Zenyatta v. Rail Trip??

For starters I have been a RA fan since day one before Jackson & co...having the ability to be on the Oklahoma training track last year and seeing her up close and the training she did in the mornings was incredible. Her campaign last year was a throw back to all who loved the old style war horses of days gone by were thrilled when RA gave us that type of year....but having said that and being at the Woodward I looked right at my 81 year old father that day after she held off Macho and said she will NEVER be the same again. She bottomed out and that is that...

Z has over time caught my attention and the BC pre race..pawing her front legs into the dirt told me all I needed to know about this classy filly...she is truly a war horse of old and can not fault her for one minute after bashing her most of last year. She dances the dance as we say! I only hope she comes North this year and allows all of us to witness her brilliance up close. We should all be honored to be able to even write/blog/twitter/bitch/honor about these two marvelous horses and what they have done for OUR sport.

Scat OUT

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by declansharbor

We both know that the haters will hate, no matter what. I'm sure some will cite the cupcake competition, race dynamics, etc. if she somehow re-claims the BC Classic title. Nature of the beast.

Just because people have realistic reservations about Zenyatta doesn't make them " haters. "

Frankly, if she were to win this year's BC Classic, especially over Quality Road, it would make her shockingly cautious 2010 campaign even more disappointing. Even if one has reservations, who would deny how great it would be to see her strutting her stuff against some of the best competition she can find ( much like some other horse, whose name escapes me, did last year ) throughout the year? Even if these horses aren't all-time greats, taking on the best available talent would go a long ways to silencing her critics, and causing, perhaps, some well deserved excitement.

[declansharbor]

Originally Posted by Smooth Operator

Shirreffs knows what he has … a monster win-machine router which is gunna love going from synthetic to that CD dirt.

Heard she was "eating up" the stuff the short time she was there last year before the scratch.

Just get that win record (a simply remarkable accomplishment given her running style) … and get her to the big race fit and fresh as a spring daisy, John.

If she catches a break with that miserable KY weather … she'll run down all the 10f pretenders in the lane … and make history again…

Someone check the sky to see if it's falling, I actually agree with the Booth Operataaaaa...

From the iggy bin to agreement in the fell swoop of a ten day period. Nevermind, get to your storm shelters people, the end is here.


Sincerely,

Andy's most devoted kool aid drinker, intravenously.

[letswastemoney]

What if Zenyatta loses the BC Classic on a dry track?

What will her obsessed fans say then?

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by letswastemoney

What if Zenyatta loses the BC Classic on a dry track?

What will her obsessed fans say then?

that she was ok, but nothing special

[declansharbor]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Just because people have realistic reservations about Zenyatta doesn't make them " haters. "

Frankly, if she were to win this year's BC Classic, especially over Quality Road, it would make her shockingly cautious 2010 campaign even more disappointing. Even if one has reservations, who would deny how great it would be to see her strutting her stuff against some of the best competition she can find ( much like some other horse, whose name escapes me, did last year ) throughout the year? Even if these horses aren't all-time greats, taking on the best available talent would go a long ways to silencing her critics, and causing, perhaps, some well deserved excitement.

If Quality Road had his head on straight that day, and Z blows his doors off like she did the rest of the competition, would you have a different take on her? I'm not being combative in my questioning, just curious if you'd feel the same way towards her if QR didnt scratch from the race and ran his usual good one only to lose.

I, for one, didn't think she'd crack the exacta in last years BC race. We (no, im not in BBB's camp ) bet against her that day hand over fist, and was still THRILLED with the end result. I went from being a fan of the horse, (one that was on the fence in the Z/RA debate) to a supporter that clearly has his fandom in the corner of Zenyatta.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by declansharbor

If Quality Road had his head on straight that day, and Z blows his doors off like she did the rest of the competition, would you have a different take on her? I'm not being combative in my questioning, just curious if you'd feel the same way towards her if QR didnt scratch from the race and ran his usual good one only to lose.

I, for one, didn't think she'd crack the exacta in last years BC race. We (no, im not in BBB's camp ) bet against her that day hand over fist, and was still THRILLED with the end result. I went from being a fan of the horse, (one that was on the fence in the Z/RA debate) to a supporter that clearly has his fandom in the corner of Zenyatta.

Beating horses on a surface they don't relish doesn't prove a heck of a lot to me. Since her supporters universally say Zenyatta is better on dirt than synth, I'll judge her by how she performs against the best available talent on their preferred surface.

