Zenyatta Has Earned Horse of the Year

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

Isn't it a bit premature to talk about how much she has advanced the sport? Advanced in what way? Because viewership was up for one race? How many of those people are going to watch again? Were any of those people educated about the sport? Were they taught about betting? That is what is going to advance the sport IMO. Not puff pieces full of hyperbole.

A European horse who competes once a year here, at a specialized distance no less. Thats never going to draw viewers, even if it was like her 6th in a row.

I guess it could be premature, but the fact is that usually the only press racing gets is because of doping, cheating, breakdowns, etc. From that standpoint alone she has helped racings image.

Viewership was not only up for one race, it was the only race she was in this year that could be monitored because most were not on TV with ratings. I would say the races she was in outside the Cup were more heavily attended, not this year but last as well, compared to previous years. Getting people out to the track is a positive.

I dont know how many are going to watch again, surely some of them, thats a good thing right?

Hopefully they were not educated, this means you are drawing in new fans, I see this as a good thing. Maybe they were just at the starting stages and now understand more than they did, again this is a good thing.

Hopefully on the betting they were wagering on the days they went to the racing, hopefully this part of the sport drew there interest into the sport, the teaching part to me is a self indulging aspect of the game, you learn through experience.

There seems to be this advancement of an idea that star race horses cannot draw in new people to bet, I just disagree. I have explained to you that I was drawn in by Arazi, because of a Nightline puff piece as you say, and I have wagered at least a few hundred grand in my lifetime.

Now if you want to say the mechanics of the game won't keep these people, you know full and well I won't argue, its kinda turned me off to the game.

[Dahoss]

We'll agree to disagree about how much viewership Goldikova will garner if she is marketed in the same manner as Zenyatta was. People like to think they are seeing something special. That is why 60 Minutes went with the "greatest horse ever" nonsense. That is why the interviewer asked Mike Smith if Zenyatta is better than Secretariat. That's why the talking heads on ESPN's PTI were calling her the best ever before the Classic because she had never lost. Market Goldikova as the best miler ever and throw in the story about her trainer being a former jock, maybe something about what she drinks....ratings gold.

Again, the races she entered were more heavily attended because people wanted to be a part of the experience. How many of those people came again? Considering the state of California racing, I'm not really sure her impact has been anything other than inflated attendance 5 times a year.

I'm not going to assume these new "fans" were educated. I'm not sure why you would. Was there any education in the 60 Minutes piece? How about the ESPN coverage? I didn't see any. I would say your experience with Arazi is more the exception than the rule. Especially when you consider who the focus of the marketing blitz around Zenyatta was targeting.

IMO horse racing needs to try and draw in gamblers and people that follow other sports like football, basketball etc. Football fans pay big money to attend games, buy tons of merchandise and many of them gamble on games. Sports betting is a billion dollar industry by many accounts. I'm glad there was a lot of exposure for the sport, but I just don't know how effective it will be.

[slotdirt]

I think it's great to assume that Zenyatta's brought people to the sport and all, but really, did she attract any more attention than, say, Big Brown did in 2008? I'd suggest not.

[Duvalier]

Big Brown? You got to be kidding

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Duvalier

Big Brown? You got to be kidding

Why? Surely BB was exposed to a much wider audience than Zenyatta. I would think all of Big Browns 3 year old races were nationally televised and winning the Derby and going for a TC creates far more exposure than a single BC race even with the 60 minutes/Oprah lead in.

[slotdirt]

I guarantee you Big Brown's Belmont loss got significantly more national coverage than Zenyatta's BCC second, and Big Brown was probably the least noticed of the Derby-Preakness doubles of the last decade.

[slotdirt]

Also, maybe I'm biased because I'm on the East Coast, but Smarty Jones and Funny Cide seemed infinitely more popular locally than did Zenyatta. As far as average joes that I know, I'd say Zenyatta ranked with Afleet Alex in terms of popularity.

[Duvalier]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

I guarantee you Big Brown's Belmont loss got significantly more national coverage than Zenyatta's BCC second, and Big Brown was probably the least noticed of the Derby-Preakness doubles of the last decade.

That will happen when a huge favorite gets pulled up and eased when going for a Triple Crown.

[Cannon Shell]

Zenyatta was so popular with the general public that the clamor to see her resulted in how many of her races being picked up nationally?

Hell even Curlin got ESPN news break-in's when he ran as a 4 yo.

The problem is that the newer generation has so little exposure to truly great horses or even solid campaigns by very good horses. The ESPN philosophy of acting as though every event is historic or something that you've never seen before or an all-time great seems to have taken ahold in racing as well as other sports.

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Zenyatta was so popular with the general public that the clamor to see her resulted in how many of her races being picked up nationally?

Hell even Curlin got ESPN news break-in's when he ran as a 4 yo.

The problem is that the newer generation has so little exposure to truly great horses or even solid campaigns by very good horses. The ESPN philosophy of acting as though every event is historic or something that you've never seen before or an all-time great seems to have taken ahold in racing as well as other sports.

