Johnny V and the boys turned the Belmont into a 6f race yesterday. Plodding early fractions gave way to a match race down the stretch between a boy and a girl. Curlin was beaten by a stray chest gaze.
The message board I frequent had an interesting post this morning. I didn't know the exact answer. Perhaps The Annoyed Handicapper could chime in.
After the race I heard several people talk about the 5 pound difference in
weight carried by the filly possibly making the difference in the stretch
run.
Do the horses not train with whatever weight they would carry in the
race? So why would Curlin (or any other horse for that matter) know
any difference?
I'd appreciate any knowledgeable response to this post.
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Horses don't usually train under a particular weight, just whatever the exercise rider weighs. In many cases, the exercise rider weighs a bit more than a jockey. In Hard Spun's case, on the mornings he just gallops he's hauling around his 180# trainer.
Many stakes races are run under a specific set of weight conditions. Colts all carry 126# in Triple Crown races. Fillies carry 121#, supposedly to account for the physical difference between colts and fillies at this time in their development.
In handicap races each horse is assigned a weight by the Racing Secretary or other track official. The best horses are assigned the most weight with the goal being to provide every horse with a shot at winning. I think the general rule of thumb is 2# equals about 1 length difference between horses over a distance of ground.
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