Does this mean against others or against himself?

Question

OK, that question isn't really worded right but I wasn't sure how to word it best?

I asked a question earlier and both answers said something different than what I was thinking.

Can you all verify this for me? Here is a statement from Big Brown's reported workout today.

"The work was the fastest of seven at the distance."

I took that as the 1:00 5 furlongs was the fastest of the 7 HE ran. However, the two people who responded said that this meant he was the fastest of 7 DIFFERENT horses.

I am sure they are right...they are the experts here, I am not questioning them. I just want to make sure I am understanding this correctly!

So...am I?? LOL!! Understand that it is actually that he was the fastest of the 7 different horses who were working out, and not that it was the fastest of his 7 tries (or whatever you want to call them?) Hope this makes sense!

THANKS!

Answer 1

The 7 workouts were all different horses.  Every morning at each track, horses are measured against other horses who are training at that distance at the track.  Big Brown was the fastest of the 7 horses who breezed 5 furlongs at Belmont this morning.

Here's a page where you can see Big Brown's workouts before the Derby.  http://www.kentuckyderby.com/2008/conten...  (Scroll about half way down the page to "Daily Works Board" and click on each date across the page to see how far and fast he went that day.)  Looking at his 5 furlong works, he went this 5 furlongs faster than most of the previous workouts.  He did have a 5 furlongs in 58, but it was "handily" meaning that they asked him to run harder than they did today when he was just "breezing."  But if you look at his March and April works, he has some handily works that were over 1:00, so his breezing time this morning is faster than his previous handily works, meaning that he has developed a bit.

Answer 2

he ran 12 sec splits......12 times 5 is ....60...sec or 100-

only 7 other ran at that distance...he was then fastest.....

Answer 3

it ment that of the 7 different horses that breezed over that distance that particular morning, he was the fastest.