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Tuesday, January 30, 2001Contact: Bob Curran Jr. (212) 521-5326
Macho Uno Topweight on Experimental Free Handicap

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Macho Uno is the highweight at 126 pounds in the colt division of the 2000 Experimental Free Handicap released today. The filly division is headed by Caressing, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, at 123 pounds.

The Experimental Free Handicap, published annually by The Jockey Club since 1933, is compiled for a hypothetical race at 1 1/16 miles on dirt. This year’s weighting committee of distinguished racing secretaries comprised Howard Battle of Keeneland; Michael Lakow of the New York Racing Association; and Thomas S. Robbins of Del Mar.

The committee weighted a total of 99 males and 80 fillies. Eligible for weighting were all two-year-olds of 2000 which finished among the first four in graded or other unrestricted races with an added value of $50,000 or higher, run in the continental United States.

Stronach Stables’ Macho Uno (Holy Bull – Primal Force, by Blushing Groom (FR)) scored by a nose over Point Given in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile to cap his two-year-old season with three wins from four starts and earnings of $768,803. After breaking his maiden at first asking, Macho Uno finished third by a neck in the Hopeful Stakes before romping by seven lengths in the Grey Breeders’ Cup Stakes at Woodbine. Macho Uno was bred by Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs.

The 126 pounds assigned the highweight is a standard weight for top Experimental colts and is equivalent to the assignment on last year’s highweight Anees. Macho Uno was weighted one pound more than The Thoroughbred Corporation’s Point Given (Thunder Gulch – Turko’s Turn, by Turkoman), a winner of three-of-six starts, including the Hollywood Futurity and Kentucky Cup Juvenile, and $618,500.

Celtic Pride Stable’s A P Valentine (A.P. Indy – Twenty Eight Carat, by Alydar) was assigned 124 pounds following a two-for-four campaign which included a victory in the Champagne Stakes for earnings of $329,100.

Fourth highweight was Gary M. Garber’s Flame Thrower (Saint Ballado – Metromane, by Metrogrand) at 123 pounds, one pound more than Godolphin Racing, Inc.’s Street Cry (IRE) (Machiavellian – Helen Street (GB), by Troy (GB)).

In the filly division, the 123 pound assignment on Carl F. Pollard’s Caressing (Honour and Glory – Lovin Touch, by Majestic Prince) is a standard weight for top Experimental fillies and is equivalent to the assignment on last year’s co-highweights Cash Run, Chilukki and Surfside.

Caressing, bred by Brereton C. Jones, won three-of-five starts and $690,642 in 2000, culminating in an upset victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. She also won the Bassinet Stakes and finished second in the Arlington Washington Lassie Stakes.

At 122 pounds is Edward P. Evans’ Raging Fever (Storm Cat – Pennant Fever, by Seattle Slew), a winner of five-of-six starts, including the Frizette Stakes, Matron Stakes, Adirondack Stakes and Astoria Stakes, and $598,500.

Third highweight at 121 pounds is M375 Thoroughbreds Inc.’s Platinum Tiara (Cozzene – Michelle’s Monarch, by Wavering Monarch), runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Platinum Tiara won the Brave Raj Stakes by 11 1/4 lengths and earned 337,380.

Sharing fourth highweight are Golden Eagle Farm’s Notable Career (Avenue of Flags – Excellent Lady, by Smarten) and Brian Griggs and Mike Goetz’ She’s a Devil Due (Devil His Due – Fapulous Star, by Fappiano).

Among sires of Experimental horses, Honour and Glory and Thunder Gulch are the leading stallions with five representatives each. Unbridled’s Song sired four weighted juveniles while eight other stallions each sired three. Of the 179 juveniles weighted, 113 were bred in Kentucky, including both topweights, while 23 were bred in Florida and 10 in California.

The Experimental Free Handicap is accessible through the “Statistics and Resources” icon on The Jockey Club home page, located at http://home.jockeyclub.com, on Tuesday, January 30.