Curlin entered for Thursday in Dubai!

[my miss storm cat]

That's a pretty nice field...

[SniperSB23]

I wonder if they are rethinking their decision to prep here now that they'll be carrying 132 pounds for 10 furlongs while giving 19 to 29 pounds to the field.

[tiggerv]

How do they handicap weights there? There is an enormous difference between Curlin and the rest of the field.

Infidel horsies get punished and/or bought over there.

[brockguy]

Linngari was applauded for winning a handicap off 119. It would be a monumental acheivement for Curlin to win off 129...I believe the handicapper in Dubai publishes his own ratings but they are for the most part similar enough to the international rankings..

[Linny]

Every horse carries an "international rating" and the weights are based on that rating. Curlin was rated (I think) the best 10f dirt horse on Earth last season at 129.
Horses carry over 130 on a regular basis there. Generally the top rated horse in a handicap gets 132 so as to level things out when the rating scale my go from 90-110.

[brockguy]

Originally Posted by Linny

Every horse carries an "international rating" and the weights are based on that rating. Curlin was rated (I think) the best 10f dirt horse on Earth last season at 129.
Horses carry over 130 on a regular basis there. Generally the top rated horse in a handicap gets 132 so as to level things out when the rating scale my go from 90-110.

saying that, i cant remember a time that a horse has raced in a handicap off an official rating of 129.. now fair enough, we dont have races where that situation would arise, but even down under the top sprinters do it off at most 125...

[Scurlogue Champ]

Originally Posted by tiggerv

How do they handicap weights there? There is an enormous difference between Curlin and the rest of the field.

Like they should.