Blame saved the historic integrity of the sport
 

We can now finally put the rest the ridiculous notion that Zenyatta is the greatest American-raced thoroughbred ever.

There was a lot of hyperbole being thrown around. Her connections denied her the chance to prove her greatness by emphasizing the 'wins in a row', when she wasn't facing the toughest competition. They gambled a repeat win in the Classic would overshadow a year of bloodless races and they lost.

Somehow Moss and Bailey still came away with the impression that she's easily the best female racehorse of all time. Even if she had run last they would've found a way to bestow some other completely undeserved crown on her head.

It's unfair to her. She's a fantastic racehorse. She's not the best anything of all-time. That's nothing to be ashamed of.

Hate more

Uncle Mo saved the history and integrity of the sport.

I think Dakota Phone did.
Or did that race fall apart too?

Blame won a horse race today. Nothing more, nothing less. He saved the integrity of nothing. He beat the best synthetics race horse of all time who is also a very good dirt race horse as she pretty much proved today.

Personally I think she's just as good a race horse at 19 for 20 with this head loss as she would be if she were 20 for 20 with a head win today.

Last year was only because she ran on her home track as the nay sayers bombarded everyone with. She ran on blame's home track today and very nearly won it. She didn't. Blame should be HOY despite the lamentations of Shirrefs as she didn't run any other big dirt races or the Pacific Classic or HGC at home. She had a much better case last year than this year, so I just hope no one caves and votes her HOY. Historically, I think she stands up ok.

:tro: Well Said!!

Moss said it 3x, at least. Shes the best female racehorse EVER.

They went 22 and change and 44 and change ... Rosario taking Dakota Phone 13 lengths off of that pace - and having him positioned six full lengths behind the next to last horse ... that helped him.

i agree on all points.

you seriously wouldn't call her the best synthetics horse of all time?? who would take that honor if not her? Granted it's a silly thing and meaningless, but seriously.

:rolleyes: go with your last thought.

Do you have the ability to answer my question you smarter man than me. (I'm a cancer patient, don't go your hero on me!)

Yes, she's the best synthetic horse ever. No, no one should care about that.

Did someone just ask if the dirt mile fell apart? It doesn't take Andy Serling to figure out that when horses go the same time for a half that one typically sees going one turn at CT that it might help those running off the pace.

Morning Line ran huge in that race. Look out next year, might be the class of the East Coast handicap division.

:baby:

I wish i could just go by numbers too. Colors preferably.

I wished they had tried her on turf at least once.

He saved the Cup from being a total joke this year.

Did you not follow the media coverage? Over a few short months, Zenyatta went from being the greatest distaffer ever to one of the all-time greats. Her supporters hung their hats on her unbeaten record. It has nothing to do with Blame's relative merits. Rinterval and Switch could have done the same thing if they had held off Zenyatta.

Ummm....aren't you forgetting a certain three-year-old from 2009?

Give her just credit! You haters comon man!
 

Ok this is getting crazy! Blame saved the sport are you kidding me! Why such hate? You don't think she was good for horse racing in general? Did you hear the crowd roar when they saw her! She was so far back and was flying to barely miss at the wire! Give zenyatta her just due. 19 for 20 on any surface is awesome. She is what makes horse racing great. So quit hating and realize she is good for the sport. Also don't get me started about morning line. I was yelling wheres the wire instead boom went my pic 3 and 4 and not to mention my win ticket! I love fly down missed barely in travers and looking forward to him racing next year. Maybe next year zito will have some luck! Great breeders cup!:rolleyes:

Sparky, let me ask you something. Do you think the pace flattered her running style?

I really don't like to follow the media. I didn't watch the races live yesterday or today as I was busy. I watched all the replays this evening. I knew the result of the Classic when I watched it and the first time past the wire Zenyatta looked like she was Life At Tening it. I thought it was a really good performance by her. Her loss saved the sport nothing. Her win had it been that saved the sport nothing. The horse can't pick her races. She runs where she is put and she consistently runs her race.

