11/11 ATR: The Great HOTY Debate

[PeteMugg]

Originally Posted by Kasept

For those wanting some detail to appreciate the nuances of the campaigns...

Zenyatta ran in 5 races this year over 7 months (May 23-Nov 7) over 3 racetracks versus 33 entrants (25 horses)... 4 of which were repeats of races she ran in and won last year (Milady, Vanity, Hirsch, Lady's Secret) and one the Breeders' Cup Classic. She never left California in the 4 races and the Cup happened to be at one of the tracks she frequented most in her career (5/5). Anyway, she won all the races in which she ran, all on synthetic surfaces, and with authority.

Rachel Alexandra ran in 8 races this year over 7 months (Feb 15-Sept 5) over 7 different race tracks versus 50 entrants (47 horses). She demolished her own sex by a cumulative 40 lengths in 5 tries including 2 Oaks (Fair Grounds and Kentucky) and faced 3yo males twice, including in an American classic (Preakness) and in another highly regarded Gr. I (Haskell). She completed her year against older males in the Gr. I Woodward. Her winning a race versus elder males is an accomplishment that hadn't been done in more than 125 years in American racing.


Zenyatta beat these 25 horses in 2009:

---14 females---
Life Is Sweet (3X)
Allicansayiswow (2X)
Gambler's Justice
Champagne Eyes (2X)
Taste's Sis
Briecat (2X)
Dawn After Dawn (2X)
Hot n' Dusty
Modification
Anabaas Creation (2X)
Lethal Heat (2X)
Tidal Dance
Cocoa Beach
Made for Magic
----11 males----
Gio Ponti
Twice Over
Summer Bird
Colonel John
Richard's Kid
Awesome Gem
Regal Ransom
Mine That Bird
Rip Van Winkle
Einstein
Girolamo


Rachel Alexandra beat these 47 horses in 2009:

---23 females---
Afleet Deceit (2X)
Peach Brew
Affirmed Truth
Hello Again
Lake Lugano
My Spanx
Lil' Hottie
Bootprints
Flying Spur (2X)
Our Dahlia
Four Gifts
African Skies
War Tigress
Just Jenda
Bon Jovi Girl
Cats
Stone Legacy
Be Fair
Nan
Gabby's Golden Gal
Tweeter
Malibu Prayer
Flashing
---24 males---
Mine That Bird
Musket Man
Flying Private
Big Drama
Papa Clem (2X)
Terrain
Luv Gov
General Quarters
Friesan Fire
Pioneerof the Nile
Tone It Down
Take the Points
Summer Bird
Munnings
Duke of Mischief
Atomic Rain
Bunker Hill
Macho Again
Bullsbay
Asiatic Boy
It's a Bird
Past the Point
Cool Coal Man
Da' Tara

Call me convinced. But just to be clear, the award is non restrictive and RA and Z each faced all comers only once this year?

That 125 year accomplishment is impressive, but how much more than being the first female to win the Classic? And while interesting, is it more about what racing has become for older males?

[10 pnt move up]

wow, that list of horses RA beat is a who's who of no ones, I guess Macho Again is ok, and Summer Bird is solid, beyond that, MTB?

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

wow, that list of horses RA beat is a who's who of no ones, I guess Macho Again is ok, and Summer Bird is solid, beyond that, MTB?

7 graded stakes winners among the females and 16 more among the males.

It's not a normal year when you have horses like Macho Again and Bullsbay as legitimate graded stakes horses.

NT

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

7 graded stakes winners among the females and 16 more among the males.

It's not a normal year when you have horses like Macho Again and Bullsbay as legitimate graded stakes horses.

NT

who are these great three year old graded stake winners, point them out so I can be on the lookout for them next season?

Summer Bird
????
????

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

who are these great three year old graded stake winners, point them out so I can be on the lookout for them next season?

Summer Bird
????
????

Did I say she beat any "great graded stakes horses?"

NT

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

Did I say she beat any "great graded stakes horses?"

NT

zenyatta didn't exactly face citation this year.

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by Danzig

zenyatta didn't exactly face citation this year.

Absolutely. I mean, the whole "who did she beat" argument is weak because when you gain the stature that these two had you can only beat who'll show up against you.

Rather than go the route of pounding the 3YO fillies over and over again, the RA camp went out of their "division" twice and were successful both times. Zenyatta's connections chose to continue to run against the same horses then reach once and assume that win trumps everything else. It just doesn't in my opinion.

NT

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

wow, that list of horses RA beat is a who's who of no ones, I guess Macho Again is ok, and Summer Bird is solid, beyond that, MTB?

Luv Gov

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Luv Gov

one of my favorite horses.