High weight carries 118 lbs? What's the use of a handicap if more than half the field is going to be riding overweight, some significantly?

http://www.drf.com/news/article/103922.html

Smooth Air will likely be the starting highweight at 118 pounds, while Bribon and My Pal Charlie, winless in five starts since taking last year's Super Derby, are both in at 117 pounds.

Accredit, who defeated My Pal Charlie in the Churchill Downs Handicap, is in with 116, followed by Mr. Sidney (115), winner of the Maker's Mark Mile on turf last out. Famous Patriot, Ready's Echo, Riley Tucker, Runforthedoe, and The Roundhouse are all in at 114, while Driven by Success is in at 113. Three-year-olds get a significant break in the weights, and three of them are under consideration - This Ones for Phil (110), Mr. Fantasy (109), and Imperial Council (108). Formidable, a 4-year-old trained by Allen Jerkens, is also possible at 113 pounds

Horses can no longer carry weight or travel a distance. Scale weight or better makes for crying trainers and scratches and the racing secretaries know it.

Handicaps don't mean anything anymore and are pretty much obsolete.

Those 12 to 16 furlong starter handicaps from decades ago with stakes runners carrying 135 or better and good claimers carrying 109 with allowance horses packing the middle weight were great to see.

The Display Handicap on New Year's Eve was a helluva way to see a good race at Aqueduct.

Tis a shame in a way. I remember the great Forego carrying a piano on his back, and still winning.