By the time you read this, yours truly will be proverbially buried in what could wind up being between 2 to 3 feet of snow! Yes, the storm we’ve dubbed “Snowmageddon” is absolutely hammering the mid-atlantic, and living on the Maryland/Pennsylvania line, we seem to be right smack dab in the cross-hairs. What better to do at a time like this than sit back and fire up the ole betting account and take part in the action at some locations enjoying just a bit more friendly weather? This Saturday affords us several chances for major stakes action across the country. We’ll be focusing on the Grade 1 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park and the Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis at Santa Anita in this post.
Grade 1 Donn Handicap – Gulfstream Park (Race 10) – 5:31 ET
The 52nd running of the $500k Donn will be contested by 10 horses going 1 1/8 miles over the main track at Gulfstream Park. QUALITY ROAD is the horse everyone will be watching here. The son of Elusive Quality was a trendy pick for the 2009 Kentucky Derby before being sideline by injury (truth be told, he was my top choice…before that honor went to I Want Revenge…before being forced to switch yet again, ultimately winding up with Friesan Fire. I think we all know how that ended). Many will recall his infamous gate antics moments before the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita that caused Zenyatta and others to have to wait what seemed an eternity before he was ultimately scratched. The colt rebounded from that non-performance by winning the Grade 3 Hal’s Hope here at Gulfstream last out on January 3. If you’re looking for a big score here, you’ll need to beat him to cash – which may be a tall order.
The interesting thing about this race presents itself when trying to determine who is likely to finish underneath the favorite. I like the looks of KISS THE KID here quite a bit at 6/1. I’m usually fond of the Lemon Drops, although it must be noted this one was defeated by DUKE OF MISCHIEF last out by a neck. PAST THE POINT could also be interesting depending on what happens up front early on. DELIGHTFUL KISS should be flying late as the field heads for the wire, and I’m expecting him to rally for a share of the money.
The Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis - Santa Anita (Race 8 ) – 4:07 PT
The 72nd running of the Robert B. Lewis is being billed as a two horse race between offspring of one of my all-time favorite horses and sires; Tiznow. AMERICAN LION roars into town as a Kentucky Derby hopeful searching for graded stakes earnings. He’s got a favorable post position towards the outside in this rather light six horse field. His maiden victory at Keeneland generated quite a bit of buzz, and hopefully we’ll be able to answer some questions about how serious of a horse he’ll be today stretching out to 8.5 furlongs.TIZ CHROME is the “other Tiznow” in the field that everyone is buzzing about. Trainer Bob Baffert has seen his colt thrash the 17 horses he’s faced in two lifetime starts, including a blitz of the Stuka (get it?) last out at Hollywood. The question between these two is obviously who will get the best of the added distance. Considering each colt has shown they don’t need the lead early on to score, we appear to be setup for a promising stretch duel here. Whoever gets first jump just might pull away with the race.
Underneath, I thought CARACORTADO looked playable, largely because of his 4 for 4 record (albeit against lesser competition). I could also make a case for the aptly named DOMONATION for trainer John Sadler with jockey smokin’ Joe Talamo aboard. Either way, it doesn’t look like this will be a bank breaking race, unless something unexpected materializes.
Of course, there’s one other big event coming up this weekend that we’ll be squeezing in time for in between epic snow shoveling sagas: The Super Bowl. I’m taking the Colts over the Saints in a close one.
As for the other news that the horse racing news coming out of Oaklawn Park, I’ll simply say I’m reserving serious thought about the potential of a showdown between Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra until something becomes official. I just don’t have a good feeling it’s going to happen in the Apple Blossom. We’ll see though – it certainly would be an exciting start to the racing season for 2010.
In perhaps the most hotly debated Horse of the Year vote in history, Rachel Alexandra did what no horse has been able to do on the race track; defeat Zenyatta – the undefeated mare and Breeders’ Cup Classic champion.
Rachel Alexandra became the first filly since the roaring ’20′s to win the Preakness, became the 2nd filly in history to win the Haskell, and then became the first 3-year-old filly to defeat Grade 1 males going over a mile of ground on the dirt since the late Jurassic period.
Amazingly, what would typically be a signature moment for any 3-year-old filly, a dominant 20+ length victory in the Kentucky Oaks, ranks as just one of many highlight moments in Rachel Alexandra’s 2009 campaign. The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro went a perfect 8 for 8 on the year, including wins at Pimlico, Monmouth Park, Belmont Park, and Saratoga.
Take nothing away from Zenyatta, however. In an Eclipse Award ceremony highlighted by talk from Tom Durkin of dominatrixes, the most dominating lady perhaps to ever step foot on the track need not feel slighted. With the news this week that she will return for a 2010 campaign, we can look with renewed interest towards an eventual showdown between the two uber fillies.
In the words of good friend and regular reader/commentor Tencentcielo “…we all won.”
Indeed – and now the upcoming races for 2010 come squarely into focus.
Hats off to both ladies for their amazing performances in 2009. It’s been an honor to witness them on the race track.
The arrival of January 18, 2010 has not come without ample anticipation. Fans of the great Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta have been locked in a desperate struggle to see their respective favorites honored in the highest possible fashion. Tonight, all the questions will be answered, and one majestic female will be crowned as the proverbial Queen of the sport. The “Great Debate” for Horse of the Year comes to an end.
The victory, however, will not come without controversy – regardless of who prevails. I’m on record as predicting defenestrations from the fans of those who decide fate has swung against them. For that reason, and from the beginning, I’ve advocated not picking between the two runners unless being forced to do so under extreme duress.
defenestrations
Less than 24 hours from the final announcement, I still feel the same way.
The real news though with much more far-reaching implications for the sport is that Zenyatta will return for her 2010 campaign as a 5-year-old. Who knows what the future may hold? A trip to Dubai for the World Cup? A campaign pointing towards a showdown with Rachel Alexandra either this spring, summer, or in the Breeders’ Cup at Churchill?
