Who Is Horse Of The Year?

[kgar311]

Originally Posted by South Beach Luv

Gulfstream wants to decide it on their track in Feb.

http://blog.timesunion.com/horseraci...zenyatta/3629/

Man, you mean to tell me that there arent enough"rich" people out there, owners, sheiks, heads of state or people in general that would want more then anything to make this happen? Start hitting people up for loot, sponsorships hang banners along the track like they do overseas on the backstretch. What about striking a deal with Fox to televise and take all the tv money and put towards the race. Race one day SB the next, ratings would be through the roof, im sure there are plenty of smart people that can make this happen. They can raise enough money to bring them both there.

[GBBob]

Originally Posted by kgar311

Man, you mean to tell me that there arent enough"rich" people out there, owners, sheiks, heads of state or people in general that would want more then anything to make this happen? Start hitting people up for loot, sponsorships hang banners along the track like they do overseas on the backstretch. What about striking a deal with Fox to televise and take all the tv money and put towards the race. Race one day SB the next, ratings would be through the roof, im sure there are plenty of smart people that can make this happen. They can raise enough money to bring them both there.

Yeah, but Zenyatta won't show..why bother with all this hype when you know she won't ship there. Just like she wouldn't have run at CD this year. Doesn't mean that RA is or isn't HOY, but all this "let them decide it on the track" is just wishful thinking.

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

I wouldn't have brought it back up if you hadn't said to me that I'd be proven wrong.

Nowhere in my post did I say that Zenyatta was not a great horse. I simply said, and maintain that greatness is not attained with one effort. She has had a tremendous career and capped it off with an effort for the ages. However, the nod for HOY shouldn't go to her because of the one performance, in my opinion, at least not in a year where there was another horse like Rachel Alexandra.

NT

I disagreed with the statement that the classic was the only non ordinary thing she has done

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by GBBob

why bother with all this hype when you know she won't ship there. Just like she wouldn't have run at CD this year.

This is a very educated post. So they shipped her all the way to Kentucky this year, knowing it would rain about Wed when she flew there, just so they could say she shipped.

Keep sending it in, bet bet bet.

[kgar311]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

I disagreed with the statement that the classic was the only non ordinary thing she has done

Yea, she pretended like she was going to race at CD, thats non ordinary.

But But we tried to race at CD, now give us the HOY award

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by kgar311

Yea, she pretended like she was going to race at CD, thats non ordinary.

But But we tried to race at CD, now give us the HOY award

the CD race is not relavant to this discussion, where are you reading that they are trying to make it part of it?

Someone says that she shipped to scratch....now that is what I like to hear from my competition.

[kgar311]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

the CD race is not relavant to this discussion, where are you reading that they are trying to make it part of it?

Someone says that she shipped to scratch....now that is what I like to hear from my competition.

I was just trying to get a rise out of you. I was totally joking.

[RockHardTen1985]

Ok so I voted for Zenyatta in this poll, I thought Saturday locked up HOY for her. I beleive she would have blown Rachel away in the Woodward and in the BCC had they hooked up, but the award is HOY not whos better or who would have won.... IMO now the numbers do not lie and Rachel Deseves it.


# of Grade 1 wins this year....Rachel 5--Zenyatta 4

# of times facing "beating" the boys....Rachel 3--Zenyatta 1

Average Beyer, per start this year....Rachel 107--Zenyatta 103 "Rachel also ran 3 more times and one could argue she held her form longer and took it with her to 7 different tracks"

Average Field Size, per start this year....Racehel 7.25-- Zenyatta 7.60 "remember Rachels Acorn she only faced 2 other fillies, if not for that race she would be around 7.8 per race" I feel this is important because of the quality of horses Zenyatta beat all year, besides Life Is Sweet she beat no one, till the Classic.

# of different tracks run at... Rachel 7-- Zenyatta 3 I think this proves whos campaign was harder.

Again I think Zenyatta head-head at 1 1/4 would defeat Rachel but the Tale of the Tape does not lie, Rachel deserves HOY hands down IMO.

