STEADY DECLINE

Fires when 3 or more of the 5 tracked metrics (speed rating, class par, E1 pace, E2 pace, late pace) each show a consistent declining trend across the last 4 or more valid values. A horse declining across a single metric may be experiencing a temporary issue; declining across 3 or more simultaneously suggests something more systemic — unsoundness, aging, class resistance, or trainer difficulties. Multi-metric decline is the most reliable form-deterioration signal in the system.