Only time will tell. The only thing I’m certain of is that the NTRA will have a chance to capitalize on the return races of the defending Horse of the Year no matter which way it all goes down. Let’s hope they do so and then some.
You may recall that at one point we were helping to champion the cause of opening up the Eclipse Awards to fan participation. Obviously that didn’t happen, but like most horse racing fans, we certainly have our opinions. What would I have done if I did have a say? Here’s a quick look at what my ballot would look like.
Horse of the Year: Zenyatta
Two-Year-Old Male: Lookin At Lucky
Two-Year-Old Filly: She Be Wild
Three-Year-Old Male: Summer Bird
Three-Year-Old Filly: Rachel Alexandra
Older Male: Gio Ponti
Older Female: Zenyatta
Male Sprinter: Zensational
Female Sprinter: Informed Decision
Male Turf Horse: Gio Ponti
Female Turf Horse: Goldikova
Trainer: John Shirreffs
Jockey: Alan Garcia
Apprentice Jockey: Christian Santiago Reyes
Owner: Mr. and Mrs. Jerome S. Moss
Breeder: Juddmonte Farms
Steeplechase Horse: Mixed Up
Obviously the Horse of the Year issue has been debated to death. I’m not going to say anything more about it. I love both horses and don’t want to see either of them lose, but I’ve got to put a name down on the list, so…it is what it is.
Some of the other categories were extremely tough to differentiate as well. For example, who do you take between Zensational and Kodiak Kowboy for top Male Sprinter? Ultimately I went with Zenny – even though I’m actually a bigger fan of Kodiak Kowboy.
Two-Year-Old Filly is probably the most difficult though of all the equine honors. I sided with She Be Wild here, but I would not be surprised if she didn’t take home the award. I’m obviously basing quite a bit of my decision on her Breeders’ Cup performance. Same goes for Informed Decision in her bid for top Female Sprinter.
The awards being given to bipedal hominids are equally as contentious. I had to give Shirreffs top billing as trainer for winning both the Classics on Breeders’ Cup weekend at Santa Anita.
Alan Garcia was simply my main man who helped lead to a very profitable meet at Saratoga this summer. Perhaps I’m being narrow minded here as traditionally I had struggled with the signature meet of the season for the eastern half of the U.S., but between Garcia on the main track and trainer Linda Rice on the turf, my only question is how I didn’t wind up winning more?
Well, there you have it. I’m sure everyone else has an opinion, so let’s hear ‘em.
If, like me, you typically consume enough turkey and tryptophan over the Thanksgiving weekend to be able to induce hallucinogenic dream like sequences involving talking animals, cartoon characters, and eerily fitting sitar music at will, then perhaps what follows will be at least remotely entertaining.
A true psychedelic experience, this admittedly is not. Although do be sure to pass the Wavy Gravy for the mashed taters when you have a chance.
Wavy Gravy wishing you all a granola and organic food filled Thanksgiving weekend, which obviously has invaluable dental benefits.
How quickly the pages seem to turn on the trusty wall mounted calendar with each passing year. Where it feels like just yesterday we were in the midst of a spring and summer of racing for the ages, now we find ourselves preparing for the momentous holidays that bracket the passing of each year, and the arrival of the next.
While the autumn light fades on the careers of renowned champions and heroes like Zenyatta and Better Talk Now, the first light of spring shall soon radiate downward upon the heads of the next generation; specifically the two-year-olds in training at the moment who are about to turn three on New Year’s Day.
What may the future hold? Obviously we can only speculate. It might be asking a bit much to expect 2010 to even come close to the thrill and euphoria which so defined racing in 2009. Still, one gets the feeling after watching this past season that just about anything in the world is possible, if only we will it to be so.
I’m not sure how many were able to catch this, as it was not widely publicized prior to the airing, but PBS ran a phenomenal episode of “American Experience” this week that featured the story of Seabiscuit. One line from that episode stuck with me as I set down to write today. After watching the Biscuit finally conquer the Santa Anita “hundred grander” after multiple unsuccessful tries, one journalist remarked “oh, to have lived to see this day.”
Isn’t that it, really? Thank god we’ve been alive to see these moments, rather than have them as mere references that happened long ago in a time that seems only “real” on the pages of a history book? To not only be aware of the accomplishments, but to have lived to experience them? To have been filled with the rush of victory, to have stood a tip-toe and called on all within you to will your horse home. To have felt the elation of the crowd and to have thought it so tangible that one might reach out and actually touch the feeling?
So, as we prepare to sit down with family and friends and give thanks for all that we have, why not also take stock of the moments we saw this past year that captured our hearts or touched us in such a way as to remind us why it is we care so much about this game. Yes, the year and the moments are gone, fading away with each passing day, but the memory of those moments still burns bright and true, and shall do so as long as we give time for reflection and acknowledgement.
Why stop with just being thankful for memories from this most recent year though? We are, after all, on the precipice of yet another new decade. Out with the “oughts” and in with the “teens”, I suppose. Loosely inspired by a similar discussion over on the TVG Community, here’s a short list of special moments over the past decade that I’d like to give thanks for having experienced.
Sarava upsets the Triple Crown dreams of War Emblem in the 2002 Belmont
It might seem questionable to begin with a memory that involves a Triple Crown dream being shattered once again, but this memory holds personal significance for me. In fact, I almost cannot believe that June 8, 2002 was over 7 full years ago now!
You see, June 8 just happened to be the day that Amy and I were married, and as our guests filed into the outdoor enclosure we were to exchange vows within in a matter of moments, we sat in the car, turning the AM radio to an ESPN station carrying the race call.
