%Med Info - Pace and Cap

AwesomeAgain · 03-07-2026, 10:26 AM

%Med (Percent Median Energy) measures how a horse distributes its energy during a race by calculating what percentage of its total energy is used in the early portion of the race versus the late portion. A higher %Med means the horse expends more of its energy early and typically runs on or near the lead, while a lower %Med indicates the horse conserves energy early and finishes stronger late. %Med helps reveal a horse’s true energy balance and natural running style, identifying whether it is primarily early, sustained, or late. Instead of focusing only on speed figures, %Med shows how a horse uses its speed, which can be just as important as the raw numbers themselves.

This concept becomes even more powerful when viewed alongside NewPace Pace of Race (POR), which measures the pressure level of the race itself. While %Med shows how a horse distributes its energy, POR describes the environment in which that energy must be used. The key relationship is simple: as pace pressure increases, the winning %Med generally decreases because horses must conserve more energy for the stretch run.

In soft races (POR 0–65), winners often display higher %Med values around 67.8–68.7, reflecting early speed that can control the race. In tactical races (66–72), more balanced energy around 67.3–68.1 tends to win. As pressure rises (73–82), the winning profile shifts toward 66.8–67.6, favoring horses that sit just behind the pace. In extreme pressure races (83+), %Med drops further to roughly 65.8–66.9, where late-running horses benefit from pace collapse.

The takeaway is that energy distribution must match the pace environment. A horse with slightly lower overall speed can still win if its %Med profile fits the projected race pressure better than the competition.

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03-07-2026, 10:26 AM	#17
AwesomeAgain Grade 1 Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: West Melbourne, Florida Posts: 296	%Med (Percent Median Energy) measures how a horse distributes its energy during a race by calculating what percentage of its total energy is used in the early portion of the race versus the late portion. A higher %Med means the horse expends more of its energy early and typically runs on or near the lead, while a lower %Med indicates the horse conserves energy early and finishes stronger late. %Med helps reveal a horse’s true energy balance and natural running style, identifying whether it is primarily early, sustained, or late. Instead of focusing only on speed figures, %Med shows how a horse uses its speed, which can be just as important as the raw numbers themselves. This concept becomes even more powerful when viewed alongside NewPace Pace of Race (POR), which measures the pressure level of the race itself. While %Med shows how a horse distributes its energy, POR describes the environment in which that energy must be used. The key relationship is simple: as pace pressure increases, the winning %Med generally decreases because horses must conserve more energy for the stretch run. In soft races (POR 0–65), winners often display higher %Med values around 67.8–68.7, reflecting early speed that can control the race. In tactical races (66–72), more balanced energy around 67.3–68.1 tends to win. As pressure rises (73–82), the winning profile shifts toward 66.8–67.6, favoring horses that sit just behind the pace. In extreme pressure races (83+), %Med drops further to roughly 65.8–66.9, where late-running horses benefit from pace collapse. The takeaway is that energy distribution must match the pace environment. A horse with slightly lower overall speed can still win if its %Med profile fits the projected race pressure better than the competition.