A Sad Day For Racing

[Handicappy]

Originally Posted by Dunbar

I agree with a lot of what you said here, and yet I'm still glad Zenyatta got HOY. I don't feel it's either sad or terrible to take "body of work" into consideration. There's plenty to NOT like about Zenyatta's 2010 campaign. But, Zenyatta's connections DID bring her back and they DID run in the Apple Blossom, announcing it early enough for any mare in the country to challenge her. They DID run in the BC Classic, finishing a close enough second to take nearly everyone's breath away who watched the race.

If Blame had run more than 5 races, I might feel differently. But his campaign did not not blow me away.

All this lamenting the future meaning of the awards is an over-reaction, IMO. The award was given to a charismatic 19-1 mare with a 1st and a (close) 2nd in successive BC Classics, I don't think we will have to face a similar situation again in our lifetime.

--Dunbar

Excellent balanced view. I hope that those that discredit Zenyatta have the opportunity to discuss their views with the Allan Jerkins', Bafferts etc. So many of the horseman who train and work with these athletes have been very open with their opinion on Zenyatta's greatness. We all have our opinions but ask those that are far more credible than most of the posters here. Some of the best minds in the sport are in the camp that she was deserving and was the best horse running last year.

[letswastemoney]

Originally Posted by Handicappy

Excellent balanced view. I hope that those that discredit Zenyatta have the opportunity to discuss their views with the Allan Jerkins', Bafferts etc. So many of the horseman who train and work with these athletes have been very open with their opinion on Zenyatta's greatness. We all have our opinions but ask those that are far more credible than most of the posters here. Some of the best minds in the sport are in the camp that she was deserving and was the best horse running last year.

Just because they're the best minds in the sport doesn't mean they are immune to mistakes.

Anyways, what is Baffert going to say? He probably walks by Shirreffs on a daily basis, he's not going to say anything that would make working around him uncomfortable. You wouldn't go into an office and start criticizing all your co workers.

[Princess Doreen]

Originally Posted by letswastemoney

Just because they're the best minds in the sport doesn't mean they are immune to mistakes.

Anyways, what is Baffert going to say? He probably walks by Shirreffs on a daily basis, he's not going to say anything that would make working around him uncomfortable. You wouldn't go into an office and start criticizing all your co workers.

Really?!~

[King Glorious]

I'm not even sure that if anyone were to look at the pp's of the candidates, without having her name attatched to them, Zenyatta would have even been named champion older mare in 2010. Her "campaign" was that weak. Of course, you can't blame her for her competition when she runs in the races that are supposed to be the best ones but you can blame her connections for not even trying the toughest races available to them. Shirreffs himself said that he never really considered running her against the males this year in races in California because those races are tough. He seriously said that. Yet, his horse gets rewarded as HOY because he avoided tough races? We've previously had Cigar, Skip Away, and Curlin be named HOY after losing the Classic so this is not the first time. But in each of those cases, they had built up enough "credits" to get a pass for losing. Zenyatta didn't. They made a calculated decision to put all of their eggs in one basket for the title and they lost.

Seabiscuit should have been HOY because he brought millions in at the box office. On track results don't seem to matter anymore.

[Dahoss]

Originally Posted by Handicappy

Excellent balanced view. I hope that those that discredit Zenyatta have the opportunity to discuss their views with the Allan Jerkins', Bafferts etc. So many of the horseman who train and work with these athletes have been very open with their opinion on Zenyatta's greatness. We all have our opinions but ask those that are far more credible than most of the posters here. Some of the best minds in the sport are in the camp that she was deserving and was the best horse running last year.

You might have a little bit of credibility if you spelled Allen Jerkens name right. Or if you weren't a babbling idiot.

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by Handicappy

We all have our opinions but ask those that are far more credible than most of the posters here.

Great post, Dunbar.


That last line especially... dead on.

Handicappy...

I'm sorry but what exactly makes their opinions more credible?

There are people here who have followed the sport, who have played for decades.

I would respectfully remind you to look at the spreadsheet thread and suggest that the opinions of many here are, at the very least, just as credible.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

Great post, Dunbar.


That last line especially... dead on.

Handicappy...

I'm sorry but what exactly makes their opinions more credible?

There are people here who have followed the sport, who have played for decades.

I would respectfully remind you to look at the spreadsheet thread and suggest that the opinions of many here are, at the very least, just as credible.

he agrees with them, they support his view, thus they are credible.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Handicappy

Excellent balanced view. I hope that those that discredit Zenyatta have the opportunity to discuss their views with the Allan Jerkins', Bafferts etc. So many of the horseman who train and work with these athletes have been very open with their opinion on Zenyatta's greatness. We all have our opinions but ask those that are far more credible than most of the posters here. Some of the best minds in the sport are in the camp that she was deserving and was the best horse running last year.

i'm not sure why you and others feel zenyatta is being 'discredited' by anyone. the fact is, that zenyatta has ZERO wins in 2010 in open company. blame's wins all occurred in open stakes company. that fact alone suggests that he had a tougher campaign. it's not a discredit, it's not opinion or conjecture. again, had she been any mare other than zenyatta, she'd have never garnered a vote, let alone win the thing. everyone knows why she won-and many disagree with giving horse of the YEAR to a horse who had to campaign three years to receive that award.