| The seven furlong race is perhaps the most unique | | | | favored. So the horse that wins at Saratoga on a |
| and difficult to handicap. When we think of the | | | | seven mile course may not fare as well at Calder on |
| distances of horse races in the US, we usually think in | | | | a 7 furlong course. Then again, without discussing |
| terms of sprints and routes. The classic distances of | | | | breeding, we cannot discuss running styles or |
| 6 furlongs and Mile and an eighth come to mind first. | | | | preferred distances. |
| They seem to be the yardsticks we measure by, | | | | When handicapping a seven furlong race I like to see |
| though some might argue that the one mile distance | | | | that the sire's foals usually have some early speed, |
| is more popular the Mile and an eighth. Whatever the | | | | not necessarily blazing early speed, but some speed |
| case may be, the seven furlong distance is a bit of | | | | to get near the front, tactical speed. I also like to |
| an oddball. | | | | see some bottom in the mare and an average |
| The horses who seem to excel at the 7 furlong | | | | winning distance of her sire's offspring of at least 7+ |
| distance are often flops at other distances. | | | | furlongs, though my preference is a dam's sire that |
| Sometimes they don't seem to be able to get going | | | | has some real distance in the breeding like an |
| quick enough for the 6 furlong events and run out of | | | | average win distance of a mile or more (8 furlongs). |
| steam in races of a mile or longer. Of course, no | | | | That combination of some early speed on the sire's |
| discussion of horse race distances would be complete | | | | side and some distance breeding on the dam's side |
| without also considering track models. | | | | seems to produce the best 7 furlong horses. As for |
| A seven furlong race at one track is often different | | | | running styles, I try to match them to the track |
| than a seven furlong event at another track, | | | | model and of course, always factor in recent form |
| because a horse with a different running style is | | | | and the day's odds. |