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Beating horses on a surface they don't relish doesn't prove a heck of a lot to me.

Has she proved anything to you?

[CSC]

Originally Posted by letswastemoney

What if Zenyatta loses the BC Classic on a dry track?

What will her obsessed fans say then?

It depends on how they lose, a misunderstanding on my position with her is I can actually appreciate a horse when they lose. Seattle Slew's greatest race was one he didn't even win.

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by CSC

It depends on how they lose, a misunderstanding on my position with her is I can actually appreciate a horse when they lose. Seattle Slew's greatest race was one he didn't even win.

agree, that Swaps stake was one heck of an effort.

[parsixfarms]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Frankly, if she were to win this year's BC Classic, especially over Quality Road, it would make her shockingly cautious 2010 campaign even more disappointing. Even if one has reservations, who would deny how great it would be to see her strutting her stuff against some of the best competition she can find ( much like some other horse, whose name escapes me, did last year ) throughout the year? Even if these horses aren't all-time greats, taking on the best available talent would go a long ways to silencing her critics, and causing, perhaps, some well deserved excitement.

Taking RA out of the equation (which always seems to become a lightning rod situation), we need only look to the recent examples of horses like Ouija Board and Goldikova to see how a champion mare can be campaigned - and perhaps more importantly how there need not be shame in losing. Their campaigns against Grade I males didn't prevent them from turning in championship performances on Breeders' Cup Day, even though their connections did far more shipping and campaigned their horses as if they were champions. If Shirreffs/Moss continue to campaign Zenyatta as they suggest, they have no one to blame but themselves if their mare doesn't receive the accolades that they apparently think she deserves.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by parsixfarms

Taking RA out of the equation (which always seems to become a lightning rod situation), we need only look to the recent examples of horses like Ouija Board and Goldikova to see how a champion mare can be campaigned - and perhaps more importantly how there need not be shame in losing. Their campaigns against Grade I males didn't prevent them from turning in championship performances on Breeders' Cup Day, even though their connections did far more shipping and campaigned their horses as if they were champions. If Shirreffs/Moss continue to campaign Zenyatta as they suggest, they have no one to blame but themselves if their mare doesn't receive the accolades that they apparently think she deserves.

Fear of losing has no place on the road to success.

[parsixfarms]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Fear of losing has no place on the road to success.

Agreed.

[blackthroatedwind]

It will be interesting to see if Zenyatta is campaigned differently if Super Saver wins the Triple Crown. Though, I guess at that point she can't win HOY.

[2Hot4TV]

Originally Posted by letswastemoney

What if Zenyatta loses the BC Classic on a dry track?

What will her obsessed fans say then?

Well I guess that 9/5 wasn't easy money.

[DaTruth]

Originally Posted by Smooth Operator

and get her to the big race fit and fresh as a spring daisy

When should the trainer of a 3yo filly start thinking about keeping his filly fit and fresh for the BC Classic?

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

It will be interesting to see if Zenyatta is campaigned differently if Super Saver wins the Triple Crown. Though, I guess at that point she can't win HOY.

nope.

hell, they could always try again next year.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Smooth Operator

Shirreffs knows what he has … a monster win-machine router which is gunna love going from synthetic to that CD dirt.

Heard she was "eating up" the stuff the short time she was there last year before the scratch.

Just get that win record (a simply remarkable accomplishment given her running style) … and get her to the big race fit and fresh as a spring daisy, John.

If she catches a break with that miserable KY weather … she'll run down all the 10f pretenders in the lane … and make history again…

god knows with her strenuous campaign, he'll have a hard time doing that.

[DaTruth]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

It will be interesting to see if Zenyatta is campaigned differently if Super Saver wins the Triple Crown. Though, I guess at that point she can't win HOY.

If Super Saver wins the Triple Crown, Hovdey will have to delete the following from his lastest blog entry.

<<When Shirreffs says "you can't ship for every race" he is politely leaving off the "or else you could ruin your horse" ending. For evidence, please turn to the pages that catalog the carnage among 3-year-old colts this time each year as they travel far and wide to qualify for and then pursue Triple Crown events.>>

[DaTruth]

Originally Posted by Smooth Operator

fit and fresh as a spring daisy

Those words belong in an ad for a feminine hygiene product. They have no place in describing the campaign of a "great" mare.