Zenyatta Has Earned Horse of the Year

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

Isn't it a bit premature to talk about how much she has advanced the sport? Advanced in what way? Because viewership was up for one race? How many of those people are going to watch again? Were any of those people educated about the sport? Were they taught about betting? That is what is going to advance the sport IMO. Not puff pieces full of hyperbole.

A European horse who competes once a year here, at a specialized distance no less. Thats never going to draw viewers, even if it was like her 6th in a row.

I guess it could be premature, but the fact is that usually the only press racing gets is because of doping, cheating, breakdowns, etc. From that standpoint alone she has helped racings image.

Viewership was not only up for one race, it was the only race she was in this year that could be monitored because most were not on TV with ratings. I would say the races she was in outside the Cup were more heavily attended, not this year but last as well, compared to previous years. Getting people out to the track is a positive.

I dont know how many are going to watch again, surely some of them, thats a good thing right?

Hopefully they were not educated, this means you are drawing in new fans, I see this as a good thing. Maybe they were just at the starting stages and now understand more than they did, again this is a good thing.

Hopefully on the betting they were wagering on the days they went to the racing, hopefully this part of the sport drew there interest into the sport, the teaching part to me is a self indulging aspect of the game, you learn through experience.

There seems to be this advancement of an idea that star race horses cannot draw in new people to bet, I just disagree. I have explained to you that I was drawn in by Arazi, because of a Nightline puff piece as you say, and I have wagered at least a few hundred grand in my lifetime.

Now if you want to say the mechanics of the game won't keep these people, you know full and well I won't argue, its kinda turned me off to the game.