This is racings fault...blame is squarely on their shoulders. You can't blame fans for living in the "now".

When was the last time you saw a 19-0 horse going for back to back Classic wins? and a female to boot. It was historic.

[Duvalier]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Why? Surely BB was exposed to a much wider audience than Zenyatta. I would think all of Big Browns 3 year old races were nationally televised and winning the Derby and going for a TC creates far more exposure than a single BC race even with the 60 minutes/Oprah lead in.

The use of steroids in racehorses was also exposed to a much wider audience. Big Brown brought out alot of negative attention to the sport between his connections, drug suspensions, steroids etc. Do you think things like equipoise or winstrol should still be allowed universally in racing?

[slotdirt]

Your memory serves you incorrectly. It was a high of about 65 and semi-drizzly/misty for the day of the 2004 Belmont. One could transport one's own beer onto the Belmont grounds in those days though, that is true.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Duvalier

The use of steroids in racehorses was also exposed to a much wider audience. Big Brown brought out alot of negative attention to the sport between his connections, drug suspensions, steroids etc. Do you think things like equipoise or winstrol should still be allowed universally in racing?

What is the point?

Should equipoise and winstrol still be allowed?
Of course they should. They are horse medications with valid uses. The fact that there was no regulation of them was really the issue. Overreacting and banning them has not seemingly helped horseracing in the least. Of course we can now brag that we banned steroids knowing full well that the people who dont believe the sport is on the up and up still dont believe it. And when your horse is in need of a treatment program, you can now waste money trying substitutes that dont work nearly as effectively, if at all.

[Riot]

Originally Posted by Duvalier

The use of steroids in racehorses was also exposed to a much wider audience. Big Brown brought out alot of negative attention to the sport between his connections, drug suspensions, steroids etc. Do you think things like equipoise or winstrol should still be allowed universally in racing?

Of course they should. They are medications with clear and necessary clinical indications in the horse. Use doesn't automatically equate to abuse. Of course abuse of any drug shouldn't be allowed.

Alot of the negative attention to horse racing regarding "OMG steroids!" was ignorance-based and simply wrong.

[NTamm1215]

Zenyatta's popularity most directly correlates to Smarty Jones I would think. Of course, the mitigating factors are that Zenyatta seems to have an entire state that is absolutely enthralled by her and the fact that she's a mare factors into the equation.

Smarty was wildly popular because of the Triple Crown of course. Something ridiculous like 9k people showed up to watch a workout of his before the Belmont. That's more than Philly was getting on a day to day basis for live racing save Pa Derby day. The attendance at Belmont shows how popular he was.

[Duvalier]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

Zenyatta's popularity most directly correlates to Smarty Jones I would think. Of course, the mitigating factors are that Zenyatta seems to have an entire state that is absolutely enthralled by her and the fact that she's a mare factors into the equation.

Smarty was wildly popular because of the Triple Crown of course. Something ridiculous like 9k people showed up to watch a workout of his before the Belmont. That's more than Philly was getting on a day to day basis for live racing save Pa Derby day. The attendance at Belmont shows how popular he was.

That's a very good comparison

[Dahoss]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

I think it's great to assume that Zenyatta's brought people to the sport and all, but really, did she attract any more attention than, say, Big Brown did in 2008? I'd suggest not.

I would agree and can think of others such as Funny Cide and Smarty Jones recently. I look at it this way and of course it's not the most scientific method. I know a certain horse has hit mainstream when my non racing fan friends ask me about the horse.

They wanted to know about Funny Cide before the Belmont. Same thing for Smarty Jones and were adament about going to the Belmont to see him run. Same thing for Big Brown before the Belmont. Last year they wanted to know about Rachel Alexandra. This year before the Classic I got a handful of texts wanting to know about Zenyatta and why they should know about her.

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

I would agree and can think of others such as Funny Cide and Smarty Jones recently. I look at it this way and of course it's not the most scientific method. I know a certain horse has hit mainstream when my non racing fan friends ask me about the horse.

They wanted to know about Funny Cide before the Belmont. Same thing for Smarty Jones and were adament about going to the Belmont to see him run. Same thing for Big Brown before the Belmont. Last year they wanted to know about Rachel Alexandra. This year before the Classic I got a handful of texts wanting to know about Zenyatta and why they should know about her.

Zenyatta is the west coasts Smarty Jones... the hype was unreal on the East when Smarty was going through the triple crown. Zenyatta never matched that on the east coast, though I'm sure she did in California.

[slotdirt]

Did 120k people show up to watch Zenyatta lose her last race? Because that's how Smarty rolled.

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

Did 120k people show up to watch Zenyatta lose her last race? Because that's how Smarty rolled.

if my foggy memory is correct, Smarty's Belmont day was an absolute gorgeous day and you could still BYOB... They would have got 75k with no triple crown bid that day.

Zenyatta brought out a good # of people on the West Coast also.