Horse of the Year

hoovesupsideyourhead · #1 09-09-2009, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antitrust32

Haskin sums up her accomplishments great in the article. The only filly or mare to EVER win 3 Grade 1 races against the other gender in one year.

There is absolutely no way that any horse besides Rachel Alexandra is Horse of the Year this year...

King Glorious · #2 09-09-2009, 05:53 PM

The point is being missed here. I fully understand that Rachel has locked up the title and she is a deserving candidate. The question that isn't answered though is a different one. Is she the BEST horse to run in this country this year. This gets to the point that the criteria needs to be changed. As long as it's what it is, it doesn't make sense that the best horse may not win the award. If Sea the Stars beats Zenyatta or vice versa, I would feel that the winner is the best horse to have raced in America this year and that's who'd get my vote. I don't see why it should matter what other viable candidates there are. Arazi can be a finalist but Sea the Stars can't be? Doesn't matter if there are 100 candidates worthy. The award should go to the best horse as long as that horse qualifies and the rules say one start qualifies.

philcski · #3 09-09-2009, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by King Glorious

The point is being missed here. I fully understand that Rachel has locked up the title and she is a deserving candidate. The question that isn't answered though is a different one. Is she the BEST horse to run in this country this year. This gets to the point that the criteria needs to be changed. As long as it's what it is, it doesn't make sense that the best horse may not win the award. If Sea the Stars beats Zenyatta or vice versa, I would feel that the winner is the best horse to have raced in America this year and that's who'd get my vote. I don't see why it should matter what other viable candidates there are. Arazi can be a finalist but Sea the Stars can't be? Doesn't matter if there are 100 candidates worthy. The award should go to the best horse as long as that horse qualifies and the rules say one start qualifies.

without a doubt...

YES

Danzig · #4 09-09-2009, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by philcski

without a doubt...

YES

i agree, emphatically.

Gander · #5 09-09-2009, 06:35 PM

Rachel is done for probably good. Sea the Stars could come over here and win the Classic by a pole and still not get many votes for HOY. He has no shot for HOY. What the heck does one race on the phoniest of surfaces prove, when after all, Richard's Kids just took down what will be just about as good a group of horses as this year's Classic will be??

Rock Hard- You really are stretching it with this one. The Quality Road thing was at least readable. Are you forgetting all the Grade 1's Rachael has won this year?

The only other conceivable horse to even talk about for this award is Gio Ponti but turf horses hardly ever win this. What if he were to win on October 3rd at Belmont, then go on and win either the BC Turf or Classic?

mbahadur · #6 09-09-2009, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gander

What the heck does one race on the phoniest of surfaces prove, when after all, Richard's Kids just took down what will be just about as good a group of horses as this year's Classic will be??

The field in the BC Classic (with a $5 million purse) will be much better than the field in the Pacific Classic. Einstein, Colonel John, and Rail Trip were low odds in the Pacific Classic -- they won't be in the BC Classic. The field will include the "Birds", Tiago, Well Armed, and a number of Euros with good grass form who have more to gain by running in the BC Classic than in the BC Turf or Mile (against Goldikova). I also think Zenyatta will be in the field --after what Rachel has achieved, her owner won't be satisfied with another Ladies Classic win.

Travis Stone · #7 09-09-2009, 09:31 PM

Well Armed had surgery, I thought I read where the BCC was out for him.

Gander · #8 09-10-2009, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbahadur

The field in the BC Classic (with a $5 million purse) will be much better than the field in the Pacific Classic. Einstein, Colonel John, and Rail Trip were low odds in the Pacific Classic -- they won't be in the BC Classic. The field will include the "Birds", Tiago, Well Armed, and a number of Euros with good grass form who have more to gain by running in the BC Classic than in the BC Turf or Mile (against Goldikova). I also think Zenyatta will be in the field --after what Rachel has achieved, her owner won't be satisfied with another Ladies Classic win.

Tiago is a complete joke and Well Armed is out. I will believe both birds are running only the day of the race. There is still a lot that can happen and I think the field for the Classic will be only slightly better than that of the Pac Classic, and I have a strong feeling the winner of this year's BC Classic was in the Pac Classic.

TouchOfGrey · #9 09-09-2009, 06:37 PM

Forgive me if this is a stupid question as I'm not as versed in all of this as the rest of you; but shouldn't a Horse of the Year award be based on what a horse has accomplished in that year? Why would the outcome of one race, even if it's a Breeders Cup race change that?

Danzig · #10 09-09-2009, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by King Glorious

The point is being missed here. I fully understand that Rachel has locked up the title and she is a deserving candidate. The question that isn't answered though is a different one. Is she the BEST horse to run in this country this year. This gets to the point that the criteria needs to be changed. As long as it's what it is, it doesn't make sense that the best horse may not win the award. If Sea the Stars beats Zenyatta or vice versa, I would feel that the winner is the best horse to have raced in America this year and that's who'd get my vote. I don't see why it should matter what other viable candidates there are. Arazi can be a finalist but Sea the Stars can't be? Doesn't matter if there are 100 candidates worthy. The award should go to the best horse as long as that horse qualifies and the rules say one start qualifies.

it's not called horse of the bcc, but horse of the year.

i still don't get why everyone is talking about a matchup with zenyatta in the classic. does anyone really think she'll run there?

DaTruth · #11 09-09-2009, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by King Glorious

The point is being missed here. I fully understand that Rachel has locked up the title and she is a deserving candidate. The question that isn't answered though is a different one. Is she the BEST horse to run in this country this year. This gets to the point that the criteria needs to be changed. As long as it's what it is, it doesn't make sense that the best horse may not win the award. If Sea the Stars beats Zenyatta or vice versa, I would feel that the winner is the best horse to have raced in America this year and that's who'd get my vote. I don't see why it should matter what other viable candidates there are. Arazi can be a finalist but Sea the Stars can't be? Doesn't matter if there are 100 candidates worthy. The award should go to the best horse as long as that horse qualifies and the rules say one start qualifies.

If the "best horse to have raced in America" is the sole factor, does this have to be the best horse in America at 10 furlongs on dirt/poly? What about the sprinters. I'd like to see Sea the Stars race Fabulous Strike at six furlongs on dirt.