The Little Book On Watching Horseracing
By Harold Washburn

The Effect of WEIGHT on a Horse

Ask yourself has this horse carried this amount at this distance and performed well (check it out in past performance).

EVERY HORSE HAS A CUTOFF POINT. There is a maximum weight that any horse that ever raced can carry to victory. That weight varies, of course, for each and every horse. Some can manage only 112 or 113 pounds and perform well. Others can capably shoulder 118 or 119. CONSISTENTLY. The form on either of these types will accurately reflect considerable difficulty when asked to shoulder more... particularly when asked to stretch out in distance or move up in Class, or, when one or more rivals are well suited to the race conditions and/or are the beneficiaries of a considerable weight advantage. A leading contender in any given field often remains a good risk when asked to shoulder more weight if the class, distance, speed and past performances reflect the ability to carry any previously assigned weight successfully. That applies even if the present weight assignment is several pounds more -- until the inevitable point is attained wherein performance will show the weight limitation beyond which the horse loses effectiveness.

Most handicappers are in general agreement that a length on a racetrack is equivalent to 1/5 of a second in time. A four pound weight difference will equate to 1/5 of a second or one length over one mile.

A five pound weight difference is equal to one length over a distance of 3/4 of a mile (6 furlongs).

A three pound weight difference equals one length over a distance of one and one half miles... etc., etc. ...

This should be given added consideration when it is the final determinant between two horses being considered for wagering in any given race.
 

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