The feeling was rather eery, almost like a flashback to days of yore, and in particular to the famed Seabiscuit/War Admiral match race of 1938, when millions of Americans had huddled around radios to hear the call as the two legends finally faced one another.
Sarava would break many hearts that day, taking advantage of a bad break for War Emblem, and powering away through the stretch to pull off one of the biggest upsets in recent memory. I like to think that this race was the first time my wife displayed hints of becoming a racing fan – and while many hearts may have been broken that day, two more were united, for eternity.
Curlin nails Street Sense at the wire to win the 2007 Preakness
I probably don’t need to go into much detail about this one, as those who read these pages have no doubt heard me relive this moment in full, vivid detail time and again over the past few years. Suffice to say, I’d never been more confident in my life that a horse would win a major race, to the point that I actually became angered whenever an “expert” insisted he’d never be able to win (and in particular I seem to recall listening to great Andy Beyer state that Curlin was “too green” to ever catch Street Sense).
In response to that statement, I pictured Curlin standing behind a fence, like Harry Dean Stanton’s character in the film Red Dawn, imploring any who would listen to “Avenge me! Avenge me!”
From our position along the grandstand, we had a perfect view as he willed his chestnut body into position and made his bid to catch Street Sense. Of all the moments, then till now, I don’t think louder sounds have ever emanated from my body – which is saying something, as I’m a fairly loud dude. That first step he took in pursuit of Street Sense, I’d swear I saw that happen in slow motion, as if from a dream sequence that I’d already seen play out countless times in my subconscious.
To this day, I get chills down my spine watching that replay.
Rachel Alexandra wills herself to the wire in the 2009 Preakness
Another special day, and one filled with yet more personal reasons for being so. As many who read the comments here know, Rachel has sort of become my wife’s version of Curlin. I’ve never seen her display such affection for a horse, and I think this started when she returned home from work just in time to see her romp by 20 lengths in the KY Oaks 2 weeks before.
As the news broke that Rachel was purchased by Jess Jackson, and that she was coming to the Preakness, we danced for joy and knew that we would have a front row seat at history in the making.
Preakness Day 2009 was sort of a down one for us early. My handicapping stunk, we weren’t cashing as many tickets as we usually do, but when Rachel came out of the gate looking to “big girl” the boys from her first step all the way to the wire – it wound up being a day like no other.
I remember fielding phone calls from people who were usually uninterested in horse racing exclaiming things like “oh my god, she (expletive deleted) did it!” In fact, I myself made an expletive laced faux pas in trying to message back a friend, and mistakenly “tweeted” to the universe “she (same expletive deleted) did it! She (again, deleted – those responsible have been sacked) did it!”
Rachel Alexandra parting the clouds and running away with the 2009 Haskell Invitational.
What I’ll always remember, beyond the elation and euphoria of the crowd from the moment “she” arrived, was that the day had been filled with torrential rains, which seemed to subside just in time for Rachel to make her presence. It’s like the clouds knew that they weren’t allowed to rain on her parade. Moments later, she became a Haskell legend.
Along the way we also got to hang out with Belmont champion Summer Bird and his trainer Tim Ice. I’ve got to admit that “the other Bird” is now one of my favorite horses in training…although I’m not quite sure about him racing in Japan. He was also Amy’s Belmont pick, so we have some history with him that we’ll never forget.
Of course, I can’t forget Gary Stute and Papa Clem either, nor the world’s most gracious host, Sophia Mangalee of Monmouth Park. Any other point in time this would likely be our top moment of the year, or perhaps the decade, but 2009 was just so stacked with such moments that I can’t help but feel, well, spoiled.
Zenyatta thundering through the stretch and gunning down Gio Ponti in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
I’ve called this the “moment of the year in a year filled with such moments.” I don’t know how else to describe it. The great denouement to a year already dubbed the “year of the filly.”
The central moment of that entire experience that will always stay with me has to be shortly after Zenyatta was led onto the main track and was making her way to the starting gate. The lead pony left her side for a moment, and Zenyatta, in typical fashion, began to do her dance – only she was doing so at a position in the dead center of the Grandstand. Thousands roared in appreciation. Yours truly, who had thought about abstaining from wagering on the race, BOLTED for the windows after seeing this demonstration, convinced that “nobody on Earth could beat her today.”
I should also note here, in tying things all together, that I wore the same clothes, right down to the socks, for Zenyatta’s Classic as I had for Rachel’s Preakness. Superstitious to a fault, eh? Actually, as you can tell from virtually any photo of me at the track in recent years, I’m not the type of guy that likes to switch things up much. I’ve got that lucky shirt, shorts, hat, socks – and that’s usually my “uniform” for the day.
Getting back to our reflection on the race for a moment, once in the gate, Zenyatta then had to sit there for what seemed like an eternity as Quality Road did his own less enthusiastic dance on the track before being scratched, and then found herself having to run down the greatest turf horse on the continent (Gio Ponti) on a Pro Ride surface largely ridiculed for being “turf impersonating” (or at least favoring turf runners) – including (yes, I’ll admit it) by yours truly.
We all know what happened next. A memory of memories – one that will live with racing fans for decades.
That’s just a small sample of the moments I’ll be giving thanks for as the extended weekend begins. With any luck I’ll be adding to those memories with a victory in the Iron Bowl by my beloved Crimson Tide of Alabama, capping off the end to yet another undefeated regular season.
What about you guys? As the end of 2009 draws near and you sit down to contemplate what we’ve seen over the past decade, which memories stick out to you as the most treasured and revered?
We all know how ferociously the Horse of the Year debate is currently running on the net. In stark contrast to that heaviness, here’s an attempt at a little light hearted humor hoping to bring a few smiles to people’s faces. I originally posted this over on the TVG Community, and am now posting it here as well in the hopes that some might enjoy a break from the actual hardcore debating.
