For the 9 millionth time, what she has done this year has no bearing on who won the award last year.

I don't get this whole argument that because Rachel lost this year, she didn't deserve horse of the year last year. That's like saying Kobe Bryant or LeBron James or any other annual award winner doesn't deserve a 2009 award because their 2010 season wasn't as good as the 2009 version. Do the Eclipse awards measure a single racing season or are they for career achievement?

My apologies in advance for my part in furthering this awful, miserable conversation.

I agree, the only thing that this year does is make it definitive who is the better race horse.

That argument is fine. The argument that Zenyatta's 2009 was superior to the season Rachel Alexandra is also fine. However, Zenyatta backers, i.e. Jay Hovdey, LLC - lose points when they claim foul on the 2009 Eclipse because of 2010 results.

The Eclispe Award for HOY was close, for the upteenth time I for one was okay with last year's decision. As long as the definition is who had the better overall year and not who was/is the better horse. I think this is what SmoothOperator was attempting to articulate.

I wouldn't be so hard on Zenyatta. She hasn't been that bad this year. It's not too late for her to prove the better of the two. Hopefully she will be given the chance.

Even you can't seriously believe that is at all what Mr. Operator was trying to articulate.

I read his post again and a third time and I don't see anything unfactual about it, however I am not really here to discuss another poster.

I've always kind of wondered why you were here. Cross "to discuss another poster" off that list.

Obviously I enjoy this part the part of the discussion, especially when it comes to Rachel getting out of the Gr.2 ranks this year.

Danzig … how much does it cost to rent your "space" for a few months?


Would like you to insert the following information:


RA was overrated and overhyped by Andy Beyer and other members of the media in 2009.

If she was this extraordinary superstar filly … as they claimed … she wouldn't have bailed on a $5 million race in April 2010 … and she wouldn't be 0 for 2 so far this season.




Thanks…

It must be really depressing to be a diehard Zenyatta fan to the point where you can't appreciate the mare on her own and every discussion had about the horse you love can only happen by disparaging another horse.

It has to be a really pitiful feeling to know that you can't even love a horse without having to use another one in reference to her all the time.

Stack that on top of all those sour grapes from January and it's got to be a really dark place.

His short bus has limo tint.

Who cares?

I also read quite a bit of his work when I first got into the game. I respect him for what he did and for continuing to write insightfully about the game. But I don't presently respect his opinion nor his position regarding change. His trip handicapping is average, at best; and he was FORCED, finally, to admit that his synthetic figures were, basically, USELESS, by having to ad hoc TWEAK THEM. Before doing so, however, he (and his crew) felt the need to trash POLY horses -- it wasn't his figures but the horses. All of a sudden, BEYERITES became the defenders of DIRT. This would be fine if it wasn't so self serving. In the meantime, with so many POLY horses crossing over and beating DIRT horses on their surface, and his poor opinion of Z, he's on the brink of getting exposed.

BEYER == DIRT DEFENDER

:tro:

i doubt you can afford the fee.


rachel was a phenom in '09. not sure why you think last years accolades have anything to do with this year. but then, that question has been posed to you 347 different ways, and you haven't answered it yet.

but the funniest part of all this, is how you continue to say 'ra' bailed...it's ra this, ra that. as tho she's making the calls!

So why would did you expect Rachel to run in the Classic last year after her historic campaign?

UMMMMMMMMMM

Since her CADDY already beat RA this year and RA was in the barn when it came time to meet, most would REASONABLY conclude that Z is PRESENTLY the better of the two. You seem to keep forgetting that.:rolleyes: Is DaHoss coaching you?

zenyatta has two wins, rachel two seconds. the 'caddy' did poorly last out, from what i recall.

what those facts and stats have to do with which would beat the other i don't know. rachel ran/won twice as often last year, i guess she was twice as good as zenyatta because of that??

He still thinks it is 2009. His 2010 Santa Anita calendar hasn't been delivered yet.

shipping over the rockies has some downfalls

Alright, I'll give it a rest (before SB boots my azz out of here).


Just one final question for the RA fans:


Will she actually win a race before we reach the halfway point in the season????? :D

The Zenyatta halfway point, i.e., sometime in mid-September, or the actual halfway point of the calendar year?

Brian, Considering all the posts we could dig up last year after the Woodward including some that I am sure belong to you, I think Zenyatta fans are behaving quite admirally this year.

Maybe it's more corporally?

NT

Hell YES!!!!

Just as soon as they get the jock, exercise rider, and equipment issues straightened out. And, it's not her fault she keeps running into FAST horses. I mean, it's not like she'd have had any trouble with that SLOW Zenyatta.:rolleyes: Blame the connections for not running her in the AB. She would've GALLOPED, as slow as they ran.:rolleyes:

This is a very interesting post...I'll say this atleast not all at DRF do not recognize how special a talent Zenyatta is. Ie. Steve Crist

In the middle of a HOY battle, yes, certainly the two would need to be discussed in reference to one another. You're not going to shock anyone by digging up posts.

It's the fact that five months into 2010, Zenyatta fans apparently aren't confident enough with her record and performances standing on their own merits, because they are never able to discuss her without trashing Rachel. If the only way you can build up Zenyatta is by trashing Rachel, then she's not as special as you claim she is, because otherwise you'd be able to let her body of work speak for itself.

And you have certainly not proven capable of doing that. Oh well.

Steve has never booted anyone since I've been posting here for expressing a reasonable opinion. That we can all be sure of. :tro: In Byk we trust...

I miss Drugs, well not really...maybe he would but that would only be a last resort for me.

As soon as DrugS comes back, and once they get settled over at PID (I don't have the time to do all the charts for last year's meet), I was going to engage him in some plays there. You're more than welcome to join us. I invited Nick but he was too busy trying to figure out why Z's connections were taking such a conservative path WHILE, nonetheless, acknowledging that he thought she was a very nice mare, to join us. Hopefully, being my 2nd choice won't stand in your way. :rolleyes:

I appreciate the offer, however I know my limitations. PID is not a track I am heavily going to invest time on researching to put out my best effort forward. In addition I would have too much fun watching you and Drugs engage in an ol fashion handicapping contest to inject myself into the equation. However I will certainly try the Spa contest as having prematurely blown my loads too early there last yr to hopefully make ammends this year. Perhaps this venue is more appropiate? Though with me I as with you, I especially like to play turf and synth races. Maybe those should be possibilities down the line.

I had to revisit this post.

i wish you hadn't.
i dont understand why.
i need to get in the shower, else
i will be late to work.
i hope you have a great day.

Of course YOU did.