The race quality score (RQS) combines information from four different speed figures for the top four placed horses in each black-type race to produce a single metric. The four speed figures are provided by Bloodstock Research Information Services (BRIS), Daily Racing Form (Beyer), Equibase and Thoro-Graph. The RQS was developed using over 10,000 black-type races over a five-year period and includes day-of-year adjustments for two-year-old and three-year-old races to accommodate improving performances of maturing horses. The RQS reports the quality score on the 0 to 100 scale.

The non-Listed Black-Type races are divided into six age/sex categories for the purposes of determining black type using the RQS. They are: 2yo males, 2yo females, 3yo males, 3yo females, 3 and up males and 3 and up females. Each age/sex category has a minimum RQS that must be achieved in order for a stakes race to be awarded black type. The minimum RQS for each age/sex category is: