. Then they will swtich to their left around turns and switch to their right on the straight away-all without asking from the jockey.
Here are some exceptions:
1.Sore horses-if a horse is sore somewhere, they will stay on the lead that makes them feel the most comfortable. That's why cheap, sore horses run better at the half mile tracks because they only have to run the distance of 1/8th of a mile down the stretch. So if they don't change their leads, it's easier for them to sustain their run to the wire.
2.A horse who is bleeding badly in a race will tend to hang on his left lead down the stretch.
3.Green (young, inexperienced) horses that are not used to running may switch their leads too often or at the improper time when running in a race because they are overwhelmed with the whole ordeal of running.
Another exception happened to me when I ran one of my horses on the turf for the first time. She switched her leads almost every other stride because the surface was so unfamiliar to her (I had not breezed her on turf before she raced on it) We thought she would win easily because she was bred for the turf and this was an easy spot, but because she was switching her leads all the time she ran 4th. Next time out she was 2nd beaten by a nose in a much tougher race, and, she was a big price because no one knew why she ran bad in her previous start.
Here a few examples of how stwitching leads can profoundly affect the outcome of a race. I really liked Anees to win the KY Derby last year, but I noticed that he didn't switch leads in the Santa Anita Derby, so I was worried about him running as well as I thought he should in the Kentucky Derby, he ended up running bad.
Soon after that race they announced the he had chips in his ankles.
Native Dancer was undefeated going into the KY Derby. He only got beat a head and most people blamed the jockey. But, what nobody mentioned was the fact that he did not switch to his right lead at the head of the lane. Which leads to Affirmed and Alydar. When Affirmed beat Alydar it was by the smallest of margins. Alydar never switched to his right lead at the head of the stretch. (I had heard that Alydar had bad feet) Funny thing...Alydar turned out to be a much better sire than Affirmed.
As you can see, switching leads is one of the most important things that a racehorse needs to do properly.
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