Zenyatta Has Earned Horse of the Year

[Duvalier]

Big Brown? You got to be kidding

[Dahoss]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

I think it's great to assume that Zenyatta's brought people to the sport and all, but really, did she attract any more attention than, say, Big Brown did in 2008? I'd suggest not.

I would agree and can think of others such as Funny Cide and Smarty Jones recently. I look at it this way and of course it's not the most scientific method. I know a certain horse has hit mainstream when my non racing fan friends ask me about the horse.

They wanted to know about Funny Cide before the Belmont. Same thing for Smarty Jones and were adament about going to the Belmont to see him run. Same thing for Big Brown before the Belmont. Last year they wanted to know about Rachel Alexandra. This year before the Classic I got a handful of texts wanting to know about Zenyatta and why they should know about her.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Duvalier

Big Brown? You got to be kidding

Why? Surely BB was exposed to a much wider audience than Zenyatta. I would think all of Big Browns 3 year old races were nationally televised and winning the Derby and going for a TC creates far more exposure than a single BC race even with the 60 minutes/Oprah lead in.

[NTamm1215]

Zenyatta's popularity most directly correlates to Smarty Jones I would think. Of course, the mitigating factors are that Zenyatta seems to have an entire state that is absolutely enthralled by her and the fact that she's a mare factors into the equation.

Smarty was wildly popular because of the Triple Crown of course. Something ridiculous like 9k people showed up to watch a workout of his before the Belmont. That's more than Philly was getting on a day to day basis for live racing save Pa Derby day. The attendance at Belmont shows how popular he was.

[slotdirt]

I guarantee you Big Brown's Belmont loss got significantly more national coverage than Zenyatta's BCC second, and Big Brown was probably the least noticed of the Derby-Preakness doubles of the last decade.

[slotdirt]

Also, maybe I'm biased because I'm on the East Coast, but Smarty Jones and Funny Cide seemed infinitely more popular locally than did Zenyatta. As far as average joes that I know, I'd say Zenyatta ranked with Afleet Alex in terms of popularity.

[Duvalier]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

Zenyatta's popularity most directly correlates to Smarty Jones I would think. Of course, the mitigating factors are that Zenyatta seems to have an entire state that is absolutely enthralled by her and the fact that she's a mare factors into the equation.

Smarty was wildly popular because of the Triple Crown of course. Something ridiculous like 9k people showed up to watch a workout of his before the Belmont. That's more than Philly was getting on a day to day basis for live racing save Pa Derby day. The attendance at Belmont shows how popular he was.

That's a very good comparison

[Cannon Shell]

Zenyatta was so popular with the general public that the clamor to see her resulted in how many of her races being picked up nationally?

Hell even Curlin got ESPN news break-in's when he ran as a 4 yo.

The problem is that the newer generation has so little exposure to truly great horses or even solid campaigns by very good horses. The ESPN philosophy of acting as though every event is historic or something that you've never seen before or an all-time great seems to have taken ahold in racing as well as other sports.

[Duvalier]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

I guarantee you Big Brown's Belmont loss got significantly more national coverage than Zenyatta's BCC second, and Big Brown was probably the least noticed of the Derby-Preakness doubles of the last decade.

That will happen when a huge favorite gets pulled up and eased when going for a Triple Crown.

[slotdirt]

Originally Posted by Duvalier

That will happen when any horse ever is going for a Triple Crown.

Fixed that for you.

[Duvalier]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

Fixed that for you.

The lead up to the race maybe...but his loss got significantly more coverage because of the circumstances surrounding it.

[Cannon Shell]

Despite my lack of respect for Kling's opinion, he is probably more qualified than a lot of other voters. Hard to believe that in a day and age when racing gets so little coverage there are 200+ writers with the credentials or knowledge to accurately vote on the eclipse awards.

[slotdirt]

I'm not sure what your point is other than Zenyatta is probably less known to the average, casual fan of horse racing than Big Brown.

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

I would agree and can think of others such as Funny Cide and Smarty Jones recently. I look at it this way and of course it's not the most scientific method. I know a certain horse has hit mainstream when my non racing fan friends ask me about the horse.

They wanted to know about Funny Cide before the Belmont. Same thing for Smarty Jones and were adament about going to the Belmont to see him run. Same thing for Big Brown before the Belmont. Last year they wanted to know about Rachel Alexandra. This year before the Classic I got a handful of texts wanting to know about Zenyatta and why they should know about her.

Zenyatta is the west coasts Smarty Jones... the hype was unreal on the East when Smarty was going through the triple crown. Zenyatta never matched that on the east coast, though I'm sure she did in California.

[slotdirt]

Did 120k people show up to watch Zenyatta lose her last race? Because that's how Smarty rolled.

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

Did 120k people show up to watch Zenyatta lose her last race? Because that's how Smarty rolled.

if my foggy memory is correct, Smarty's Belmont day was an absolute gorgeous day and you could still BYOB... They would have got 75k with no triple crown bid that day.

Zenyatta brought out a good # of people on the West Coast also.

[Duvalier]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Why? Surely BB was exposed to a much wider audience than Zenyatta. I would think all of Big Browns 3 year old races were nationally televised and winning the Derby and going for a TC creates far more exposure than a single BC race even with the 60 minutes/Oprah lead in.

The use of steroids in racehorses was also exposed to a much wider audience. Big Brown brought out alot of negative attention to the sport between his connections, drug suspensions, steroids etc. Do you think things like equipoise or winstrol should still be allowed universally in racing?

[slotdirt]

Your memory serves you incorrectly. It was a high of about 65 and semi-drizzly/misty for the day of the 2004 Belmont. One could transport one's own beer onto the Belmont grounds in those days though, that is true.

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

IMO horse racing needs to try and draw in gamblers and people that follow other sports like football, basketball etc. Football fans pay big money to attend games, buy tons of merchandise and many of them gamble on games. Sports betting is a billion dollar industry by many accounts. I'm glad there was a lot of exposure for the sport, but I just don't know how effective it will be.

I cant disagree here because I just find the mechanics of the sport broken. If you do draw in new people it is very tough to retain them as customers. Thats a different discussion though.

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

I think it's great to assume that Zenyatta's brought people to the sport and all, but really, did she attract any more attention than, say, Big Brown did in 2008? I'd suggest not.

seriously?