Since making their published debut in 1992, Beyer Speed Figures have become the industry standard for evaluating Thoroughbred performance.
EXCLUSIVELY IN DRF PPs
Andrew Beyer and his associates answer selected readers’ questions about Beyer Speed Figures. Questions of general interest will be preferred for publication.
Read Bio >>
or email: askbeyer23@drf.com
Beyer Speed Figures express the most important factor in handicapping: how fast a horse has run in each of his starts.
Each week, we will analyze the top maiden
winners by Beyer performances.
Beyer Slideshow featuring last weekend’s stakes winners from around the country with Beyer Speed Figures, sire/breeder information and more
Pars for Beyer Speed Figures represent the approximate average winning figure for a given class at a given track.
These numbers reflect the relative strength of different racing circuits. At Belmont Park, maiden special weight races for older horses have a par of 87. The par for the same class at Thistledown is 59.
Read More >>
Beyer Sire Performance Standings offer a metric for measuring stallion performance beyond wins and earnings.
Regularly updated current leaders in Beyer Figures, by division
Purchase Beyer on Demand & Lifetime Beyer Speed Figures
Beyer Speed Figures express the most important factor in handicapping: how fast a horse has run in each of his starts.
The winning figure for a race is based on three factors: the final time, the distance, and the inherent speed of the track (a calculation known as the track variant.) For losing horses, points are deducted according the lengths behind the winner and the distance of the race.
Beyer Speed Figures are interchangeable from track to track. A 90 at Saratoga is the same quality of performance as a 90 at the Ferndale Fair.
Moreover, a figure of 90 in a six-furlong race is the same quality of performance as a 90 at 1 ¼ miles. (Of course, all horses have distances they prefer, and a sprinter who earns a big figure at six furlongs is unlikely to duplicate it in the Kentucky Derby.)
The system behind the figures was explained in detail and popularized by Andrew Beyer’s book, Picking Winners, published in 1975. Beyer Figures became part of Daily Racing Form past performances in 1992. The methodology has stood the test of time, though the availability of computer-generated data has enabled some refinements over the years.
The calculation of figures is not a mechanical process. It is done, and has always been done, by human beings—Beyer and Mark Hopkins, and their six associates. They employ their judgment in analyzing any racing card and determining the track variant. If their calculations would produce a figure that defies logic (due to a timing error, or a sudden change in the condition of the track, for example) they will assign the race a figure that reflects the true ability of horses in the field. Such situations can often arise in turf races when an extremely slow pace prevents horses from running a final time of which they would normally be capable.
In cases where figures are questionable, races are reviewed after horses in the field run again. Beyer Speed Figures will sometimes be revised after they are originally published. The ultimate objective is to have every number express the quality of a horse’s performance.
Belterra Park
Golden Gate Fields
