Who Is Horse Of The Year?

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by letswastemoney

SS defeated Easy Goer on the track.

Affirmed defeated Alydar on the track.
.

This would mean something but many many east coast people think Alydar and Easy Goer were the better horse.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

This would mean something but many many east coast people think Alydar and Easy Goer were the better horse.

Easy Goer was an all-time great 2yo and 3yo. Sunday Silence was an all-time great 3yo.

If you want to talk about the 4 head-to-head meetings ... I think you can draw a line through the Ky Derby (SS won) and the Belmont (EG won)

The Derby was on a similar wet track at Churchill where EG ran WAY below his form as a 2yo. Sunday Silence won the Derby, but it graded out a very mediocre performance. I think its clear that both SS and EG hated the track that day .. EG just hated it a slight bit more. Giacomo and Mine That Bird might have been able to beat them both on that day.

I also give a pass to Sunday Silence for the lopsided Belmont defeat ... when you consider the quality of races Easy Goer ran at Belmont Park all through his career .. and the 12 furlong distance of the race ... SS really was up against it. Easy Goer ran a number on Ragozin that day equal to the Ragozin number Secretariat got for winning the Belmont.

It leaves the Breeders Cup Classic and Preakness Stakes. Two narrow wins for SS in very fast races. In both instances ... anyone watching the tape can see Easy Goer was more impressive in defeat both times. Sunday Silence had the better tactical speed and in both of those races ran more professional.. and that was really the difference in the outcome.

The only way you can argue that SS was the better horse of the two - is if you think the offical results of those 4 head-to-head meetings are all that count.

Just from watching films and looking at pps and charts - I can't imagine how anyone could conclude that Alydar was a better horse than Affirmed.

[kgar311]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

This would mean something but many many east coast people think Alydar and Easy Goer were the better horse.

Easy Goer was "America's Horse" SS was the villain and as much as everybody loved EG me included, SS Beat EG more times then not on the track. SS won the Derby, Preakness and BCC, he came cross country and proved his greatness something Zenyatta did not. SS was a super horse and he proved it on the track not on paper.

[westcoastinvader]

Originally Posted by copying

These RA backers are the same ones that think Easy Goer was better than SS. They also loved Alydar over Affirmed. War Admiral over Seabiscuit. They ignore what's done on the track.

I haven't done point by point comparisons of Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta this year. I believe I did see most of their races with varying degrees of interest each time.

I was at Churchill Downs the day Sunday Silence defeated Easy Goer. By happenstance I ended up in the same box as the trainer and family of Northern Wolf to watch the race. We "moved down" in the mid-40 degree and rainy Louisville chill that day. Northern Wolf's trainer insisted we stay as he came to the box with his family before the race. My money was elsewhere, but I do have to say it was super cool to see Northern Wolf in contention around the final turn that day. The trainer was a fine and gracious man and I remember often how he graciously insisted we stay as the Kentucky Derby post parade began.

I found a way to get to Belmont the day Easy Goer beat Sunday Silence. My memories of that race are clouded a bit undoubtedly because I was captivated by a girl who I met that Belmont morning who knew "the ropes" and horses and got me up close and personal with her in the paddock. She had a wonder fragrance and a strong calmness.....yet she was delicate. We had a great day, though the part at the end where she was teary eyed and whispered she was not so happily married was a bit of a downer. Losing my money on Sunday Silence that day was less of a downer. I moved on.

I have an autographed head on photo of Steve Cauthen crossing the finish line in front of Alydar in the Belmont on the wall to my left. Next to it is the NYRA finish photo of the Affirmed "by a neck" win from the side.

I've always revered War Admiral. Nice name. "Seabuiscuit" as a name seemed to lose a little luster when Mr.Ed referenced him when I was a kid.

OK, none of this meandering has any relevance. Other than noting that I've been a betting fan of thoroughbred racing for a pretty long time.

I've been an easterner. I watched Spectacular Bid win the Florida Derby live and in person. His winning photo with my exact view from the apron is up with the Affirmed group in this room.

I have no skin in the Horse of the Year Award.

With my snapshot observations of 2009 Rachel Alexandra, and my snapshot observations of Zenyatta and my history of loving the history of horse racing my vote goes to Zenyatta by a whisker.

Rachel Alexandra had an easy opportunity to show up in SoCal and she opted out. I respect the reasons of the connections and respect the concern for the well being of the horse.

I really do.

But Zenyatta came to compete, and she won.

