While front-runners and stalkers generally like to be at or near the front of the pack and are susceptible to late-race tiring, “closers” usually stay near the back of the pack and run a more strategized race. Closers and their jockeys will allow other horses to run faster and harder during the early stages but will slowly move up in position as the end nears. Many times, closers can be seen charging hard from behind on the outside and winning the race by several lengths as the front-runners and their stalkers fade. Closers generally do better when near the outside where it is impossible to box them in against the rail. When starting on the inside near the rail, a closer might have a more difficult time finding a lane to exploit, which is why they most often are found making a hard charge from the outside when they finish in the money and win races.
