Monday, November 30, 2009

Horse Of The Year

Who do you think the Horse of the Year Award should go to?
Zenyatta
Rachael Alexandra
both
other horse
pollcode.com free polls

Here are the 2009 Zenyatta and Rachael Alexandra races to refresh your memory. Please vote and give your reasons in the comments section.

5 comments:

Kara said...

This is hard because having just come off the thrill of the Classic, Zenyatta is my pick. She is undefeated and has now beat the top males (3 and up) effortlessly. Rachael should definitely be 3 year old champion of the year, if there is such an award. Her Preakness and Woodward wins are pretty awesome, too, though. I just don't know how they'll pick. Pretty amazing that Horse of the Year is coming down to two females!

Melanie said...

Girls are better.

Melanie said...

Oh, Zenyatta is a broad, too?

Nora said...

Funny, Mel....

My choice would be Zenyatta or a tie. I think Rachael had a tougher campaign and accomplished more at a younger age than Zenyatta, but I can't bet against a horse who no one could ever beat. Really, isn't that what a champion is? A horse who has never been defeated?

TBStables said...

This is about Horse of the Year, not Race of the Year.

Yes Zeyatta's win in the Classic IS the Race of the Year, but when you match up head to head for the ENTIRE year, the races between these two great race horses, Rachael accomplished far more. She deserves to be Horse of the Year.

Both were undefeated. Rachael 8 for 8. Zenyatta 5 for 5

But Rachael made greater history in her wins.

Yes, Zenyatta was the first female to win the BC Classic, but this race has only been around 25 years. And what people seem to forget is that by the time this race rolls around late in the year, a number of the best horses have already dropped out either retired or sidelined due to injury, etc.

Rachael became the first filly to win the Preakness since 1924, and she managed to hold off the Derby winner, Mine That Bird who was at the top of his game at that time. Rachael also won out of the 13th post, a first in the races history as well.

Rachael also became the first filly in 56 runnings of the Woodward to beat the boys, and she did it as a 3yo. She even ran the race a whole second faster than 2008 Horse of the Year, Curlin.

Lets not forget about her Haskell win, the third fastest(1:47.21) running in its history only behind Bet Twice(1987) and Majestic Light(1976) who both clocked in at 1:47 flat.

Her other wins?
The Kentucky Oaks(Inaugurated in 1875) - Largest winning margin ever and hadnt even been asked. Only 1/5th off the stakes record.

Mother Goose(Inaugurated in 1957) -Broke the stakes record under wraps

Martha Washington - Set new stakes record, 8 length winner under wraps.

Fantasy Stakes - 9 length winner u

Unfortunately, for Zenyatta, she should have been HotY last year as she wrapped up an undefeated 9 for 9 season with a win in the Breeders Cup Ladies.

I just dont understand why anyone would choose any horse other than Rachael Alexandra after what she's done in 2009.

That's my opinion and im sticking to it. :)