Closers II
 

I think 1 trait a good race horse has to have is the ability to run a sub 1:11 6f. How fast they run the rest of the race is what makes quality. Most of the great ones have a 21 and change 2f. Closers just run there best at the end. After all is said and done the realy top ones are the ones regardless of the Times they will not let another horse get there first.

Hmmm...I dont know about that. I think a true test of a great horse is the cruising speed. We are stupid when it comes to breeding. We breed for speed but want the horse to win at the classic distance of 1 1/4. Now how much sense does that make?

I am not sure they run there best at the end, i think they run a consistent race for the entire race, a constant speed, with maybe a slight increase in time in the final furlong.
I think it is more that the non closers run thier worst at the end. the non closers run the first part faster than the second part, and thus the phrase, "they backed up" to the rest of the field. they didn't back up, thier acceleration at the end is slowers than it was at the beggining and at the end is now slower than the acceleration of the consistently paced closers.
they run a race like a rubber band, they stretch out their lead, and then their lead snaps back at the end, when their pace is slower than the closers.