What follows are some badly paraphrased and misquoted phrases from political discourse (okay, and one quote that has nothing to do with political debates, although the film the quote is from did contain scenes surrounding a political campaign and candidate) in recent memory. No one is spared parody; Right, left, conservative, liberal (although we did bypass the independent and 3rd party quotes, so I suppose Libertarians and Green Party voters were technically spared, but I digress).
‘Tis all fair game in love and war (and lame attempts at horse racing related humor)!
By order of the 111th Congress of the United States of America, I have been hereby nominated to moderate a series of debates between Breeders’ Cup Classic champion Zenyatta, and 3-year-old filly sensation Rachel Alexandra concerning the 2009 Horse of the Year campaign.
With the nation divided, the people have a right to know who their Horse of the Year should be.
Let’s join the action live.
Good evening, the first question will go to the filly.
Rachel Alexandra, how do you respond to the allegations that you “ducked” Zenyatta in the Breeders’ Cup Classic?
“You talkin’ to me? You TALKIN’ to me?? You talkin’ to ME??? Well who else are you – you talkin’ to me????”
Yes, we were actually talking to you. The debate has officially started. You know what, fuhgedaboudit, we’ll come back to you in a moment.
Let’s try a question for you, Zenyatta.
How do you respond to suggestions that you enjoyed a significant home field advantage in the Breeders’ Cup?
“I can see Santa Anita from my back yard.”
Interesting. I did not know that. Weird, wild stuff.
Okay, let’s come back to Rachel again for the next question. Hopefully this goes better than before.
Rachel, while your campaign was brilliant, what do you say to those who believe that the Breeders’ Cup Classic is the race that ought to decide the champion?
“That depends on what your definition of “is” is.
Okay…not really sure I understand that answer.
“I did NOT HAVE previous relations with that Pro Ride surface!”
Of course not, although some will offer that you were accomplished over synthetics at Keeneland…
“Read my lips! That is all part of a vast, West Coast conspiracy!”
“Excuse me, If I could just get a word in here edge wise?”
Of course, Zenyatta, we can certainly make time for an undefeated Classic winner. You have 30 seconds to respond to the filly’s statement.
“There is no East Coast domination of horse racing, and there never will be under a Zenyatta administration.”
Wow, emphatic!
Rachel, would you like to respond to that statement?
“Ich bin ein champion!”
Few would disagree with you.
Moving on, the next question goes to Zenyatta.
Some folks have suggested that the campaign of your rival is more significant because she is a mere 3-years-old compared to you. How do you respond to those statements?
“I want you to know also I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit for selfish purposes my opponent’s youth and inexperience.”
“I have as much experience in racing as Curlin did when he ran for Horse of the Year in 2007!”
“With all do respect, I knew Curlin; Curlin was a friend of mine during his stay here for the 2008 Breeders’ Cup. Rachel, you’re no Curlin.”
“There you go again.”
“People have had 2 straight years of Jess Jackson and Steve Asmussen. What they want is change. Change they can believe in. What we need is a uniter, not a divider. Mr and Mrs. Eclipse Award voters – TEAR DOWN THESE WALLS!”
“Oh yeah, well when I look over your races this year, I’m reminded of that ad, ‘Where’s the beef?”
Ladies, ladies, please! Riveting exchange, but let’s get back on track here, shall we?
Oh wait,what’s that? My producers are telling me something.
I’m afraid we’re out of time for the evening and it’s probably best to cut this post short right here.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this mockery of famous political quotes (and one gratuitous and randomly referenced Taxi Driver quote) created as a satire of our current discourse regarding Horse of the Year.
Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.
P.S. Don’t forget to vote in our poll and join the actual debate in our previous post: The Great Debate: 2009 Horse of the Year.
An interesting thing happened in the comments of our post discussing the 2009 Horse of the Year debate. While we went back and forth extolling the virtues and questions about the Breeders’ Cup Classic champion and undefeated mare Zenyatta as opposed to the 3-year-old filly phenom Rachel Alexandra, a suggestion was put forth to consider amending the Eclipse Award voting process.
The idea was one that immediately caught my attention, and has been discussed a bit both here and within the TVG Community forum. In short time it has now attracted the attention of even those within the NTRA, garnering specific mention by CEO Alex Waldrop in his most recentStraight Up blog post.
The suggestion, from regular reader and frequent guest author Mr. Del Mar, was as follows:
“I’d prefer to see something special done for this year’s horse of the year award…how about they have a text vote and online vote from each and every horseplayer or horse racing fan for $1 a vote and the proceeds go to race horse retirement. If we want to argue about nothing… let’s make the byproduct be positive and about something important…more important than a piece of bronze. We as horseplayers are well known for putting our money where our mouth is. Well we never got the race to do just that, but we can do it for horse of the year honors and let the Old Pro (forgotten contenders) profit from our passion.”
Considering the conviction with which so many racing fans are currently arguing the issue of Horse of the Year, this seemed like a no brainer to me. The sport is trying to maintain and build relevancy, as well as to uncover innovative ways to incorporate new and younger fans into the game.
One of the unspoken yet daunting challenges we face is that any fans Zenyatta may have created through her brilliant performance in the Breeders’ Cup Classic will be difficult to maintain given that they won’t be able to see her run again. However, what if they could participate in something like a Horse of the Year selection process? Might that provide an avenue through which to maintain their attention with respect to horse racing? Seems like it might do so. Even for the more established fans, the venerable regulars, aren’t we always complaining that we have no say in things? What a remarkable turnaround something like this could be!
That being said, there are legitimate reasons to be concerned with such a suggestion that are definitely worth discussing. Before getting into all of that, I’ll remind folks that the idea was merely a suggestion, not a finalized proposal that had been thoroughly critiqued and given a chance to evolve through revisions of any sort through a comprehensive analysis or initiative planning process. As anyone who has participated in brainstorming sessions within their own respective lines of business will no doubt be familiar with, one of the more crucial steps in considering fundamental changes to a given process is the generation of new ideas.
