Champion 3 Year Old Filly

[Calzone Lord]

It was a game gesture by the owner of Princess of Sylmar, and you hate to see it backfire like it did, but Beholder has to be voted champion 3yo filly.

It seemed the only reason Princess of Sylmar was even entered, is because of some groundswell among some media, and fans on the Internet suggesting that she had some kind of case for Horse of the Year.

There should be three pieces of criteria to determine a champion -- and in the following order:

1.) Hypothetical handicap based on 2013 form.

2.) Quality of best performances throughout the season

3.) Overall season record, with emphasis placed on success at the Grade 1 level.


In a hypothetical handicap race on Jan 1st of 2014, based only on 2013 form, Beholder would be asked to carry a higher weight than Princess of Sylmar. The two head-to-head meetings in the Kentucky Oaks and Breeders Cup Distaff underline that fact.

Factors two and three are pretty close to a wash. Both of them own 4 Grade 1 wins in 2013 and possess a similar level of ability.

Objectively, Beholder is the champion 3-year-old filly.

Unfortunately, the gameness and good sportsmanship of Princess of Sylmar's owner allowed Beholder to 'steal it in the final 30 seconds of a round' to use a boxing analogy.

[RockHardTen1985]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

It was a game gesture by the owner of Princess of Sylmar, and you hate to see it backfire like it did, but Beholder has to be voted champion 3yo filly.

It seemed the only reason Princess of Sylmar was even entered, is because of some groundswell among some media, and fans on the Internet suggesting that she had some kind of case for Horse of the Year.

There should be three pieces of criteria to determine a champion -- and in the following order:

1.) Hypothetical handicap based on 2013 form.

2.) Quality of best performances throughout the season

3.) Overall season record, with emphasis placed on success at the Grade 1 level.


In a hypothetical handicap race on Jan 1st of 2014, based only on 2013 form, Beholder would be asked to carry a higher weight than Princess of Sylmar. The two head-to-head meetings in the Kentucky Oaks and Breeders Cup Distaff underline that fact.

Factors two and three are pretty close to a wash. Both of them own 4 Grade 1 wins in 2013 and possess a similar level of ability.

Objectively, Beholder is the champion 3-year-old filly.

Unfortunately, the gameness and good sportsmanship of Princess of Sylmar's owner allowed Beholder to 'steal it in the final 30 seconds of a round' to use a boxing analogy.

WHile Im not sure I agree, its at least well said and fair.

[Calzone Lord]

A hypothetical handicap based on seasonal form, done by competent professional "handicappers" like Vosburgh, is what determined champions in the old days.

Nowadays, it's a bunch of writers and media people acting on whims, and their own personal ideas of what they feel determines a champion.

Only positive thing to say about it, is that consensus wins.

[randallscott35]

I have never believed that being sporting gets penalized. If POS doesn't run, she wins....They are both deserving...I think POS is more.

[jms62]

Princess never had a chance and we all knew that before they loaded based upon how the track was playing. If they decided to scratch yesterday would they have gotten their 100 Grand back?

[FATPIANO]

Beholder.............Champion 2yr old filly.........Champion 3yr old filly........It is not easy beating the current Champion, even impossible to deny her after yesterdays performance.................sorry for POS, she should have stayed home and then it might have been a close contest, but now she loses the crown to Beholder........that is the way it is......... Congrats to The Champ

[FATPIANO]

PS: side note.........Beholder is the FIRST filly in Breeders Cup History, to win the Juvenile Filly and return The following year to win The Distaff..........