It was a horse race. It had nothing to do with integrity of anything. I guess she had to prove something to someone. To some this proves she can't run a good race on dirt because it was a horrid pace melt down and she still couldn't win. I find it hilarious that people arguing her 19 for 19 was meaningless...the same people will now argue that a nose loss in the Breeders Cup saves the integrity of the sport as you can't say she's 20 for 20. To be perfectly honest, we have seen nothing like this. Yeah, we can make fun of her connections and Shirreffs as much as we want, and their dodging of races the last two years, but when was the last time a mare ran in two straight BC Classics?? When is the last time a mare ran 1st in the BC Classic?? When is the last time a mare ran 2nd in the BC Classic? According to everyone, I guess those times don't count as it was synthetics one time and a tragic pace melt down the second time on dirt so you just throw out the 1st and 2nd that this certain mare ran.

It's remarkable what I read. I refrain from participating in the racing section because of threads like this and I don't have the time or energy to desire to be abused. I'll post in the sporty parts for no apparent reason as being abused their doesn't bother me too much.

Zenyatta is a tremendously talented race horse and always has been. And that pretty much is all it is. Why that fact creates such vitriol is amusing. The integrity of the sport has been saved I guess because she is now only the second best BC Classic horse of all time rather than tied for first best with Tiznow. Is that the integrity that was saved?? She is now tied with Alysheba for second best BC Classic horse of all time. Is that what saved integrity?? Fine, we can waste time on the wussdom of Shirreffs as I have and the Mosses by not branching out this year but she's great and the last two first Saturday's in November she was either the best or second best synthetic or dirt route horse in America. That's all it is. NOthing more.

Who you calling sparky! What about the fact that she came 6 wide and almost caught him. Why the hate you don't think she is good for horse racing! Comon man! lol By the way i liked blame and had the tri! But would have loved to see her win and hope she come back so you people can go on hating an amazing athlete. By the way she beat up ginger punch on the dirt so don't give me that crap about being a synthetic horse. Just think one more head bob and she wins and you would all still be bashing her! lol:D

It's sad that Zenyatta's fans and connections have forced many of us to dislike her and root against her. She's a very good horse. . . I just wish I could have enjoyed her races more.

Stick to the sports threads. The vitriol is because people want to call her the greatest horse of all time or some other nonsense. She's not. There is nothing wrong with that. But, she's not, so that is what people are objecting to.

All you had to do is cheer for. It reminds me of sea biscuit. Great book and another horse from the west that east hated! Answer my question if she doesn't go 6 wide you can't tell me she doesn't win! Maybe mike smith is to blame not blame! lol:D

She didn't run the better race today. She was much farther away from a pace that collapsed and Blame dug in to beat her. Obviously, that doesn't mean she ran a bad race at all. It does blow up a few of the ridiculous characteristics her fans bestowed upon her, though.

I really wish "Zenyatta's fans" wasn't used so broadly as to include every last one of them.

She had a great trip and got beat by a better horse today. I cheer for the horse I bet on.

She had every chance to beat Blame with 200 yards to go. She couldn't do it because he was better today. End of story. On a side not, Blame must be the greatest horse ever. ;)

I disagree. I think Blame had the better trip. I don't think Zenyatta had a horrible trip. She had an ok trip for a dead-last come-from-behinder in a 12 horse field. But as I said before, a horse with her running style can't expect to always get a perfect trip in a big field. She was forced to tap on the brakes turning for home and I think that cost her the race. If she was much the best, she could have overcome it but she was not much the best. Blame is a really good horse and you can't give him any type of edge or he will beat you. I do give Blame credit for digging down deep when he saw her coming. She looked like she had him at the 1/16th pole but when he saw her coming he made one final surge and that was the difference.

You know what man, you bring up something that makes me realize just how epic Blame is.

He deserves HOY and entry into the Hall of Fame for all he did for racing history today.

You know, kinda like how Zenyatta is the best horse ever because all of what she's done for racing.

19 of 20?

To me, that makes her no better than Peppers Pride, who checked out a perfect 19 for 19.

I don't even know how you can think Z is in the same league as PP.

Blame > Zenyatta

"Zenyatta beat one of the greatest fields — all boys — ever assembled last year in the Classic. . . Zenyatta will win the Classic by daylight." Joe Drape, New York Times.

http://therail.blogs.nytimes.com/201...-breeders-cup/

Talk is cheap on the 'net.

Would love to see how much you'd be willing to risk on B if they met in a 10f contest next month at, say, a place like Bel or OP…

Exactly, talk is cheap when it deludes people into thinking that desperately beating the likes of Rinterval means something just because it happens in a Grade 1 race.

Blame doesn't have to prove anything. He defeated Zenyatta in the world's most important race (or at least it was the year when Zenyatta won it).