During the process of idea generation, it’s often wise not to get too wrapped up in arguing for or against a particular idea, but rather to get it on paper so that it can be further evaluated once other ideas have been similarly generated. Once generated and added to the list of topics to discuss in depth, then and only then should they be championed or opposed. I say this because that’s really where we are right now. We’ve got a suggestion to discuss the merits of and inherent complications/concerns with implementing. It can still be nurtured, altered, and outright amended, but the spirit of the suggestion reads pretty clearly; make the voting process more democratic and inclusive of racing fans, and if possible find some way to benefit retired horses who are often forgotten and need our continued support and generosity the most. Seems fair enough to me.
Looking over the merits of the suggestion, I think allowing fans to have a say in post season awards is actually not that far fetched of an idea. The NTRA/Breeders’ Cup folks already do this with respect to “Moment of the Year” voting – something which admittedly even as passionate a fan as myself has had limited awareness of/participation with. What about other sports? While MVP awards are typically not opened to public voting in the NFL, MLB, and NBA, certainly All-Star (or Pro Bowl) voting is up to the fans – with no concern as to how many times one votes or how much of a collective appreciation for the game as a whole an individual voter may have. Do we wind up with Yankees at every position each year? Well, yes we do – but it’s not like the fans elect a bunch of scrubs (for the most part). I’d say all thing being equal (and given the few quirks in place, such as the MLB’s insistence on having a representative from each team), the All-Star/Pro Bowl voting processes are considered a success.
As for giving everyone an opportunity to vote democratically, I hope the suggestion will not be misinterpreted as some sort of condemnation of those already entrusted with that honor. No doubt they’ve done a fine job over the years in conducting the voting process and selecting the Eclipse Award champions. Rather, think of the suggestion as an opportunity to build upon that and invite more into the process…admittedly many more. We are Americans after all, a people defined by our passion for having a say in how affairs are decided. It’s part of the fabric of our national identity. If we don’t vote on the issue at hand directly, we nominate those whose votes will represent us. I realize of course that the Eclipse Awards are not a “public’ issue to vote on, but there’s nothing set in stone that says that can’t be changed if indeed it would generate more interest and involvement with the sport (not to mention potential publicity).
Still, the element of the suggestion that I find most intriguing is the idea of charging a nominal fee (such as $1) to register to vote, and then using those proceeds to benefit retired race horses through a charitable donation. Who amongst us wouldn’t like to see more done for our (largely) forgotten heroes?
As mentioned earlier, however, there are legitimate concerns that should absolutely be a part of the discussion. Let’s start with the obvious.
Are we really suggesting that everyone would have an equal say in Horse of the Year voting? How could we possibly allow someone who may have just seen their first horse race ever with Zenyatta in the Classic to vote on the year as a whole and have an equal say compared to others with years of experience and more well trained eyes? I know it’s hard to swallow at first, but my answer would be a resounding “Yes!” If we remember that we allow all people in this nation to have a vote in matters of infinitely more important concern, such as Presidential and Congressional elections, then suddenly allowing people to have a say in Horse of the Year voting seems to pale in comparison, doesn’t it? Consider that the average 18-year-old, fresh out of High School, has as much say from an individual voting process in the future direction of the nation as does a combat veteran who has been decorated for multiple tours in a foreign war.
What I’m getting at here is that the right to have a say in things and to have our vote counted and our voices heard is as American as apple pie. It’s been a part of who we are for hundreds of years, and I believe other sports, and indeed other outlets that whether we like or not we do compete for attention with (such as ”reality” television) have already capitalized on this desire far better than we have. I understand the fear in letting the uninformed vote in things, but if it works for electing the leader of the free world, it ought to be acceptable in deciding something as simple as who Horse of the Year should be.
I’ll use myself as an example for the above. Am I a professional? Nope, never been paid a dime for anything I’ve written horse racing related. Do I think my opinion ought to matter just as much as anyone else’s? You bet your you-know-what I do. I was at the Preakness, Haskell, and Classic LIVE and IN PERSON (not to mention the Mother Goose), and I wonder how many of the current voters can say the same? With that in mind, I’d put my opinion right on par with anyone else’s. I’m not saying my opinion is any better or more correct than anyone else’s, but that it’s just as informed (at least in my mind) and as worthy. Doubtless there are numerous others who could say the same.
One other angle to consider with respect to the above is a related concern. I’ve heard folks put forth the logical conclusion that the voting would turn into a popularity contest of sorts. My question in response to this suggestion is whether we know definitively whether this isn’t the case already? I mean on some level, isn’t that inevitable, no matter who votes? Looking over just the comments in response to Alex Waldrup’s post suggests folks are concerned about a perceived bias (real or imagined) in the existing voting contingent based largely on what coast of the country they are more closely associated with.
Further, who exactly is the award “for?” Certainly the horses themselves are unable to understand the designation. It must be for us then, the people. The most obvious and immediate benefactors of the awards are the connections of a given horse. It is they that take pride in winning an award, and it is they who make their way to the podium and bore us into exhaustion with their acceptance speeches (only kidding). There is, however, another group that also cares a whole heckuva lot about the awards; fans. Fans are the ones who make the award matter. We’re the ones who watch the awards show and celebrate when our beloved heroes triumph, and of course threaten defenestrations when our guys (and gals, especially this year) lose. We’re also the ones who will be talking about them years from now as we spout off about the horses that have made us the devotees to horse racing we have become.
“Let the defenestrations commence!”
