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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 full list of colts and geldings		123 - Blind Luck 123 - She Be Wild 121 - Hot Dixie Chick 120 - Beautician 120 - Negligee 119 - Tapitsfly 118 - Biofuel 118 - Mi Sueno 118 - Sassy Image 116 - Always a Princess 116 - Awesome Maria 116 - Devil May Care 116 - Rose Catherine 114 - Tizahit 113 - Ailalea 113 - Quiet Temper 112 - Amen Hallelujah 112 - House of Grace 112 - Protesting 112 - The Mailet 112 - Worstcasescenario full list of fillies

Triple Crown quick links:

• 2010 Kentucky Derby Contenders - It's that time again! Here is my ever changing list of early Derby contenders with photos and profiles. I will update this as needed, so expect a lot of changes between now and May 1st.
• Derby Contender Graded Stakes Earnings - ranks the top contenders by graded earnings. This is what determines who can get in the starting gate on Derby day. Includes earnings through 3/15.
• Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 - Wagering is now closed for Pool 2 and once again the field was the favorite at 3-1 with Eskendereya next at 5-1. In the Oaks Future, Blind Luck was the favorite at 4-1.
• Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1 - Wagering is now closed and the field wound up as the 3-2 favorite with Looking At Lucky next at 8-1. Get the horses, odds, and free past performances here.
• 2010 Triple Crown Nominations - 366 horses were nominated by the January 16 early deadline.
• Experimental Free Handicap - Ranks the top 2-year-olds for 2009 and determines the dual qualifiers for the 2010 Kentucky Derby.
• Triple Crown Trail - 2010 prep race schedule with results updated weekly.
• DRF's Road to the Derby - has past performances, charts, and video for all the preps.
• Kentucky Derby Future Wager - There will again be three future wager pools for the Derby on February 12-14, March 5-7, and March 26-28. There will be a single pool for the Oaks on March 5-7.
• Derby Weather Forecasts - up to 15 days in advance
• Review: Kentucky Derby Greatest Moments - Commemorative DVD from Churchill Downs. A great new DVD with video from 27 different runnings along with interviews, photos, and historical info. Definitely recommended for any racing fan!
• Fillies in the Kentucky Derby - a look at the 39 fillies who have contested the Run for the Roses and how they did. So far there have been 3 wins, 2 seconds, and 5 thirds.
• Kentucky Derby official site - lots of good info and the latest news here.
• Louisville Courier Journal coverage - one of your best news sources for the Derby
• Derby Tickets and Seats - how to get them and which are the best seats
• Blood Horse Triple Crown Mania - lots of good info here
• Thoroughbred Times Road to the Triple Crown - contenders, stats, and other info.
• DRF Kentucky Derby Special - Lots of good info like past winners preps, contenders, past performances, and latest news.
• Triple Crown Trivia Quiz - test your knowledge of the Derby, Preakness, and Belmont and compete with others.
• 2009 Triple Crown Recap - all 2009 Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont articles including results and photos for all 3 races.
• Triple Crown Index - the master list with even more info
• Send this page to a friend - know someone who would like to see this page? Click here to send them the URL.

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