Crist: Zenyatta needs to earn title on track

[SilentScreen]

Originally Posted by Kasept

http://www.drf.com/news/zenyatta-must-earn-title-track

If, however, Zenyatta loses the Classic to Blame, Lookin At Lucky, or Quality Road, she does not deserve to be the Horse of the Year for 2010. She may well be the Horse of the Last Three Years or Distaffer of the Decade, and she might be the only horse in the field who ultimately is elected to racing’s Hall of Fame, but she would not be the most accomplished racehorse of 2010.

When did "Horse of the Year" become synonymous with "most accomplished racehorse"? I always thought it meant "best racehorse".