Thankfully, the suggestion by Mr. Del Mar and the discussion generated in the comments here seems to have caught the attention from some folks in high places. Now that Alex Waldrup has specifically referenced the suggestion in his latest post, it’s time to start talking about whether something like this makes sense for the long term? Admittedly it’s probably too late for 2009, since technically the voting process has already begun, but might something like Mr. Del Mar’s suggestion be worth considering the following year? Might something like this actually spark much needed renewed interest and discussion within our sport?
Personally, I’d like to thank Alex Waldrop, Keith Chamblin, and Fritz Widaman for having the courage to listen to an outside the box proposal and not immediately brush it aside. Even if popular opinion winds up being that the current process is sufficient and needs no alteration, it still feels like a conversation we ought to be having, and they (the folks at the NTRA) deserve to be commended for their open mindedness and the speed with which they acted upon it to include mention in a public blog posting. Far too often it’s easy for us to dismiss those in power as not caring about the voice of the fan or of being totally disconnected from the reality of the situation fans experience. Having met each of these guys individually and spoken at length with them, I can tell you with with absolute certainty that in my estimation such concerns are not at all warranted with respect to these gentlemen. Heck, it was Fritz that I turned to slap high-fives with as Zenyatta crossed the wire in the Classic. My point being that these guys are fans just like you and I, and though they don’t have the power of the centralized authority figures in other sports (NFL, MLB, NBA, etc.), they are certainly great guys to have on your side.
Of course, as Alex mentions, it’s really not within his realm of responsibility to make that kind of change, but I thank him for mentioning it publicly and thereby lending some credibility to the idea. That just might be enough to get the ball rolling. Only time will tell.
I’m curious to know what readers think about the suggestion? I’m not necessarily looking for a definitive opinion here, although doubtless there will be many and they are certainly welcomed if already concluded. What I’m really after is whether you believe, like me, this is something we ought to be talking about for 2010? Would you have any additional suggestions or concerns that should be brought up, if indeed the discussion moves forward?
No sooner had the synthetic dust settled in the wake of Zenyatta’s dominating performance in the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita then the flame igniting the “Horse of the Year” debate was rekindled anew. At question is how to properly award the top honor in U.S. racing when considering the miraculous campaigns of both Zenyatta and the 3-year-old filly sensation Rachel Alexandra.
At this point in time, It’s become a question I’d really rather not address at all if it were not on the lips of nearly all I’ve spoken with these past few days. My personal feeling being that this is still Zenyatta’s moment and that at least one full week should pass before we begin doing what horseplayers do – arguing incessantly with one another over our respective levels of insanity. One can barely get so much as a word in about the Classic right now though without the issue coming up rather directly. Emotions seem to be running high on both sides of the isle as the immediacy of a supreme moment still actively courses through the furiously beating hearts of racing fans the world over.
In many ways, the pendulum seems to have swung almost completely. Where once Rachel was considered (including by yours truly) a mortal lock to have already captured the honor as Horse of the Year by virtue of (most notably) her Preakness, Haskell, and Woodward victories, a new wind has begun to blow. The much whispered “backlash” against team Rachel for having not attended the Breeders’ Cup had been one element of this change. The true spark, however, is a bit more noble in nature and seems to stem from a desire to ensure that Zenyatta is properly awarded for the undefeated career she has blessed us with.
As early as Saturday night, the battle lines were already being drawn. Attending a post-Classic dinner with folks from the TVG Community(the organizers for which I owe a great deal of thanks to for a wonderful weekend, along with those at both the NTRA and the Breeders’ Cup), I was asked for my opinion, and admittedly I balked a bit – attempting to play the classical Switzerland “neutrality defense.” Like many a smaller European nation state in the opening half the 20th century, I ultimately found myself being drawn, however unwittingly, into the great conflagration.
Not to be confused with the famous "French defense" in chess, the "Switzerland neutrality posture" in the great 2009 Horse of the Year debate is ultimately indefensible.
At the end of the day, I suppose someone does have to win the award, right?
So whom do we chose?
As much as I’ve tried to play the Switzerland defense, it’s probably rightly noted that I’m an ever-so-slightly bigger fan of Rachel Alexandra than I am of Zenyatta. I think that’s a fair assessment of my own emotional makeup. That’s not to say I don’t love Zenyatta with all my heart – always have and always will – but my record of pro-Rachel Alexandra coverage is something I cannot deny being consciously aware of.
That being said, I’ve loved Zenyatta since I spotted her profile prior to her maiden debut, noting “hey, that’s the same connections as Giacomo – I might take a shot with this girl!” In time she became my “slow cheetah” – a name and a song that will forever have a special meaning to me.
I care about these two fillies so deeply that I consider it the honor of a lifetime to have been there for the finer moments of each one’s 2009 campaign; Rachel in the Preakness and the Haskell, and Zenyatta in the Classic.
Much like I had been calling for a dead heat had the two ever locked horns on the track, I find myself utterly divided over who I would select as Horse of the Year. I suppose to extract a full answer from me, one might have to subject me to brutal interrogation, straight out of the famed Russian Roulette scene in The Deer Hunter. Tying me to a chair, constantly slapping my face whilst shouting “Mao!” and demanding that I make a selection. I believe what follows is what my ultimate decision would be under such duress (apart from arising from said chair and declaring “3 bullets!!! We play with 3 bullets!” in classical De Niro fashion):
Rachel Alexandra for 3-year-old filly champion
Zenyatta for Horse of the Year
Mao! Robert De Niro in the famous Russian Roulette scene from The Deer Hunter
Truth be told, I actually do believe that Rachel Alexandra had the superior overall year (with “overall” being the operative term), however Zenyatta clearly won the superior race.
Rachel’s year had more than one signature moment. She was the first filly in 85 years to win the Preakness. She was the 2nd filly in 42 years to win the Haskell. She nearly broke the track record in the Mother Goose, coming close to the exploits of Secretariat at the same distance. Then, of course, she became the first 3-year-old filly to defeat older males in a stakes race of more than a mile on dirt since the inception of graded stakes in the U.S.
