Declan's Moon, Wilko co-highweights on Experimental Free Handicap

Undefeated Hollywood Futurity (G1) winner DECLAN'S MOON (Malibu Moon) and

Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) winner WILKO (Awesome Again) were each assigned co-highweight

of 126 pounds on the 2004 Experimental Free Handicap.

The filly division was topped by Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) winner

SWEET CATOMINE (Storm Cat) at 124 pounds, one pound more than the standard

impost for top-weighted fillies.

Since 1935, The Jockey Club has published the Experimental Free Handicap,

which is compiled for a hypothetical race at 1 1/16 miles on dirt. Once again, the weighting

committee was comprised of racing secretaries Frank Gabriel Jr. of

Arlington Park, Michael Lakow of the New York Racing Association and Thomas S.

Robbins of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.

The committee weighted a total of 87 males and 66 females. Those eligible for

consideration were all two-year-olds of 2004 that finished among the top four in

graded or other unrestricted stakes races run in the continental United States

with an added value of at least $75,000.

Jay Em Ess Stable's Declan's Moon won all four of his starts last year,

including the Hollywood Futurity, Del Mar Futurity (G2) and Hollywood Prevue S.

(G3), and earned $507,300.

J. Paul Reddam and Susan Roy's Wilko upset the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at odds

of 28-1 in U.S. debut before finishing third to Declan's Moon in the Hollywood

Futurity. The chestnut made 10 prior starts in England, placing in five

black-type events, and complied an overall record of 12-3-2-5, $934,077.

The 126 pounds assigned the co-highweights is the standard top weight for

male two-year-olds on the Experimental.

Cash is King LLC's AFLEET ALEX (Northern Afleet) and Fog City Stable's ROMAN

RULER (Fusaichi Pegasus) were each assigned 124 pounds.

Hopeful S. (G1) hero Afleet Alex, a winner of four-of-six starts and

$680,800, finished second to Wilko in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Roman Ruler

won three-of-five starts, including the Norfolk S. (G2) and Best Pal S. (G2),

and earned $330,800. The Bob Baffert trainee finished fifth in the Breeders' Cup

Juvenile as the 2-1 favorite.

Padua Stable's PROUD ACCOLADE (Yes It's True), winner of the Champagne S.

(G1), and Tracy Farmer's SUN KING (Charismatic), third in both the Champagne and

Breeders' Cup Juvenile, were each given 123 pounds.

In the filly division, the 124 pounds assigned Sweet Catomine is equivalent

to the amount given to last year's highweight Halfbridled.

Bred by her owners Marty and Pam Wygod, Sweet Catomine won three-of-four

starts and $799,800. In addition to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, she won

the Del Mar Debutante (G1) and Oak Leaf S. (G2).

Sharing second-highweight at 117 pounds are Darley Stable's BALLETTO (UAE)

(Timber Country), Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor's SENSE OF STYLE (Thunder

Gulch) and Peter Vegso's SPLENDID BLENDED (Unbridled's Song).

Balletto won three-of-five starts, including the Frizette S. (G1). She was

runner-up in both the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and the Matron S. (G1).

Sense of Style also won three-of-five starts, including the Matron and Spinaway

S. (G2). Splendid Blended won three-of-four starts, including the Hollywood

Starlet S. (G1).

Among sires of the Experimental horses, Yes It's True tops the male list with

three representatives, while Successful Appeal leads the female list, also with

three representatives. Combining the two lists, Successful Appeal is the leading

sire with five representatives, one more than Unbridled's Song.

Of the 153 juveniles weighted, 89 were bred in Kentucky, 37 in Florida ad

four each in Maryland and New York.