RA And Zenyatta Both Deserve The 2009 HOTY—No Losers Here

[Stevie Belmont]

The great debate amongst racing pundits and fans alike this year has been who should win the Eclipse Award for the 2009 Horse of the Year? And believe me, everyone has an opinion. ThoroughbredZone is asking another question. Who deserves to not win the Eclipse Award for the 2009 Horse of The Year? I have not heard too many give their opinion on that. As clear-thinking objective race fans, let’s step away from any bias or dislike for either horse or their connections for what ever the reason may be. There has been no doubt that the two thoroughbreds that have accomplished the most in the racing world in the United States this year have been Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta. They put on a show in 2009 that nobody will forget.

Rest of Article Here

http://thoroughbredzone.com/2009/12/15/ ... sers-here/

[Bohemia]

What the heck does "Who deserves to not win the Eclipse Award for the 2009 Horse of The Year?" mean? I've read that sentence 5 times and have no idea what you could possibly mean. How about a $5,000 claimer at Penn National ... he deserves to NOT win the Eclipse Award.

[Georgerz]

It is obvious that the poster is referring only to Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta.

[Bohemia]

Still, it is a convoluted question. What happened to simple, straight-forward English?

[Stevie Belmont]

There will always be one who might be a little slower then the rest. I appreciate you helping, him or her out. Much appreciated!

It is obvious that the poster is referring only to Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta.

[JimbleBrimble]

The great debate amongst racing pundits and fans alike this year has been who should win the Eclipse Award for the 2009 Horse of the Year? And believe me, everyone has an opinion. ThoroughbredZone is asking another question. Who deserves to not win the Eclipse Award for the 2009 Horse of The Year? I have not heard too many give their opinion on that. As clear-thinking objective race fans, let’s step away from any bias or dislike for either horse or their connections for what ever the reason may be. There has been no doubt that the two thoroughbreds that have accomplished the most in the racing world in the United States this year have been Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta. They put on a show in 2009 that nobody will forget.

Rest of Article Here

http://thoroughbredzone.com/2009/12/15/ ... sers-here/

What a laugh!

You qualify as neither "clear-thinking" nor "objective".

None of the crap related to surfaces or who owned a horse at the start of the year vs. who owned a horse at the end of the year even relates to the question.

In terms of raw accomplishments, Zenyatta simply towers over her younger alternative.

Rachel Alexandra has been buoyed all year by what is perhaps the weakest 3yo crop in most of our lifetimes. The best horse Rachel' would dare to take-on all year was probably Summer Bird, who has three wins outside of maiden company this year.

Conspicuously no other horse from any of Summer Bird's three Gr. I wins has bothered to win another race since. He is relatively weak yet is obviously going to be crowned best of his division this year.



Just three horses from the nineteen who raced in the Kentucky Derby have bothered to win any kind of a race since then.

Just four horses from the thirteen who raced in the 2009 Preakness have bothered to win any kind of a race since then.

Just one horse from the ten who raced in the 2009 Belmont has bothered to win another race since then.



The campaign of Life is Sweet when not facing Zenyatta simply dwarfs that of any of those ever on the same track at the same time as Rachel Alexandra.

Rachel Alexandra dared to face open company one time. She went off at 1-to-5, and barely beat a terrible field which, collectively, hasn't won a race since.


You are absolutely laughable when you pretend to compare the 2009 Preakness with the 2009 Breeders' Cup Classic. Rachel Alexandra did beat the Luv Gov fair and square, just like Summer Bird did, but Lov Guv was in for $35,000 claiming and losing a couple of weeks ago. Those behind Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness have combined for just four wins since then. One was an optional claimer, another was an ungraded stakes at Charles Town, and the others were on grass.


You and others will never fully understand how relatively little Rachel Alexandra has accomplished in 2009 until you properly and fully assess what terrible competition she has had all year.


We've not yet even touched upon the fact that Zenyatta began the year undefeated and later finished the year undefeated. No small accomplishment when facing the likes of Life Is Sweet, who did manage to take four of five when not facing Zenyatta this year.

Yearly earnings:

Zenyatta $3,300,000 or $660,000 per start

Rachel' $2,746,914 or $343,364 per start


This isn't even close... unless you're a novice.

