A Sad Day For Racing

[dean smith]

Last year, when Zenyatta did win the BC Classic, a lot of you East Coast-biased fans kept repeating, "the HOY is NOT decided at the Classic."

Ironically, this appears to be the only solid case for why Blame was "robbed."

By the way, had Blame won, he would have been just about the weakest, most quickly-forgotten HOY ever. So what if the 2010 HOY was Zenyatta's "The Departed"?

[LARHAGE]

Originally Posted by dean smith

Last year, when Zenyatta did win the BC Classic, a lot of you East Coast-biased fans kept repeating, "the HOY is NOT decided at the Classic."

Ironically, this appears to be the only solid case for why Blame was "robbed."

By the way, had Blame won, he would have been just about the weakest, most quickly-forgotten HOY ever. So what if the 2010 HOY was Zenyatta's "The Departed"?

I don't get this denigrating of Blame as the weakest, all it does is underline how average Zenyatta was than to be beaten by him.

[10 pnt move up]

I would love to see the voting breakdown by gender.

[Gate Dancer]

It's supposed to be 'Horse of the Year' not 'Horse of a Career'. Frankly, I think a bunch of the voters for Rachel last year felt guilty (which they shouldn't) since she came back this year and was not as spectacular so they wanted to right a 'wrong' in Zenyatta's favor. She is a great mare but her campaign (body of work in 2010) is just not worthy of being voted ahead of Blame.

I suppose now we'll be subjected to years of clammering for Zenyatta as 'Broodmare of the Year' ..........................

[Dahoss]

Originally Posted by dean smith

Last year, when Zenyatta did win the BC Classic, a lot of you East Coast-biased fans kept repeating, "the HOY is NOT decided at the Classic."

Ironically, this appears to be the only solid case for why Blame was "robbed."

By the way, had Blame won, he would have been just about the weakest, most quickly-forgotten HOY ever. So what if the 2010 HOY was Zenyatta's "The Departed"?

Hard to argue with this stellar logic. The Classic is not the ONLY reason Blame should be HOY. It's one of many. Whereas the only case I see being made for Zenyatta is "she did so much for the game". She certainly didn't deserve based on her races this year, unless beating a total of ONE grade 1 winner in her victories (Switch who got her grade 1 the last week of December) is a HOY campaign.

[pointman]

The Eclipse awards lost all credibility with voting Zenyatta horse of the year. The criteria now appears to be the most popular horse, not the horse who accomplished the most over the racetrack. The funniest argument from the lost Zenyatta lovers to justify the decision is that she was the better horse in the classic. Since when does losing a race justify horse of the year?

Poor Al Stall and Blame's connections must be wondering if they can put their hands down yet.

[alysheba4]

Originally Posted by pointman

The Eclipse awards lost all credibility with voting Zenyatta horse of the year. The criteria now appears to be the most popular horse, not the horse who accomplished the most over the racetrack. The funniest argument from the lost Zenyatta lovers to justify the decision is that she was the better horse in the classic. Since when does losing a race justify horse of the year?

Poor Al Stahl and Blame's connections must be wondering if they can put their hands down yet.

.......curlin.

[brianwspencer]

Originally Posted by alysheba4

.......curlin.

Of course -- with those minor footnotes of winning the Dubai World Cup, Stephen Foster, Woodward, Jockey Club Gold Cup, and a 2nd in the Man o' War.

Very, very, eerily similar to what happened this year. I agree completely.

[Travis Stone]

Originally Posted by brianwspencer

Of course -- with those minor footnotes of winning the Dubai World Cup, Stephen Foster, Woodward, Jockey Club Gold Cup, and a 2nd in the Man o' War.

Very, very, eerily similar to what happened this year. I agree completely.

It's clear the Eclipse Awards are no longer about racing performance, or racing results.

[randallscott35]

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

It's clear the Eclipse Awards are no longer about racing performance, or racing results.

Exactly. I fail to see how people think this is some "subjective" process. It isn't. There is nothing subjective about her winning. On merits she had less of a case this year.

[CSC]

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

It's clear the Eclipse Awards are no longer about racing performance, or racing results.

Maybe not by results, but for racing performance? I don't know, Blame's performances last year were not dominating by any stretch to make him a slam dunk winner.