Faltered is a racing performance comment used for a horse that was in contention early in the race and drops back in the late stages. This term describes a horse that showed promise during the early or middle portions of the race but then lost ground as the race progressed.
Key Characteristics
When a horse “faltered,” it means the horse:
- Started competitively and was positioned well early in the race
- Lost ground progressively as the race continued, particularly in the stretch
- Backed off the leaders during the late stages rather than maintaining or improving position
- Appeared poised to win or place but came up empty when it mattered most
Severity Scale
Faltered represents a moderate level of decline in performance during a race. On the scale of terms describing horses that lose ground:
Less severe than “stopped” – which indicates an abrupt halt in forward progress
More severe than “weakened” – which suggests a gradual loss of energy
Potential Causes
According to retired Eclipse Award-winning jockey Frankie Lovato Jr., when a horse falters, it can be very puzzling to connections, but there’s usually a reason. Possible causes include:
- Physical issues the jockey may have detected during the race
- Breathing problems only the jockey could hear
- Developing injuries that affected the horse’s ability to sustain effort
Trainers typically conduct a full examination after a horse falters to identify the cause and prevent it from happening again.