Just a nose ahead

All it takes to be successful is 'just a nose ahead'.
By just being a lil bit better than the best, you will be the best.

I remember this story from a book.
I can't recall the book title nor the author's name.
Anyway the concept goes something like this:

Racing horses. Anyone who has been to a horse race knows that it is an extremely competitive race. Heck, even a fast-speed camera is needed at the finish line to determine the winning horse.
The 1st prize for the winning horse: $25,000.
The 2nd prize: $5,000.
If you ask me, I'd say that the difference between 1st prize and 2nd prize is a huge leap. Imagine that, A 500% difference saperating the 1st and the 2nd.
But hey, does that mean that the 1st horse is 5times faster than the 2nd horse??
Or it is 5times stronger than the 2nd??
Does it get fed 5times more nutritional food as compared to the 2nd?
Is the jockey 5times more skilled than the 2nd jockey??

I don't think so.
All it needs to be the winning horse is 'just a nose ahead' from the 2nd horse. JUST A NOSE AHEAD. The 1st doesn't necessarily have to run 5times faster to claim the 1st prize. All it needs to do is just to be a nose ahead...
That is why the fast-speed camera is there...to judge which horse has its nose in front of the other. (Well, I guess having a long nose can be beneficiary after all. But thats not the main point.)
The main point is:
All it takes to be better than anyone else is just to be a lil bit better.