Best Horse of 2006

[brianwspencer]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

After the BC, I was set to give HOY to Invasor even though I thought Discreet Cat was the better horse. After today, I can't in good conscience vote for Invasor as the best horse to run in NA in 2006. I just can't. If one race can win it in other categories, one race can win it in HOY. Discreet Cat is the best horse in the world. It's not even close.

It may very well be possible that DC is the best horse running -- but Invasor better get HOY.

One race is enough to win Eclipse HOY only when no other horse has accomplished anything of note during the rest of the year. Reeling off four straight GI races in N. America is certainly more than worthy for HOY. Passing your only real "test" (a five horse test) with flying colors and brilliance is a great thing to behold, but certaily does not constitute a resumé for HOY.

[randallscott35]

Originally Posted by brianwspencer

It may very well be possible that DC is the best horse running -- but Invasor better get HOY.

One race is enough to win Eclipse HOY only when no other horse has accomplished anything of note during the rest of the year. Reeling off four straight GI races in N. America is certainly more than worthy for HOY. Passing your only real "test" (a five horse test) with flying colors and brilliance is a great thing to behold, but certaily does not constitute a resumé for HOY.

Keep your pants on there, Invasor is going to get. Relax.

[sumitas]

This horse has been managed beautifully. Don't forget, he won in Dubai earlier. And to come back and win from Dubai is not a common thing. He looked fantastic today under heavy competition.

[ArlJim78]

Originally Posted by brianwspencer

It may very well be possible that DC is the best horse running -- but Invasor better get HOY.

One race is enough to win Eclipse HOY only when no other horse has accomplished anything of note during the rest of the year. Reeling off four straight GI races in N. America is certainly more than worthy for HOY. Passing your only real "test" (a five horse test) with flying colors and brilliance is a great thing to behold, but certaily does not constitute a resumé for HOY.

there is no chance Discreet Cat wins HOY. Period.

Originally Posted by ArlJim78

there is no chance Discreet Cat wins HOY. Period.

Yeps.

Invasor easily. Bernardini a drifting second.

[King Glorious]

My thing is this though.....if u want to change the criteria for winning it to "most accomplished horse in North America" then they should change it and then there would be no debate at all as to who is the horse of the year. But when the only defined criteria says the best horse to race in NA during the year, then it opens up a debate. I don't know if any of u are basketball fans but back in 1993, they gave the NBA MVP award to Charles Barkley. It was a hollow award because then Michael Jordan, the acknowledged best player in the world, promptly went out and kicked Barkley's ass in the championship. Same thing in 1997 when they gave it to Karl Malone and then Jordan went out and kicked his ass in the championship. How does it make sense to give someone else the award as the best player when Michael Jordan was still in his prime? I personally would feel like the HOY award would ring hollow if it's not given to the best horse, especially when that horse fits that stated criteria. I could see if it said that u had to win x number of races or x amount of money or x number of grade ones in order to win the award. But it doesn't. So that's why I can't vote for Invasor if I don't feel like he's the best. Most accomplished without a doubt.....but not the best.

[ArlJim78]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

My thing is this though.....if u want to change the criteria for winning it to "most accomplished horse in North America" then they should change it and then there would be no debate at all as to who is the horse of the year. But when the only defined criteria says the best horse to race in NA during the year, then it opens up a debate. I don't know if any of u are basketball fans but back in 1993, they gave the NBA MVP award to Charles Barkley. It was a hollow award because then Michael Jordan, the acknowledged best player in the world, promptly went out and kicked Barkley's ass in the championship. Same thing in 1997 when they gave it to Karl Malone and then Jordan went out and kicked his ass in the championship. How does it make sense to give someone else the award as the best player when Michael Jordan was still in his prime? I personally would feel like the HOY award would ring hollow if it's not given to the best horse, especially when that horse fits that stated criteria. I could see if it said that u had to win x number of races or x amount of money or x number of grade ones in order to win the award. But it doesn't. So that's why I can't vote for Invasor if I don't feel like he's the best. Most accomplished without a doubt.....but not the best.

Who is the best horse if not the most accomplished. Define "best"!

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by ArlJim78

Who is the best horse if not the most accomplished. Define "best"!

I can't define it for everyone. It's up to each individual. I think it's just something that u feel. We've all been watching these horses long enough to know when u get that feeling that u've seen a special horse. Let me ask u to answer this question. Did u feel that last year, Saint Liam was the best horse to race in 2005? Or did u feel it was Ghostzapper? No question that Saint Liam accomplished more but I also think there's no question that GZ was the best horse to actually race last year. To me, that's as close an example as I can get to how the best horse doesn't necessarily have to be the one that accomplished the most.

[ArlJim78]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

I can't define it for everyone. It's up to each individual. I think it's just something that u feel. We've all been watching these horses long enough to know when u get that feeling that u've seen a special horse. Let me ask u to answer this question. Did u feel that last year, Saint Liam was the best horse to race in 2005? Or did u feel it was Ghostzapper? No question that Saint Liam accomplished more but I also think there's no question that GZ was the best horse to actually race last year. To me, that's as close an example as I can get to how the best horse doesn't necessarily have to be the one that accomplished the most.

So we're talking about feelings here? Okay....
Did I feel that St. Liam was the best horse to race in 2005? I'm glad you asked me that question. Honestly I think in terms of only who is the best for a particular race I'm handicapping. I couldn't care less who a bunch of people FEEL is the best horse of the year. It makes no difference to me. I know that in reality there often is no one consensus best horse of the year. I don't wager on who the HOY or who the best horse is so I don't care.

When I handicap a race you better believe that I care about who the best horse is going to be that day and I certainly look beyond the individual records of accomplishments. I may FEEL that the best horse is an unheralded horse that doesn't have the best record. But you see the difference is that the race is then run and I find out if my feelings were correct. then its a matter of fact who was better on that day, no longer just a feeling.

We can sit around all night and toss out names of horses that we feel were the best in 2006. At the end everyone will be correct because its based on feelings. Sorry, not interesting for me.

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

My understanding is the award is for the horse that accomplished the most in the year. Invasor has, plain and simple. You're thinking way too much into it, and frankly, who cares anyway? As for the MVP awards you are talking about, in those years, Barkley and Malone had better overall years than Jordan, which is why they got the award. It's not who is the overall best, it's who had the best year.

That might be your understanding of the award but take a look at what the actual defined criteria is. Doesn't say most accomplished. Is says the best. That leaves it up to each individual.

No way that Barkley or Malone had better years than Jordan. Their teams played much better than they had in previous season and that's why they got the awards. Same reason why Nash just got it. They didn't have better seasons than Jordan.

Either way, I'm not thinking too much into it. Just asking opinions and giving my own. I'd have no problem with anyone voting for Invasor, Bernardini, or even Barbaro. As long as they are voting for who they think is the best horse.

[Hickory Hill Hoff]

Triple dead heat :
DISCREET CAT
BERNARDINI
BARBARO
all THREE were the BEST this year...in thier own ways