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by westcoastinvader

I haven't done point by point comparisons of Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta this year. I believe I did see most of their races with varying degrees of interest each time.

I was at Churchill Downs the day Sunday Silence defeated Easy Goer. By happenstance I ended up in the same box as the trainer and family of Northern Wolf to watch the race. We "moved down" in the mid-40 degree and rainy Louisville chill that day. Northern Wolf's trainer insisted we stay as he came to the box with his family before the race. My money was elsewhere, but I do have to say it was super cool to see Northern Wolf in contention around the final turn that day. The trainer was a fine and gracious man and I remember often how he graciously insisted we stay as the Kentucky Derby post parade began.

I found a way to get to Belmont the day Easy Goer beat Sunday Silence. My memories of that race are clouded a bit undoubtedly because I was captivated by a girl who I met that Belmont morning who knew "the ropes" and horses and got me up close and personal with her in the paddock. She had a wonder fragrance and a strong calmness.....yet she was delicate. We had a great day, though the part at the end where she was teary eyed and whispered she was not so happily married was a bit of a downer. Losing my money on Sunday Silence that day was less of a downer. I moved on.

I have an autographed head on photo of Steve Cauthen crossing the finish line in front of Alydar in the Belmont on the wall to my left. Next to it is the NYRA finish photo of the Affirmed "by a neck" win from the side.

I've always revered War Admiral. Nice name. "Seabuiscuit" as a name seemed to lose a little luster when Mr.Ed referenced him when I was a kid.

OK, none of this meandering has any relevance. Other than noting that I've been a betting fan of thoroughbred racing for a pretty long time.

I've been an easterner. I watched Spectacular Bid win the Florida Derby live and in person. His winning photo with my exact view from the apron is up with the Affirmed group in this room.

I have no skin in the Horse of the Year Award.

With my snapshot observations of 2009 Rachel Alexandra, and my snapshot observations of Zenyatta and my history of loving the history of horse racing my vote goes to Zenyatta by a whisker.

Rachel Alexandra had an easy opportunity to show up in SoCal and she opted out. I respect the reasons of the connections and respect the concern for the well being of the horse.

I really do.

But Zenyatta came to compete, and she won.

Who cares about which horses you saw etc etc.. Did you go for a roll in the hay with the hot chix?

[randallscott35]

Originally Posted by freddymo

Who cares about which horses you saw etc etc.. Did you go for a roll in the hay with the hot chix?

Yes this has turned into a name drop thread for some or a I saw so and so in person so that's the horse of the year....Me, me, me.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by copying

These RA backers are the same ones that think Easy Goer was better than SS. They also loved Alydar over Affirmed. War Admiral over Seabiscuit. They ignore what's done on the track.

it's not as easy as saying rachel backers vs zenyattas. some of us happen to like both horses-i'm one of them. it's not a knock on one to say the other is the preference.
and even tho i voted for rachel in this poll, i think sunday was better than easy goer-and i loved easy goer. affirmed proved time and again to be better than alydar. you were doing well til you mentioned the biscuit vs war admiral. one match race isn't a good decider. pretty much whoever wins the break wins the race.

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by copying

These RA backers are the same ones that think Easy Goer was better than SS. They also loved Alydar over Affirmed. War Admiral over Seabiscuit. They ignore what's done on the track.

congrats!

[randallscott35]

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2...tml?ref=sports

[CSC]

If this poll is indicative of the real voting, I would be willing to go with Co-HOY's this year.

Either way it would be a shame if one isn't.

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by randallscott35

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2...tml?ref=sports

Joe Drape needs one of those Law and Order shows 24 hour psych evaluations... He's lost it.

[kgar311]

Originally Posted by randallscott35

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2...tml?ref=sports

Just a quick observation of the video.

Jay Schrieber in his video describes Rachels work as a whole for the year. The different tracks, different accomplishments for THIS year in making his point for the HOY award.

Joe Drape in his agrument I feel makes the same mistake as most Zenyatta backers do. One of the first things he mentions is her 14 for 14 record, irrelevant to the discussion. Then he mentions how she looks, how her ears flop when she runs, irrelevant. Not once did he mention her accomplishments during the year that would warrant HOY, he sites the BCC and thats it. Then he compares her to champions of old, all of which ran before BC times. I think he does her no favors here by attempting to talk her up.

Message to Joe Drape, "just the facts man, just the facts" - Joe Friday

[philcski]

Originally Posted by randallscott35

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2...tml?ref=sports

Nice hairdo Joe Drape