stretch runner

American  

noun

1. an athlete or horse that is especially strong or fast in the final stage of a race.

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Etymology

Origin of stretch runner

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

Never Bend was in front when the horses pounded past the grandstand; No Robbery was close alongside, and Candy Spots, a strong stretch runner, was rating easily in third.

From Time Magazine Archive

It is just that the Derby promises to be a runaway race between two strapping chestnut colts�one an undefeated sprinter from the West, the other an erratic stretch runner out of the East.

From Time Magazine Archive

He didn't always make it, of course, but that made little difference in California, where they love a come-from-behind stretch runner.

From Time Magazine Archive

Chance for an upset: He is probably the strongest stretch runner, which would benefit him if Pharoah starts to tire.

From Los Angeles Times

Flying Paster was the best of the West, a dangerous stretch runner that had dominated California racing throughout the spring.

From Time Magazine Archive