[dray33]

Boy it's gonna sting when the professionals of this sport feel otherwise. As you preach from on high, and belittle us for knowing nothing, remember: all of Rachel's accomplishments come as a three year old. Nothing you can say can diminish the fact that she shipped, and won at 1 3/16th at 3 years of age, against the boys, 15 days after breaking records for time and lengths won, and you can never erase the inverse fact: it took Zenyatta well into her 5th year to even attempt that distance. Thoughts?

When Rachel is 5, she will win going as long as you write 'em, and you know it. She's just getting warmed up, and I think that's what irks you the most. You act afraid of what next year might bring. The "weak competition" banner gets old fast, once she beats the crap out of whoever your touting as "better". For now, it's not worth arguing, I won't use colored bold type. It will simply have to be enough that she was the most accomplished three year old filly in history, Horse of the Year, and potentially just may be one of the top 10 horses of all time. Lucky for all of us and with a little luck, we have all of next year to appreciate the Great One.

[Stevie Belmont]

The only novice here is you. Surely don't appreciate great horse in anyway, shape or form...

And we certainly know who is not objective...

The great debate amongst racing pundits and fans alike this year has been who should win the Eclipse Award for the 2009 Horse of the Year? And believe me, everyone has an opinion. ThoroughbredZone is asking another question. Who deserves to not win the Eclipse Award for the 2009 Horse of The Year? I have not heard too many give their opinion on that. As clear-thinking objective race fans, let’s step away from any bias or dislike for either horse or their connections for what ever the reason may be. There has been no doubt that the two thoroughbreds that have accomplished the most in the racing world in the United States this year have been Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta. They put on a show in 2009 that nobody will forget.

Rest of Article Here

http://thoroughbredzone.com/2009/12/15/ ... sers-here/

What a laugh!

You qualify as neither "clear-thinking" nor "objective".

None of the crap related to surfaces or who owned a horse at the start of the year vs. who owned a horse at the end of the year even relates to the question.

In terms of raw accomplishments, Zenyatta simply towers over her younger alternative.

Rachel Alexandra has been buoyed all year by what is perhaps the weakest 3yo crop in most of our lifetimes. The best horse Rachel' would dare to take-on all year was probably Summer Bird, who has three wins outside of maiden company this year.

Conspicuously no other horse from any of Summer Bird's three Gr. I wins has bothered to win another race since. He is relatively weak yet is obviously going to be crowned best of his division this year.



Just three horses from the nineteen who raced in the Kentucky Derby have bothered to win any kind of a race since then.

Just four horses from the thirteen who raced in the 2009 Preakness have bothered to win any kind of a race since then.

Just one horse from the ten who raced in the 2009 Belmont has bothered to win another race since then.



The campaign of Life is Sweet when not facing Zenyatta simply dwarfs that of any of those ever on the same track at the same time as Rachel Alexandra.

Rachel Alexandra dared to face open company one time. She went off at 1-to-5, and barely beat a terrible field which, collectively, hasn't won a race since.


You are absolutely laughable when you pretend to compare the 2009 Preakness with the 2009 Breeders' Cup Classic. Rachel Alexandra did beat the Luv Gov fair and square, just like Summer Bird did, but Lov Guv was in for $35,000 claiming and losing a couple of weeks ago. Those behind Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness have combined for just four wins since then. One was an optional claimer, another was an ungraded stakes at Charles Town, and the others were on grass.


You and others will never fully understand how relatively little Rachel Alexandra has accomplished in 2009 until you properly and fully assess what terrible competition she has had all year.


We've not yet even touched upon the fact that Zenyatta began the year undefeated and later finished the year undefeated. No small accomplishment when facing the likes of Life Is Sweet, who did manage to take four of five when not facing Zenyatta this year.

Yearly earnings:

Zenyatta $3,300,000 or $660,000 per start

Rachel' $2,746,914 or $343,364 per start


This isn't even close... unless you're a novice.

[horsenuts]

Interesting debate if nothing else. If they look at accomplishments from just 2009 than RA will be HoY..... but if they look at lifetime accomplishments than Zenyata wins HoY. 14 for 14 lifetime with two Breeders Cup wins including one 'Breeders Cup Classic' is unprecedented. Zenyata's win in the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn in her only true dirt race was very impressive as well.

