What is a Fleet Figure?

Photo Finish™ LIVE ranks race horses with a Fleet Figure. Fleet Figures are a quick and simple way to understand a horse’s race performance. They’re designed to be easy to compare, so you can see how a horse does against different fields and at different lengths.

How is a Fleet Figure Calculated?

Fleet figures are a simple calculation. Every time a horse runs a race, they receive a rating based on their time, adjusted for the race and track.

How Do I Use Fleet Figures – Basic?

To start with, a higher Fleet Figure is good. When buying, racing, and wagering on horses, a horse with a higher number has proven that it can hit a better time than its competitors. Note the emphasis on “can.” Just because a horse was incredible in one situation does not mean it’s unbelievable in all of them. Still, it’s a good place to start.

Checking the Early, Middle, and Late figures is step 2. Unlike the FF, which tells you about the horse, these figures give you information about what the horse is good at. While it’s a simplification, Horses with better numbers in one category are probably better at races that match. A great early performance will shine in short races, and a great late performance will shine in longer ones.

How Do I Use Fleet Figures – Advanced?

For the next level of strategy, it’s time to check the horse’s previous races. Every Fleet Figure corresponds to a specific race. If you compare the features of that race (distance, surface, direction, condition, etc…), you can learn a lot about what a horse is specifically good at. Try comparing recent sprint (Early) numbers to recent route (Late) numbers. You may find that the Fleet Figure changes by quite a few points. That’s valuable information.

Another thing to look at is how the number changes over time. If it’s wobbly, why does it change so much?  Perhaps someone has a little temper problem 😏. Is it slowly arching up or down? The horse is aging. There’s a lot of advantage to be gained by paying attention to the little things. See what you can do.

Common Traps to Avoid

1. Fleet Figures are Recent: Make sure the course conditions in this race match those last three races before putting down your wager.
2. You Won’t Know if You Don’t Try: Fleet figures only inform what a horse HAS done. If a horse shows bad numbers, is it because it’s a poor performer, or is it just poor at some lengths? Don’t forget to try other races before you sell.
3. Fleet Figures are Recent pt. 2: You can make a horse look pretty bad if you run it in unsuitable conditions. It’s not impossible to get three bad numbers before entering a big race. Check the full Fleet Figure Chart before you fall for a cheap trick.

How Do Benchmark Ratings Work?