Trust me,weight matters a lot.I think it matters the least in the exact races where it is talked about the most(stakes races for older horses.)I think it matters the most with fillies,and especially cheap fillies(young or old.) As far as the 3 year old Triple Crown preps go,if the talent is there,the weight isn't getting them beat.Keyed Entry,and F. Samurai were not successful 2 turn horses,and BOB N JOHN was not that good to begin with.So,yes giving up weight could have helped get them beat.The less talented 3 year olds would be the ones who are bothered by it.In other words,I think weight would be more important in a grade 3 stakes for three year olds.I'll put in this way......If you gave P VAL the weight break that apprentices get,he would go absolutely on a tear.He wouldn't be taking extra time off etc.,because he would not want to miss out on all the wins he would be getting.Weight matters a lot in the day in/day out races with cheap filly maidens,and it matters a lot with cheap filly claimers (i.e. Antifreezette trying to get that extra half furlong.... etc.)
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