The Fall Highweight Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually near the end of November at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens , New York . Currently run at a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 m), it is open to horses three years of age and older under handicap conditions. The race was given its current Grade III status in 2009 by the American Graded Stakes Committee .
6-465: As the name implies, the race is known for the unusually high handicap weights assigned to each of the horses. In the past the top-weighted horse was assigned a minimum of 140 pounds (63.5 kg). Although the 140 pound rule is no longer in place, horses still carry more weight than they normally would. The highweight in the 2015 renewal, for example, carried 134 pounds. Run at Belmont Park from its inception in 1914 to 1959 and again from 1963 to 1993,
12-700: A handicap race lies in predicting which horse can overcome its handicap. Although most handicap races are run for older, less valuable horses with less prize money, this is not true in all cases; some prestigious races are handicaps, such as the Grand National steeplechase in England and the Melbourne Cup in Australia. In the United States, over 30 handicap races are classified as Grade I,
18-487: The Fall Highweight was open to horses of any age until 1959 when it was changed to its present format. It was raced on a straight course prior to 1921, from 1926 to 1939, and again from 1942 to 1957. A large field resulted in the 1976 edition being run in two divisions. The inaugural running of the Fall Highweight in 1914 was a remarkable victory for Comely who was not only a filly that defeated male rivals, but
24-446: The only two-year-old to ever win the race. Speed record: Most wins: Most wins by a jockey : Most wins by a trainer : Most wins by an owner: Handicap (horse racing) A handicap race in horse racing is a race in which horses carry different weights, allocated by the handicapper. A better horse will carry a heavier weight, to give it a disadvantage when racing against slower horses. The skill in betting on
30-562: The top level of the North American grading system . In a horse handicap race (sometimes just called "handicap"), each horse must carry a specified weight called the impost, assigned by the racing secretary or steward based on factors such as past performances, so as to equalize the chances of the competitors. To supplement the combined weight of jockey and saddle, up to the assigned impost, lead weights are carried in saddle pads with pockets, called lead pads. The weight-for-age scale
36-625: Was introduced by Admiral Rous , a steward of the Jockey Club . In 1855, he was appointed public handicapper. In Britain, the horses are assigned weights according to a centralised rating system maintained by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA). Weights may be increased if a horse wins a race between the publication of the weights and the running of the contest. In the USA, (thoroughbred) handicapping may also refer to
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