Zenyatta’s overall campaign for 2009 was a bit less heralded – until her triumph in the Classic that is. I doubt strongly that anyone will think back to her earlier races in the year and point to them as having been signature – but she did remain undefeated, even when carrying ridiculous amounts of weight and when it seemed to all observing that her undefeated record was in it’s greatest peril at the hands of Anaaba’s Creation. Somehow, someway, she ALWAYS found a way to win.
So if Rachel’s campaign is the one I believe to be more accomplished, why make Zenyatta Horse of the Year?
Because at some level, even if it has not historically been the case, the Breeders’ Cup Classic should be the deciding moment. The quintessential test of an overall champion. Moreover, the career that Zenyatta rewarded us with is one that is deserving of top honors. And it’s not like she didn’t race in 2009. She just didn’t race a whole heckuva a lot of times, nor did she put herself in tremendously challenging positions where victory was assumed to be anything other than a foregone conclusion until her date with destiny in the Classic.
I know that technically it isn’t right to attach emotional sentiment to that which she accomplished in 2008 and then factor that into the equation, but how can one not help but do so? In all likelihood she left us with her career defining performance on the sports biggest stage (at least the biggest stage for true fans of racing, as opposed to the Warhol-esque 2 minutes of national attention associated with the annual running of the Kentucky Derby) – a perfect story book ending to a career that will from henceforth be the measuring stick for all older fillies and mares that attempt to follow in her hoofsteps.
Likewise, Rachel Alexandra will go down as the new barometer by which all subsequent 3-year-old fillies will be compared. Make no mistake about it, we’ll still invoke memories of Ruffian as well, who will continue to be the greatest of the great fillies, but my sense of things is that Rachel’s ability to both win a 3-year-old Classic (the Preakness) and then follow that up with repeat performances over 3-year-old males in the Haskell and then older males in the Woodward will cement her legacy for years (if not decades) to come.
The mere fact that Rachel is sometimes mentioned in the same breath as Ruffian speaks volumes for how lofty her star has risen. Just a year ago you probably would’ve been diagnosed as certifiably mad if you dared to publicly compare any filly to Ruffian. Now people do so without batting an eye. I’ve refrained from making any direct comparisons myself, as I think it wise to the let the historical greats stand alone, and if nothing else become larger than the legends they were in their own time rather than replaced by newcomers and diminished in legend, but certainly folks reading this have at least heard those comparisons elsewhere and know what I’m referring to. The point being not whether they are warranted or not, but merely an acknowledgement that such comparisons do exist.
For Rachel, there will be a 2010, and a chance to show she is capable of winning a Breeders’ Cup Classic of her own. For Zenyatta, the Classic was in all likelihood her swan song.
What better way to send off a legend than to allow their final chapter to be an ultimate achievement? It just feels like the right thing to do.
As much as I love them both and am torn asunder in attempting to make a definitive statement one way or the other – I think the right thing to do is to send Zenyatta off to retirement as the 2009 Horse of the Year. After all, she started the year as the top older female in racing, and nobody was able to defeat her. Looking at things that way, and reducing the equation to it’s most simplistic component, it’s a bit hard to justify knocking her from her lofty perch – doubly so in the immediate aftermath of her finest hour.
And you know what? At the end of the day it’s really just a silly award. What these two ladies accomplished on the track will be remembered for years regardless of whether an additional trophy is added to their respective cases.
Respect for each of them has been EARNED on the track, not GIVEN at some awards ceremony.
That’s how I see things at least. What say you? Who do you think ought to receive the Eclipse Award for 2009 Horse of the Year?
The moment Zenyatta crossed the wire and became the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic champion, things went hazy. I vaguely remember searching for people to hug, slapping high fives with everyone around, and letting loose a series of ”rebel yell” style roars that any native Alabamian would be proud of. Once that subsided, I began pondering whether everything we’d witnessed both in the immediacy of the Breeders’ Cup and from the entire year in general could possibly have been real, or if I was about to awake from some deep, REM filled dream? It seems so unimaginably unthinkable that one calendar year could have presented us with such unprecedented historical significance as to have rendered the completely opposite emotions experienced just 17 months ago an almost perfect contrast. And, of course, the ending was capped off in perfect story book fashion.
Close your eyes for one moment (albeit a brief one), and remember that awful, devastating, seemingly unconquerable feeling of grief and agony that cast a pall over all of racing following the 2008 Kentucky Derby. Now contrast that memory with the euphoria and outright elation experienced many times over this year as racing’s dream girls Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra conquered races and dominated the headlines of the sport in a manner never before seen, nor likely ever thought imaginable.
The “Year of the Filly” it most certainly was – and for racing it could not have come at a more opportune time. A veritable 180° turnaround. A phoenix rising from it’s own ashes. A reconstitution of passion, pride, belief, and affection. A reaffirmation of all that can and should be good about the sport we love.
Looking back to the previous year, I recall being plagued following the death of Eight Belles with the thought “where do we possibly go from here?”The obvious follow-up to that question that was even more painful to consider being once we figured out “where” we would go, having to determine “how” we might go about getting there? It seemed a mountain that we might never be able to climb. A hole we might never dig ourselves from. After all, the sport was not exactly in a position of strength from which to deal with such a tragedy, especially having had the same type of nightmare play itself out in 2006 with Barbaro; again while the entire world watched in shock. It was doom and gloom; misery and pain; agony and heartache.
As if on queue, the sports two biggest stars of 2008, Curlin and Big Brown, were defeated in their biggest moments of the season; Curlin failing to sustain his trademarked “giant strides” as Raven’s Pass and Henrythenavigator surged past him in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and Big Brown being pulled up in the stretch of the 2008 Belmontand denied his quest for Triple Crown glory. The collective mood was rather somber. One could find themselves asking not what the morrow might bring, but rather cynically ”what could possibly go wrong next?”
