Vale of York (center) and Looking at Lucky (outside) share the top weight on the 2009 Experimental Free Handicap.
2009 Experimental Free Handicap
Date: 01/28/2010
Vale of York (IRE) and Lookin at Lucky, the one-two finishers, respectively, of the Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile, share the high weight assignment of 126 pounds on the 2009 Experimental Free Handicap released today by The Jockey Club. The 126 pounds assigned is the same as last year's high weight, Midshipman and is the standard impost for top Experimental colts. The filly division is headed by Hollywood Starlet winner Blind Luck and Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner She Be Wild at 123 pounds.
The Experimental Free Handicap, published annually by The Jockey Club since 1935, is a weight-based assessment of the previous year’s leading 2-year-olds, with the weights compiled for a hypothetical race at 1 1/16 miles on dirt. This year’s weighting committee of racing secretaries was composed of Ben Huffman of Churchill Downs, P.J. Campo of the New York Racing Association and Thomas S. Robbins of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.
The committee weighted a total of 93 males and 82 fillies. Eligible for weighting were all 2-year-olds of 2009 that finished among the top four in graded or other unrestricted races with an added value of at least $75,000, run in the continental
United States. The full lists for both colts and fillies are accessible here on the Jockey Club website.
The other use of the Experimental rankings is in determining which horses are "dual qualifiers" for the Kentucky Derby. Horses ranked within 10 pounds of the male topweight or who are a champion in another country and have a Dosage Index of 4.0 or less and a Center of Distribution of 1.25 or less are considered the dual qualifiers. These horses have statistically shown that they have a better chance at winning the Derby. Dual qualifiers are highlighted below with an asterisk by their name.
Colts and Geldings
Fillies
126 - Lookin At Lucky *
126 - Vale of York (IRE) *
124 - Noble's Promise *
123 - Buddy's Saint *
122 - Pounced *
122 - Super Saver *
120 - Piscitelli
119 - Aikenite *
119 - D' Funnybone *
118 - Bridgetown *
118 - Make Music for Me *
117 - Awesome Act *
117 - Dublin *
117 - Homeboykris *
117 - Interactif *
116 - Discreetly Mine *
116 - Jackson Bend
116 - The Program *
115 - Aspire
115 - Backtalk
115 - John Scott
115 - Jung Man Scott
115 - Pulsion
115 - Rule
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Analyzing the Preakness Stakes Contenders for 2013 - My annual analysis using popular angles and statistical trends to see who best matches the profile of a Preakness winner. The big surprise is that Kentucky Derby winner Orb is not in the top group!
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Wednesday Kentucky Derby Workout Photos - Photos and comments for 18 Derby horses, everyone on the grounds except the one in quarantine, and 6 Oaks fillies from this morning on the track.
Kentucky Oaks Entries - A field of 11 fillies will go, with Gulfstream Oaks winner Dreaming of Julia favorite at 3-1 from post 8. Get the post positions, odds, and free past performances here.
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2013 Kentucky Derby And Oaks Security - New enhanced stricter rules will be enforced this year. Be sure to read the rules as many have changed and more things are banned. There will still be magnetic wand searches of all patrons and many things are no longer allowed. Check here to make sure you don't bring anything they will confiscate.
Review: Triple Crown Handicapper 2013 - by Jim Mazur. Includes lots of stats for all 3 races and explains how to use a system of statistically derived negative angles to eliminate the "bad" picks.
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Review: Churchill Downs - America's Most Historic Racetrack by Kimberly Gatto. An entertaining and informative account of the history of the track and it's most famous race, the Kentucky Derby, with lots of photos. Definitely recommended.
