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Originally Posted by Kasept
American Racing Manual..
Interesting.. I've never seen that referenced. Should be in the A.R.M. though if I poke around...
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Here are some more notes for you:
* The first Experimental was carded by Walter S. Vosburgh, the highweight of 126 lbs was given to First Minstrel, a pound more than Cavalcade - his goal was to make the hypothetical experimental a reality
* In April 1940 Jamaica Race Course put up $5,000 for a 6 furlong race called the Experimental Handicap as a prep for the Wood Memorial
* Two restrictions were put on this race
1) only those horses who were weighted on the Experimental Free Handicap were eligible to run
2) the horses had to carry the weights they were assigned in the EFH
* 1942 the name was changed to the Experimental Free Handicap - the winner that year, Apache would be the first winner to run in the Derby (11th)
* 1944 the EFH was split into two divisions - this also marked the first year the highweight ran (Pukka Gin)
* 1946 - Experimental Free Handicap- No. 2 at 1 1/16 is run for the first time, Assault won the 6 furlong, Experimental Free-No. 1 that year on the way to capturing the Triple Crown
* 1952 last Experimental Free Handicap- No. 2 is run and renamed the Gotham for the next year
Schmitz, David. "Noble Experiment."
Blood-Horse 14 February 2009: 622.