[DaTruth]

Originally Posted by RockHardTen1985

Again I think Zenyatta head-head at 1 1/4 would defeat Rachel but the Tale of the Tape does not lie, Rachel deserves HOY hands down IMO.

I'm not so sure that Zenyatta would beat RA at 10 furlongs. In the Haskell, RA was given a sensible ride, was behind Summer Bird for part of the race, and looked like she could have gone around the track one more time. If she isn't sent to the lead through fast fractions like she was in the Preakness and Woodward, then she can get 10.

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by DaTruth

I'm not so sure that Zenyatta would beat RA at 10 furlongs. In the Haskell, RA was given a sensible ride, was behind Summer Bird for part of the race, and looked like she could have gone around the track one more time. If she isn't sent to the lead through fast fractions like she was in the Preakness and Woodward, then she can get 10.

Well said and I completely agree.

NT

[SCUDSBROTHER]

Originally Posted by kgar311

This makes no sense. Let me try and figure this out.

Lets say school starts in Sept. you show up a couple times a week, you pick the test that you want to take, miss all the major tests during the school year and come June, final exam time you show up take the test ace it with and A. Does this annoint you an A for the entire school year?????? I didnt think so.
You can't coast all year and expect to show up at the end ace one test and expect eveything that happened all year will go away. Stupid analogy

I have had classes that put a ton of emphasis on the final exam. Z won more money this year, because she won the biggest race this country has. She took the tougher test, and romped. Tougher test, and more money won (both point to a quality edge.) This is a dirt/synthetic ..East/West fight. That's all it really is. Same thing you see each Monday when Beyers come out. Z pretty much told Beyer to go touch himself fancy.

[2Hot4TV]

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

I'm having a hard time swallowing this. If taking one chance in a big race trumps taking a chance in two or three races, and winning each time, then what's next?

Come on Travis, you have seen alot of races and what Zenyatta showed was a race horse that has the will to win and with her stride she is perfect for 10 furlongs. At equal weights she would be real hard to beat at 10 f with any decent pace. AS far as HOY, it doesnt matter.

[RockHardTen1985]

Its not the better horse award... I beleive Zenyatta is better, its HOY and I beleive Rachel deserves it.

[Travis Stone]

Originally Posted by 2Hot4TV

Come on Travis, you have seen alot of races and what Zenyatta showed was a race horse that has the will to win and with her stride she is perfect for 10 furlongs. At equal weights she would be real hard to beat at 10 f with any decent pace. AS far as HOY, it doesnt matter.

She is no doubt custom made for ten panels. But she really did have a good run through the pack in that all the holes opened-up when she needed them. Yeah, she had to go and get them a bit, but she's good and that's what good ones do.

This whole HOTY debate is tough because people think you're knocking one or the other, which isn't the case at all.

Zenyatta was awesome on Saturday and it really saddens me we couldn't see her do that in a few more exciting spots. And unfortunately for them, and this is not a slap on their character at all, but I think it costs her Horse of the Year in the end. We'll see.

[dalakhani]

I love the fact that its even a discussion. In the last two years, we have seen four wonderful fillies in Goldikova, Zarkava, Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta.

In this argument, I have to side with the Zenyatta camp. Rachel Alexander ran a great campaign that has to be considered one for the ages so what I am saying isnt at all trying to impugn her body of work. To me, its all a circular argument anyway.

To me there is something to be said about stepping up in the brightest of lights and displaying greatness against the best. Those bright lights arent at monmouth park in august and they arent at saratoga in the first week of september. The best aren't two credible competitors in a seven horse field.

The brightest lights in horse racing in this country were at Santa Anita Park on November 7th in a full unrestricted field that was the most competitive of the of year. Zenyatta showed up and dominated and gave the performance of her life and to me the performance of the year.

Zenyatta is horse of the year in my book.

