"head the field" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It means to be in the leading position or to be the best at something. Example: John has been working hard all year and is now ready to head the field in the upcoming race.
However, today she could not break free and head the field, her opponents snapping away at her.
Defending champion Frederiksen produced an emphatic performance in the S8 100m backstroke to head the field by more than four seconds in 1min 17.63secs.
Pole-sitter Haslam took the lead but the race was red-flagged and at the restart Rutter moved up to head the field.
No. 6 Syracuse, ranked sixth in the Associated Press preseason poll, No. 12 Mississippi State and No. 24 Memphis head the field.
Ye Shiwen returned to the Olympic pool after her other-worldly 400 metres individual medley swim to easily head the field in the heats of the shorter medley event.
On Sunday, Action This Day, the Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner, will head the field in the San Felipe at Santa Anita, and Limehouse and Swingforthefences will be among the top names in the Tampa Bay Derby.
On that occasion the renowned Oswald Jacoby headed the field, playing with George Reith.
Brando heads the field, of course, with Edward G. Robinson trailing by a thick neck.
Carmen Dofma-Hussar of Canada, who won the women's elite mile two years ago, heads the field for that race.
Enrique Floriano, of Spain, heads the field into the S12 400m freestyle with British 16-year-old Hannah Russell leading the women's equivalent.
Dreamaster is the season's only unbeaten horse and heads the field of 10 in the 75th edition of the $1 million Hambletonian, the richest event in harness racing.
