Originally Posted by 2Hot4TV (Post 656361)

I beleive thier sole purpose for bring Zenyatta out of retirement was to track down and beat the HOY, then Zardena did it for them.

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell (Post 656321)

J Sheriffs

Originally Posted by CSC (Post 656516)

When the year is over she will have flown over the Rockies 2-3 more times than Quality Road or Rachel has this year, that's the reality of it.

Originally Posted by CSC (Post 656516)

When the year is over she will have flown over the Rockies 2-3 more times than Quality Road or Rachel has this year, that's the reality of it.

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi (Post 656522)

Hah! Awesome.

So instead of recognizing the absurdity of the Rockies excuse, you choose to embrace it, as though it is an actual marker of greatness for a horse's yearly campaign?

Do you think they'll attempt to break the Donner Party's trans-Rockies record? I doubt it, but maybe I'll have to eat my heart out if she shows up out of town before the BC.

Oh, and don't forget the air quality in the greater Los Angeles area. That's gotta be a real life-drainer.

Forget Grade 1 races, Zenyatta's proving she's great just by standing in her stall.

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie (Post 656113)

Of all the monumentally stupid things Zenyattards say, this thing about being a six year old, to me, is easily the most asinine.

Firstly, that 2yo campaign Zenyatta had, I assure you, took nothing out of her. She ran a whole whopping ZERO times at 2.

She did, however, have a far more taxing race schedule as a 3yo. After spending nearly the first eleven months of her 3yo season not racing, she finally makes her debut on Nov. 22 of her 3yo season, then actually made a second start to close out a truly grueling 3yo campaign.

So, in effect, this is really only her third season of racing. Same as RA.

In case the obvious has eluded you, that means that by the time in RA's career that she had locked up the HOY trophy, Zenyatta, was still an unraced prospect, in her own respective career.

Originally Posted by Smooth Operator (Post 656532)

What do you think this is, moron, some pseudo-sport like golf or bowling where old fat guys can still compete with younger dudes on a given day?

All of these equine athletes will eventually lose a step or two if they hang around long enough … especially if they're past the age of five.

Pleasantly Perfect was another high-quality relatively lightly raced animal. Do you believe he was as fast in the latter part of his 6yo campaign as he was as a 5yo?

Originally Posted by NTamm1215 (Post 656525)

Just to be fair, Tim Wilkin wrote in his blog yesterday that the Hirsch might not necessarily be their first choice for Zenyatta.

http://blog.timesunion.com/horseraci...rk-maybe/4694/

NT

Originally Posted by Smooth Operator (Post 656545)

Pretty sure that comparing PP's figures from '03 to those earned in his races leading up to the '04 BC will tell a different story, geniuses…

Originally Posted by NTamm1215 (Post 656533)

Pleasantly Perfect was a bad example.

NT

Originally Posted by Smooth Operator (Post 656545)

Pretty sure that comparing PP's figures from '03 to those earned in his races leading up to the '04 BC will tell a different story, geniuses…

Originally Posted by Port Conway Lane (Post 656345)

I don't disagree with any of what you said above. I wasn't trying to make excuses for their choice of schedule,I was only pointing out the reality of the situation. She is their horse and they have no obligation to anyone to run her against males or to ship her anywhere they feel would not be in the best interest of their long term goal.

If she stays healthy and continues the easy pickins schedule she will give it one shot at Churchill Downs in November,on dirt, and against males. If she does not win HOY shame on them.

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi (Post 656536)

Sounds like more teeter-tottering to me, probably the result of quick backlash for the carbon copy gutless SoCal distaff campaigns of '08 and '09.

Note in the Hirsch 3-peat article in the DRF, Shirreffs was already on the defensive, as he was apparently called out for pointing for that race next even though he's been an outspoken critic of the Del Mar racing surface since the installation of Polytrack there:

"I said I didn't want to train at Del Mar," he said. "There is a difference."

He's just covering his ass as far as HOY goes. Announcing the Hirsch probable start even before they run the Vanity (which was supposed to be the Stephen Foster back in early May---more teeter-totter) had to have marginalized Team Zenyatta with more than a few Eclipse voters.

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie (Post 656547)

Actually, it was the perfect example.

Smooth Operator consistently proves himself inept.