Who Is Horse Of The Year?

[Gander]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

WHO CARES?

That would be an issue if she didn't run but once or twice all season. She danced many of the major dances and they happened to be dances that female horses seldom, if ever, and in one case, never had done victoriously. That is a campaign of epic proportions.

Does this really boil down to Rachel potentially having been in the JCGC setting the same ridiculously slow pace that Tizway and QR did over a quagmire of a track and beating up on your boy Summer Bird again? If so then you're grasping at straws as to why she's not the HOY.

This has nothing to do with Zenyatta needing to ship east as some have alluded to here. It has to do with what races she ran in when in her cozy home state. By the time Zenyatta ran in the Clement Hirsch Rachel had already done memorable things. At that point her connections needed to try the Pacific Classic or a similar race against males.

NT

Like it or not, it could cost her the award, given what Zenyatta did and the recency of it.

Not the same thing but I will mention it anyways...Empire Maker lost the Eclipse Awrd to Funny Cide in 2003, most likely because he only ran once after his Belmon Stakes victory over Funny Cide and it wasnt a win. It was a 2nd in a really weak Jim Dandy field. I think Strong Hope won that race?

Anyways, recency and races in the 2nd half of the year play a huge part in votes. Look no further than the mighty Miesques Approval!