Today’s Aqueduct results had in the notes for all races…
All riders carried an additional two pounds as mandated by a weather-related safety initiative.
All races were on the dirt, nothing noted on turf.
Why would adding weight, albeit not much, be a safety initiative? Just to slow all the horses down? I am assuming the surface was hard due to the cold weather, wouldn’t adding weight be more of a risk?
Perhaps allow riders to wear extra warm clothing, and still make weight? It was very cold around New York today, with a biting wind blowing. Or perhaps to wear safety vests?
It is to allow for extra layers on frigid days. Totally typical at all tracks. Safety equipment doesn’t ‘count’ in the base weight - they allow 2 pounds at the jump meets (I bet the same at the flats.)
Given that racehorses weigh 1000-1100 pounds, and are galloped 6 days a week by exercise riders who are normal human being weight (120-160), allowing a thin fat-free jockey 2 pounds for an extra layer of clothing on a subzero windchill day is industry standard.
That makes sense and something I didn’t think of. Yeah, I see those jocks sure bundled up sometimes 
Just an FYI, everyone on a horse at a track has to wear a safety vest (and helmet) whenever they are riding on the racetrack.
Exactly.
To clarify for some. When the jock weighs in (before the race) they only have to hold their saddle, stick and weight pad. When they weigh out after the race, they strip the same off the horse carry it to the clerk of scales to check they rode with the same. When the Stewards declare weight allowance for weather conditions they weigh out wearing the extra layers and are allowed 2 extra pounds without penalty. Hi-tech warm under-layers these days probably don’t even weigh a pound.
Got it. Makes perfect sense and just something I didn’t think about. Was thinking more if it was to slow the horse down or something but yeah, 30ish mph in some of those temps cannot be fun.
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