Handicapping horses requires knowing how they tend to run during a race and what to expect from them compared to the rest of the field. Some horses run at top speed the whole way and may or may not have the stamina to finish strong. Others typically stay within reach of the front runners until near the end, while some lag far behind, saving their energy for a hard charge on the final stretch. Understanding how a horse runs gives a handicapper a better chance of picking one or more horses that can cash a winning ticket. How a horse runs is also shaped by the jockey and the trainer’s strategy for giving the horse its best chance to win. But horses are still willful animals and, like any animal, exhibit particular traits, running style included. Training and how the jockey handles the horse during the race matter a great deal, but the horse’s own running style always plays a major role in the result.