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My take is that, if a horse knew how long a race was, it would mean that with time and repetition, the horse would adjust its energy expenditure while running without prompting, and jockeys would just be passengers. I think it's in a horse's nature to run as fast as it can for as long as it can (however far that might be), and it's the jockey's role to regulate that impulse so that the horse has enough energy throughout the distance of the specific race to maximize its winning chances against whatever degree of competition it is facing. As reflected by long-term performance statistics, some jockeys are consistently better than others at achieving that. But, sometimes or even often, the comparative condition of the horse will not allow the horse to last the distance of the race, no matter how skilled the jockey.
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