Thankfully, as the old axiom holds, time heals all wounds. Tomorrow, no matter how high or low the previous day may have been, is always another day.
The horse racing gods seemingly took mercy upon us and decided to give fans a little something special for their troubles to help ease the pain. At least that’s how I like to imagine it. Something we couldn’t have possibly conceived we would be blessed enough to behold was about to unfold in 2009, although it’s seeds were first sewn in 2008. As our eyes were largely focused elsewhere, a massive and lightly raced 4-year-old filly based in California was beginning to hit her stride, turning heads and causing people the world over to take notice. Out in Kentucky, a 2-year-old filly with a unique blaze would break her maiden within a month of the Eight Belles tragedy at a rather nondescript 12/1 price on the tote board. It’s hard to imagine that anyone realized what might lay ahead as these two began to lay the foundations for what would become two of the more memorable rides through North American thoroughbred racing history in recent memory.
By the time Zenyatta was being crowned 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic champion, the “Year of the Filly” had become the dominant story in racing for the better part of the year. Zenyatta becoming he first mare in history to win the Classic, finishing with a remarkable perfect record for her career. Meanwhile, the 3-year-old sensation Rachel Alexandra had achieved the distinction of being mentioned in the same breath as the legendary Ruffian by becoming the first filly in 8 decades to win the Preakness, the 2nd filly in 4 decades to win the Haskell, and the 1st 3-year-old filly to defeat older males on a dirt route race in New York since Lady Primrose in the 1887 Manhattan Hand.
Horse racing prints commemorating Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta from artist Fred Stone: http://www.fredstone.com
On a more personal level, the year was indescribably magical. Somehow I managed to be lucky enough to witness Rachel Alexandra’s victories against boys in the Preakness and Haskell as well as Zenyatta’s victory in the Classic LIVE. Talk about the Trifecta of a lifetime, eh? And that doesn’t even count the experience I shared with my wife on her birthday at Belmont as Rachel sped her way to a near track record in the Mother Goose.
For a guy who had always assumed he was born about 3 decades too late to experience historically relevant moments in the annals of horse racing, 2009 has been a veritable feast of unprecedentia (note: I’m fairly certain I’ve just invented that word, but it sounds fitting enough to keep). In fact, the year as a whole has been a reaffirmation of everything that is great about the sport – even with the obvious remaining imperfections.
Searching through my mind for a fitting quote from the ether of the past, I was struck by a question that begins the memoirs from Private Sam Watkinsof Company “Aytch” (H), 1st Tennessee Volunteers as he began to reflect in his middle ages about the experiences he had bore witness to in the Civil War as young man. Watkins had fought in nearly every major battle in the “Western” theater of the war from 1861 – 1865 and had somehow survived relatively unscathed. He had felt the sting of defeat, the rush of victory, the agony associated with the loss of loved ones, the salvation of ultimate survival and the experience of fatherhood that was denied so many of his generation, as well as the struggle to put into terms for others what had happened in his life.
“Were these things real…or are they but the vagaries of mine own imagination?”
Much like Watkins, I struggle with whether all that which I have seen has really happened, or been the figments of some fantastical dream. That somehow this has been too good to be true. That we couldn’t possibly be lucky enough to have witnessed all that we have seen in so short a period of time. The immenseness of it all being almost beyond comprehension.
To the tune of the full quote that was much abbreviated above from Sam Watkins:
Did my wife and I really have the honor of watching Rachel Alexandra become the first filly in 8 decades to win the Preakness at Pimlico? Did I shake with excitement, nearly yelling myself into cardiac arrest as she willed herself through the stretch? Had we shed mutual tears of joy and embraced anyone we could find in the shadows of the old clubhouse at Pimlico where so many of the all-time great 3-year-olds had stood over the years?
Were we really bestowed with the honor of being inside the paddock to see Rachel off to post in the Haskell at Monmouth Park? Had I truly been able to stand with my 5-year-old son and marvel at the majestic beauty before us moments away from her becoming “a Haskell legend?”
Did I watch as my beloved Zenyatta, forever my “Slow Cheetah”, paused in front of the Grandstand to “paw” at and “dance” upon the Santa Anita Pro Ride to the delightful roar of the crowd as she went to post in the Classic? Had I sprung to life in unison with nearly 60,000 other fans as she made her bid for greatness in the stretch? Had I celebrated with friends and strangers alike, faces flushed with joy, hearts spilling with the pride of parenthood and the innocent joy of childhood? Had I led my hotel shuttle from the park in a rousing rendition of “how ’bout that Zenyatta?!?!?!” as we left Santa Anita that magical day?
Surely this must be a dream. To call 2009 the “Year of the Filly” does not give the year proper justice. It was more than that – perhaps a year for all time. A year that we will no doubt struggle to explain as the grandchildren sit on our knees many years from now and inquire why grandpa is so continually fascinated by this peculiar (from their vantage point at least) sport.
“Gather ’round, kids”, we’ll say, “let your grandpa tell you the story of the Year of the Filly way back in two thousand and nine.”
We’ll then reach for some dusty box of treasured keepsakes and begin to remove the momentos we’ve managed to keep (for me this would most likely be my $2 win tickets from the Preakness and Classic).
“Awe, man….do we have to hear that one again, Grandpa?” they will ask (children being honest to a fault at times).
If there’s enough magic remaining for us in this life, we just might be lucky enough to have one grandchild that “gets it” when we talk about horse racing.
“Shhhhhh!” that child might say. “Let him tell the story again. I want to hear about Zenyatta and Rachel.”
Yup, it’s been that kind of year. Treasure it, my friends. These kinds of years only come around once in a lifetime.
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