Zenyatta Has Earned Horse of the Year

[SilentScreen]

http://thesaturdaypost.org/blog/

If Zenyatta isn't awarded the title she rightfully deserves, it will be because a majority of voters have little understanding of what's in the best interest of racing. In my 40+ years as a racing fan, no single horse has done more for racing in a single year than Zenyatta. Rewarding her for this singular accomplishment transcends all other reasons for casting a HOTY ballot.

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by SilentScreen

If Zenyatta isn't awarded the title she rightfully deserves, it will be because a majority of voters have little understanding of what's in the best interest of racing. In my 40+ years as a racing fan, no single horse has done more for racing in a single year than Zenyatta. Rewarding her for this singular accomplishment transcends all other reasons for casting a HOTY ballot.

Your post is so urgent and apocalyptic that it sounds like Zenyatta should be awarded the Noble Peace Prize, never mind HOTY.

Can you please spell out, distinctly, what Zenyatta "has done for racing"?

If your answer involves Oprah and "60 Minutes" (I'm guessing some variation "new fans" is a necessity), please feel free to disregard my request.

[Indian Charlie]

The best argument I can make for Zenyatta winning HOY this year isn't for her great record, it's not for her dancing ability and it's not for her miraculous making up of 72 lengths in the last 1/16th of a mile in the BCC.

No, it's none of those.

What she should win it for is her uncanny ability to make otherwise seemingly normal people expose themselves for the idiots that they actually are.

[DaTruth]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

The best argument I can make for Zenyatta winning HOY this year isn't for her great record, it's not for her dancing ability and it's not for her miraculous making up of 72 lengths in the last 1/16th of a mile in the BCC.

No, it's none of those.

What she should win it for is her uncanny ability to make otherwise seemingly normal people expose themselves for the idiots that they actually are. It should be noted that the idiocy of people like Smoo Operator has always been self evident.

FTFY

[Indian Charlie]

Yeah, that's probably true.

However, in all fairness to Mr. Smoothie, I thankfully had no idea he existed before Zenyatta came along and exposed him. It is within the realm of possibility that he wasn't always this way.

Chances are though that he was an obvious idiot at birth.

[Indian Charlie]

Oh, and Smooth Operators idiocy is CLEARLY not self evident. He sees himself as a Porsche driving Wall Street and real estate mogul. He honestly has no idea why people are calling him stupid.

[SilentScreen]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

Can you please spell out, distinctly, what Zenyatta "has done for racing"?

Aside from reminding us what a true champion is like, she garnered the "positive" attention of millions of people throughout the year and was responsible for BC attendance, handle and ratings records.

[DaTruth]

Originally Posted by SilentScreen

Aside from reminding us what a true champion is like, she garnered the "positive" attention of millions of people throughout the year and was responsible for BC attendance, handle and ratings records.

You mean a "true champion" who leaves her comfort zone once a year? She is the poster child for how to let cowardice get in the way of testing a talented horse.

Originally Posted by SilentScreen

Aside from reminding us what a true champion is like, she garnered the "positive" attention of millions of people throughout the year and was responsible for BC attendance, handle and ratings records.

The BC attendance, handle and ratings would have been exactly the same had she finished 7th beaten 16 lenghths.

[AeWingnut]

Originally Posted by v j stauffer

The BC attendance, handle and ratings would have been exactly the same had she finished 7th beaten 16 lenghths.

imagine the argument is - if she wasn't there, it would be less

I thought she would run no better than 3rd...

[johnny pinwheel]

Originally Posted by AeWingnut

imagine the argument is - if she wasn't there, it would be less

I thought she would run no better than 3rd...

yeah, and if Mr. Ed was there....it would of brought in 100 more people so , mr. ed should be horse of the year. i kind of thought you should win to get the most votes. zenyatta came east twice, not once like someone here posted. she left her comfort zone twice ...its not her fault the "other" horse chicken sh!tted out for 5 mil. but still blame beat all comers in all the right races.........i'm guessing he wins by at least 30%.

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by SilentScreen

Aside from reminding us what a true champion is like, she garnered the "positive" attention of millions of people throughout the year and was responsible for BC attendance, handle and ratings records.

This is one of the flaws in the justification of Zenyatta's greatness. There is no tangible evidence, thus one has to resort to reducing Zenyatta's peers. What is a "true" champion? Does this mean all the other recent champions in the racing world have not really been worthy? Not very "horsey" like of you. This has been going on all year on these boards. Up to August, Rachel Alexandra was the bulls-eye. Anyone notice the smooth transition of the cross-hairs to Goldikova, especially since she won a 3rd BC Mile?

Laughable.

By the way, where do we find these "millions of people" she attracted?

Certainly not at Hollywood Park.

Zenyatta's impact on racing is the equivalent of sending foreign aid to Beverly Hills.

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by SilentScreen

Aside from reminding us what a true champion is like, she garnered the "positive" attention of millions of people throughout the year and was responsible for BC attendance, handle and ratings records.

There were no records in attendance, handle, or ratings.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

There were no records in attendance, handle, or ratings.

you hater, you!!

[AeWingnut]

Originally Posted by Danzig

so, zenyatta has 'earned' hoy and apparently the need for another thread about the same tired subject.

she has done no such thing. and exactly what has she done for racing? i keep seeing this phrase bandied about, as tho this horse is some four-legged mother theresa. please, i want details as to what has changed in the last year, or last three, since this horse has hit the scene? what is better, what has changed, how has the sport been affected?

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

I feel dumber for reading that blog post - but at least we have a 'rank'em' post

eat salmon the other pink meat

[Left Bank]

Originally Posted by SilentScreen

Aside from reminding us what a true champion is like, she garnered the "positive" attention of millions of people throughout the year and was responsible for BC attendance, handle and ratings records.

Wrong.If Breeders Cup attendance and handle was up this year it was because it finally left California and came to a real,DIRT racetrack.Period.The 2 dollar bettors Zenyatta brought out did nothing for handle and most won't come to a racetrack again.

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by Left Bank

Wrong.Breeders Cup attendance and handle was up this year because it finally left California and came to a real,DIRT racetrack.Period.The 2 dollar bettors Zenyatta brought out did nothing for handle and most won't come to a racetrack again.

I doubt the ratings next year will be the same, we can judge attendance after next year as well.

My guess is they both suffer without her racing.

You could be right, because they are back to back at the same site it will provide real tangible evidence.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

I doubt the ratings next year will be the same, we can judge attendance after next year as well.

My guess is they both suffer without her racing.

You could be right, because they are back to back at the same site it will provide real tangible evidence.

since this year was in line with other churchill years attendance-wise, i doubt next year will be any different.

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by SilentScreen

Aside from reminding us what a true champion is like, she garnered the "positive" attention of millions of people throughout the year and was responsible for BC attendance, handle and ratings records.

you got one out of five correct.

20%

F