The powers change the path to qualify for the Derby to the points system, and while doing that they took away a lot of the impact of 2YO Stake earnings.
So in the Gotham there are 2 horses at 123 lbs and all the rest at 116. Several of them just broke their maidens last out. I know the track couldn't get a full field if they made the weights equal, but seems to me they are not being fair to the high-weights since the point system is in place. With a full field (12) of very young horses, anything could happen, which is why the trainers will take the 116 lbs and jump in. They may be there just for the purse and not have any ambitions about the Derby. Seems to me 'fair' would be equal weights.
Guess I'm saying, you can't change one part of a system without it affecting other parts. If it's "all about money" then we don't need the points system. If we have the points system, then don't assign weights like it's an Allowance race on Wednesday for 5yo's who haven't won a race in 18 months.
This is shortened-up from about 12 pages I wrote about it so it prolly doesn't make any sense, which is nothing new for things I write.
