How do they get exactly 126 pounds onto a horse in the Belmont?

Question

What is placed on a horse that can have such an exact value when added to the jockey's weight?

Answer 1

They add lead weights to the saddle pad to make up the difference.  Most jockeys don't have to add too much weight to carry 126 pounds.

Some jockeys have different saddles, too, depending on the weight they have to carry-- ultralight for horses assigned very light weight assignments; a more normal racing saddle otherwise.

One of my all-time favorite photographs of 3-time Horse of the Year Forego was one of Bill Shoemaker unsaddling him to weigh in after the 1976 Marlboro Gold Cup.  Forego carried 137 pounds in that race;  Shoemaker had to pack something like 25 pounds of lead into the saddlecloth to make the weight.  Forego was a HUGE horse, 17.2 hands high, and the jockey is the only person allowed to touch the saddle until the weigh-in is complete.  In the picture, Shoemaker is half-clowning at collapsing under the weight of the saddle and the pad coming down from the height of Forego's back.

Answer 2

yes

Answer 3

Greyt-mom, I like your answer, it is concise and to the point and also correct. Karin C, you may be a top contributor but why do you make your answers so long winded. I know women like to talk but the length of your answers sometimes borders on ridiculous. Why cant you just answer the question and be done with it. Who really cares if Forego carried 137 lbs to win the Marlboro. It is common knowledge that handicap races were run with much more weight than they are today. If this seems a little long winded so be it, even my rant is shorter than your answer.

Answer 4

The jockey and saddle are weighed and lead plates are added to the saddlepads to increase the weight to exactly 126lbs.  Safety equipment - such as a jockey's flak jacket does not count towards the weight assignment.

Answer 5

to get to 126, they weigh the jockey and his saddle and then adding the rest of the weight by adding lead  to pouches in his saddle