[philcski]

Originally Posted by dellinger63

would you be upset about co-HOY of the year? By the way that was some great steak we had!!!! and Scott seemed OK w/HOY. You guys are great and this was the year of the females no doubt about it. Give them both HOY and make everyone happy!!

what a crew... ruth's chris is my absolute favorite joint
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...d=317917410583

i'd be alright with a co-hoy. really the way it should be.

[mclem0822]

As wonderful as Zenyatta's performance was in the Classic, and it was an epic thing of beauty, HOY should still go to Rachel Alexandra. The overall body of work by RA is just simply better. The number of different tracks she won one, along with the higher number of times she defeated males give her an advantage in my opinion. I'm not trying to take anything away from what Zenyatta accomplished, she's had a wonderful year with a storybook ending. I just believe Rachel Alexandra's year was better, and worthy of HOY.

[docicu3]

Originally Posted by philcski

what a crew... ruth's chris is my absolute favorite joint
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...d=317917410583

i'd be alright with a co-hoy. really the way it should be.

I can't argue with that Phil but the whole thing seems to be an oddity of the calendar. You and I walk out of Pimlico KNOWING we just saw a display of heart that we are unlikely to ever see again, and then she does it twice more that summer in races a 3 year old filly isn't supposed to run in let alone win. Z ran and won the last race. Does that mean it counts for 3?

While the cackling of experts were waving fists full of cash against her RA sent them all home indigent and poor. Now because she doesn't run a different surface in November somehow her success is distilled to simply good. Einstein runs grass, poly and dirt to Beyers > 100 while all the rest are respected for their Beyer > 100 wins run on their preference. Rachel runs on dirt but should clean up HOY voting...

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by Danzig

a travesty, a sham, a mockery....it's a traveshamockery!

"This trial is a travesty. It's a travesty of a mockery of a sham of a mockery of a travesty of two mockeries of a sham." - Woody Allen, "Bananas"

Here's Haskin's take. Scroll down a ways for the HOY thoughts. http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...source=twitter

Originally Posted by SCUDSBROTHER

They don't like SoCal and/or Synthetic. Just vote, and forget this effort. One horse is drawing away (with gusto) in one of the 2 biggest purse races in the world. She showed up on the biggest stage, and romped. Simply fkn romped, and still what do you hear? "She didn't do enough." Neither did anything wrong, but R.A. didn't even run in the biggest race for 3 year olds this year( K Derby.) She's a 3 year old. If you want to match up with Zenyata, then you should at least have won the biggest race for a 3 year old, or won this race that Zenyata showed up for. Zenyata won the biggest race she could of been in this year. She's the only filly or mare to win this race. Hasn't ever been done (in the 25 year history.) Winning Colors won the Derby. R.A. didn't even run in it. She won a Triple Crown race. Then, she ducked both the Belmont and BC Classic. Hey, if you want to ignore the mare that accomplished the biggest feat (for her sex) in 25 years of horseracing, then you go right ahead. Surely, R.A. winning those other races was more important to ya. At some point, doing something your sex hasn't come close to doing in 25 years should get a little respect.

Er, yeah it's sooo Rachel's fault her owners at the time were anti-colt races. Also Man O'War's owner kept him out of the Derby because he looked down on going to Kentucky in May (well really ever right? Didn't he think of KY as "the west" and had to be talked into doing it with War Admiral?) I guess MOW just sucks huh? Being as he didn't even run in the Derby..

I could see going with both, I could see giving it to Rachel. Saying Zenyatta deserves it and Rachel doesn't is where I'm balking.

PS There's a Ruth's Chris in Beverly Hills? Mmm...

[copying]

Originally Posted by SCUDSBROTHER

I have had classes that put a ton of emphasis on the final exam. Z won more money this year, because she won the biggest race this country has. She took the tougher test, and romped. Tougher test, and more money won (both point to a quality edge.) This is a dirt/synthetic ..East/West fight. That's all it really is. Same thing you see each Monday when Beyers come out. Z pretty much told Beyer to go touch himself fancy.

These RA backers are the same ones that think Easy Goer was better than SS. They also loved Alydar over Affirmed. War Admiral over Seabiscuit. They ignore what's done on the track.