Again, if the voters look at Zenyata's career accomplishments than she wins fairly handy in the HoY voting....... but if they just look at 2009 than RA wins a close vote due to making more starts and winning a Classic against the boys in the Preakness followed by two more GIs against males as well.

If I was voting...... I'd vote for Zenyata as the BCC is the ultimate race for horses of all ages and her lifetime achievements are perfect as well regarding number of starts and wins..... 14 for 14 is impressive to say the least especially with two BC wins and one being the BCC.

[dray33]

If it's a career award, she she should retire after running an allowance race in January 2010... and get the award for Horse of the Year next year too then. I don't mean to disagree with you, rather illustrate the point: that this is Horse of the Year, voted yearly based on yearly accomplishments. Zenyatta might win anyway, because people might still have the Breeders Cup win fresh in their mind, and all the grandstanding and politicking. Sadly, focusing on one race would be overlooking the obviously superior campaign run by Rachel.

[horsenuts]

If it's a career award, she she should retire after running an allowance race in January 2010... and get the award for Horse of the Year next year too then. I don't mean to disagree with you, rather illustrate the point: that this is Horse of the Year, voted yearly based on yearly accomplishments. Zenyatta might win anyway, because people might still have the Breeders Cup win fresh in their mind, and all the grandstanding and politicking. Sadly, focusing on one race would be overlooking the obviously superior campaign run by Rachel.

A 14 for 14 career deserves more than a back-handed comment such as "run in January and be named HoY". While no real fan of Zenyata there were many believing she should have been HoY last year. Now, a year later and with a BCC win on her resume and a 14 for 14 perfect record..... if she wins HoY it is well deserved. If RA wins HoY I'll have no problem with that either.

The facts are Zenyata ended her career undefeated while RA has been beaten a couple of times. In their last starts RA was 'all out' to beat a decent group of males in the GI Woodward..... while Zenyata ran by the best the US had to offer in Novemeber and several of the best from Europe as well on her way to a pretty convincing BCC win which has been the 'Crown Jewel' of American racing since its inception. She was also the first female to win this coveted race. Also, what have the horses that RA beat done since? Not much and that has to be considered in the voting (at least for those who take such a vote serious).

If RA wanted to insure HoY she could have ran in the BCC as well. Of course one look at her form and it is fairly obvious she was not a great synthetic track horse based on her early career races at Arlington Park and why she was not entered.

[Tiz]

And everyone in the class gets an A. And the little kid's baseball team doesn't keep a score. Our new world.


One winner of HOY, or the award becomes entirely meaningless. The choice is very tough this year, but that doesn't excuse not making it.

[dray33]

A 14 for 14 career deserves more than a back-handed comment such as "run in January and be named HoY". While no real fan of Zenyata there were many believing she should have been HoY last year. Now, a year later and with a BCC win on her resume and a 14 for 14 perfect record..... if she wins HoY it is well deserved. If RA wins HoY I'll have no problem with that either.

Again, I was trying to point out the facts about horse of the year, not attack you personally. Zenyatta deserved it last year... that's how I would have voted. This year, however, not. Don't accuse me of backhanded-ness, I tried to explain my point in a positive way. I'm not going to go over point by point, anyone can bicker about who scratched from what race. You would have no problem Rachel winning HOY because she ran the better yearly campaign. Very simple. And yes, I love Zenyatta.

[Georgerz]

Here is a funny take on the 2010 racing season:

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/ ... id=4818945

[erhrdt3]

THE Great One is Zenyatta

She'd run RA down and leave her in the dust. Bring Zenyatta back in 2010 and let her do it and put a rest to this discussion of who did what against who better.

Zenyatta ran and won the BC Classic against the best males. She will be remembered for many years to come, and I can't believe I'm saying this, but just like Ruffian. I really don't think RA will, I think she will go out like Rags to Riches did; she ran a great race against and won against Curlin, then she was taken away...

I think RA has a bad right front hoof, I blew up a photo of her with that hoof showing well, it was in her last race before she was "put up" and that hoof looked terrible. Just my opinion. I would hate to see something happen to her.