Speed figures: one number for how fast a horse ran

• Raw times mislead without adjustment.
• Look at a pattern, not one race.
• Figures should match today’s class.
• Pace and trip still matter.

Methods differ by publisher.

Final times alone are hard to compare. A mile in 1:36 on a fast track may be worse than 1:38 on a slow, wet one. Speed figures fix that by adjusting for distance and for how fast the track was playing that day.

The track adjustment is called a variant. Figure makers compare the day’s times with what horses of each class usually run, then estimate whether the surface was fast or slow. Each horse’s figure also adjusts for beaten lengths.

Andrew Beyer developed his figures in the 1970s, and the Daily Racing Form began printing them in 1992. Equibase, Brisnet and Timeform US publish their own figures on different scales.

Start with the last three to five figures for each horse. A horse that has run 85, 88 and 90 is improving, while one with 92, 84 and 80 may be tailing off. Compare those numbers with the usual winning level for today’s race class.

The highest last figure does not always win. Horses bounce after big efforts, change distance or surface, or meet a pace setup that suits them better or worse. Figures are a strong starting point, not the whole answer.

Figures from different brands are on different scales, so a Beyer 90 is not the same as an Equibase 90. Stick to one brand when you compare horses in a race.

1. 1

   Step 01

   Pick one brand

   Do not mix scales.

2. 2

   Step 02

   List recent figures

   Last three to five.

3. 3

   Step 03

   Note the trend

   Rising or falling.

4. 4

   Step 04

   Match the class

   Today’s par level.

5. 5

   Step 05

   Add pace and trip

   Context for each figure.

Figures say how fast a horse ran, not why. A horse that broke slowly or went wide may have run better than its figure. Race charts and replays fill in those details.

Figures on turf and synthetic surfaces can be less reliable, because pace shapes vary more. Some players use separate pace figures, which rate the early and late parts of a race.

Most bettors see figures in past performances bought from the publishers or included with advance deposit wagering apps. Free figures are sometimes shown in track programs.

Mixing brands

Scales differ.

Using one race

Look at a pattern.

Ignoring class

Par levels matter.

Skipping trip notes

Bad trips hide ability.

• Handicapping basics →The starting points.
• Reading a racing program →Where figures appear.
• Claiming races →Race classes.
• Advance deposit wagering →Betting apps.

Tap a resort — each row opens that casino’s White Gambling page (hours, game mix, floor facts). Venues with this game in official counts, sorted high to low.

Browse all Las Vegas casinos →

A 90-second guide cannot cover every table moment. Tap a group, then a question — answers are short paragraphs, not one-liners.

1. Wikipedia — Beyer Speed Figure Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 15, 2026How the figures are made
2. Equibase Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 15, 2026Official US racing data and charts
3. UNLV Center for Gaming Research Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 15, 2026Research library on casino games and gambling
4. National Council on Problem Gambling — Help and resources Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 15, 2026Free, confidential help: call or text 1-800-GAMBLER