Because Penny Chenery thought Zenyatta needed another award
 

http://www.drf.com/news/penny-chener...a-first-winner

Oy vey - this is a complete joke. The fact that HOY judging procedures have to be debated (more accomplished on the track or more popular off it) really has rendered the award as absolutely meaningless

Very disappointed. She sold out to Disney and then stabs Seth Hancock in the back.

Vox Populi? Jeez, what a way to stuff a ballot box.

I'm going to create a new award next year.

The Kickin N Screamin Chicken Pox award

Isn't Joe the Dude like 2/5 to get the 2011 award?

1-9 right now.

I would rather the award come from Diane Lane.

I remember the first time Zenyatta set foot on a race track. I thought
"WOW Look at that !" she was 5/2... Anyway, I like Zenyatta but come on

stop the insanity

Any idea what KnS is up to?

Please send me a ballot.

Double Oy Vey.:zz:

Been following this sport for 52 years. I will now go off and stick my head in the sand. :wf:o::confused:

There's going to be a backlash if this kind of crap continues. :wf

Pretty sure when her first foal is born, the event is gonna look something like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vX07j9SDFcc

Is "Vox Populi" Latin for Pretty Horsie? Eh, she's big, she's beautiful, and she's a sweetheart so she does give us a good image publicly. I do think it's a different distinction from Horse of the Year and Hall of Fame status. Kind of a shame that Penny wasn't moved to create this honor for a horse like Barbaro who probably still enjoys a healthy amount of name recognition from the general public to this day and inspired donations and retirement efforts. This award's not going to gain too much attention outside the racing community. Zenyatta's amazing and deserves the love everyone's bestowed on her. I hope folks don't OD. I'm just waiting for them to announce a statue.

Has Santa Anita rechristened the Lady's Secret "the Zenyatta Stakes" again?

Or: Chenery creating this award (especially the fan vote contribution part) makes it easier in the future to keep the pros voting on HOY clearcut on performance, with emotional impact aside. The fans have elsewhere to go with their emotions.

Penny Chenery had Riva Ridge and Secretariat. She knows what an Eclipse HOY should be, and what it shouldn't.

I vote for Blame

:p

Totally agree the old bird has no merit. Horses have won the BC Classic and havent won the award and some have won 3 races in one year including the Classic and have gotten the award. Really she wouldnt know a good horse if it hit her in the head. It is a totally meaningless award in the grand scheme of things.....Congress people have got shot in the head and U.S soilders are dying everyday and people are worried about an animal with a worthless award that does nothing to better the lives of Americans.....shame on em all.

Im not bitter just dont give a crap LOL ........So mind numbing stupid the arguments people come up with for or not for horse of the year. Voting is over take a pill and wait for next year. I had the pleasure of riding for Penny and in my humble opinion she knows a whole lot more about horses and racing than most people including me, who post here. My post was pure sarcasim if you didnt get it.

He is the mostest happy horse ....you can go to DRF and see the latest pictures of him living out a very good life at River Edge Farm.

Yawn..............who cares? Give to Zenyatta for the next 5 years also.

Maybe they can give it to Uncle Mo for having a facebook page and wearing a tux plus he carries on actual conversations with his facebook fans.

She couldn't win on the track, so they keep campaigning, voting, and making up stuff....let's move on to the real racing.

What kind of backlash? Do you honestly think that anybody who was going to play races this week thought about the HOY award, got disgusted and decided not to play? That is if they even knew the awards were given out Monday night. Like I said in a previous post, the majority of gamblers just don't care.

:tro: I would rather see 2,000 posts speculating upon that breeding shed date, than continue the replay of the horror of the HOY vote and how it ended horse racing as we know it, until Arkansas Derby time.

I love that horse, thanks, Honu! Honu, how does the new track feel to you?

I have thought all along the track felt good and then I would see the race times and couldnt believe how fast they were going because it didnt feel hard. Then this week they have added some sand to it and until today I didnt notice and diffirence, today the track felt like it had a little extra bounce to it and from the times I saw this afternoon it has slowed down some.

Sounds great, thanks!

OK. "Backlash" was too strong, and I meant something like changing voter qualifications, as discussed in the Eclipse Spreadsheet thread, or the following:

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/nat...-criteria.aspx

While the idea of establishing more HOY criteria is not new, I just think that even more people inside the industry might call for changes. And whether they do or not, I'm sure you're right -- horseplayers will keep on playing.