Who Is Horse Of The Year?

[jms62]

Originally Posted by Antitrust32

its funny that people are saying running in the Woodward instead of the Travers is a knock on Rachel. I mean.. she had already kicked the 3yo colts butts in the Preakness and Haskell.. I guess two times isnt enough? Had to chicken out and take on open company!

So you are saying that the horses she faced in the Woodward were better than the Travers?

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by jms62

So you are saying that the horses she faced in the Woodward were better than the Travers?

she already trounced the Travers horses (minus a QR of course)

Yes I am saying a 3yo filly taking on open company is the tougher choice.. I said that back in September also.

I still dont get the whole "travers was so much better than the woodward". The unknown factor of quality road was the only reason that could possibly be said. I mean, look who won the Travers and look what Rachel had done to that winner only weeks prior?

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by Antitrust32

she already trounced the Travers horses (minus a QR of course)

Yes I am saying a 3yo filly taking on open company is the tougher choice.. I said that back in September also.

They are not as tough as Lethal Heat and Aanaba's Creation!

[slotdirt]

If this poll is indicative of the actual Eclipse awards voting, it would be embarassing. If Jess Jackson is considering bringing back Rachel Alexandra for next year, why bother? You dance every dance, beat all challengers in an historic season for a 3YO filly, and it's not worth the horse of the year award? I'd stick her in the barn and send her to Curlin in six months.

[jms62]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

If this poll is indicative of the actual Eclipse awards voting, it would be embarassing. If Jess Jackson is considering bringing back Rachel Alexandra for next year, why bother? You dance every dance, beat all challengers in an historic season for a 3YO filly, and it's not worth the horse of the year award? I'd stick her in the barn and send her to Curlin in six months.

Basically you would take your bat and go home. Isn't that a tad bit juvenile?

[slotdirt]

Well, it's not like he's definitely bringing her back anyway. If he's leaning one way or the other, getting jobbed in the awards process would definitely be a deterrent to returning her to training. This is Jess Jackson, Mr. Anti-Establishment in horse racing, after all.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by jms62

So you are saying that the horses she faced in the Woodward were better than the Travers?

i think she and others (like me) are saying she'd already beaten the cream of the three year old crop twice, so they chose to cover new ground. zenyatta may be the first distaffer to win the classic.. but don't forget that rachel is the first ever to win the woodward. she's also the first 3 yo filly to win a two turn gr 1 over older males.

[slotdirt]

Don't forget that the Woodward reads like a who's who in horse racing over the last 50 years when one considers that horses like Affirmed, Spectacular Bid, Forego, Kelso, Damascus, Arts and Letters, Seattle Slew and more recently Saint Liam, Ghostzapper, and Skip Away have all won the race. Advantage Rachel Alexandra in terms of historical significance.