How To Handicap Horse Races
Thoroughbred Handicappers
The Experimental Free Handicap, published annually
by The Jockey Club since 1935, is a weight-based assessment of the
previous year’s leading two-year-olds, with the weights compiled
for a hypothetical race at 1 1/16 miles on dirt.
This year’s weighting committee gave War Pass, winner of the
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, the high weight assignment of 127
pounds on the 2007 Experimental Free Handicap. The 127 pounds assigned
to War Pass equals last year’s high weight, Street Sense,
which was the highest assignment for a colt since Favorite Trick
received 128 pounds on the 1997 Experimental Free Handicap. The
filly division is headed by undefeated Breeders’ Cup Juvenile
Fillies winner Indian Blessing at 123 pounds.
The committee weighted a total of 105 males and 99 fillies. Eligible
for weighting were all two-year-olds of 2007 that finished among
the top four in graded or other unrestricted races with an added
value of at least $75,000, run in the United States.
Some handicappers use the Experimental rankings in conjunction with
a horse's dosage index 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.
Dosage index is a scientific classification of a horses pedigree,
speed and stamina -among other criteria.
Please keep in mind in recent years there has been some debate about
the Dual Qualifiers theory..and while the jury may still be out,
many of these horses do run well in at least one leg of the Triple
Crown
last year's Dual qualifiers are highlighted below with
an asterisk by their name.
| Colts and Geldings |
Fillies |
127 - War Pass
120 - Dixie Chatter*
120 - Into Mischief*
120 - Pyro*
119 - Court Vision*
119 - Georgie Boy*
119 - Wicked Style*
118 - Kodiak Kowboy*
118 - Majestic Warrior*
118 - Salute the Sarge
118 - Tale of Ekati*
116 - Colonel John*
|
123 - Indian Blessing*
121 - Country Star*
119 - Proud Spell
118 - Cry and Catch Me
117 - Backseat Rhythm
117 - Pure Clan
116 - Irish Smoke
116 - Izarra
116 - Mushka
114 - Grace and Power
114 - Sea Chanter
114 - Set Play
113 - A to the Croft
113 - Elusive Lady
113 - Runforthemoneybaby
|
For more information about a horse's dosage index visit-www.chef-de-race.com.
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