Best of the Decade - All Comments

re: All Decade Eclipse Award Winners

diastu — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 03:10:35 GMT

Oh Mr. Steve,

Once finished with that celebratory bottle of champaigne, me thinks this list needs a little update! ZENYATTA! Yay! Finally!

re: Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

vic — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 20:50:36 GMT

I always thought the St. Liam/Ghostzapper deul never got its props - Two BC Classic winners & HOY winners going at it // great stuff

re: Best Goosebump Moments / Favorite Breeders' Cup Experiences

Monty — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 20:41:55 GMT

The best, no question, Zenyatta beating the boys in the 2009 B.C.Classic. Coming from far back, and weaving through traffic to outkick Gio, Summer Bird, Twice Over, Incredible, along with the great call by Trevor Denman, it does'nt get any better, and shut up a lot of bias who thought Zenyatta was overated ...

re: Best Losing Performances in a Breeders' Cup or Triple Crown Race

MsKnow — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 04:54:58 GMT

One That I thought was one of the greatest second place finishes was the 08 Derby that Eight Belles lost. Nobody was going to catch Big Brown that day but she made such a big move and was the only one making up ground on him.

re: Most Physically Impressive Horses

JOSH — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 02:47:06 GMT

THIS IS THE TOP 5 OF THE DECADE....

1. GHOSTZAPPER

2. POINT GIVEN

3. ZENYATTA

4. BARBARO

5. CURLIN

GHOSTZAPPER IS TOP 10 ALL TIME!!

re: Most Memorable Triple Crown Performances

derbyfan — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 19:23:20 GMT

mine that bird in the kentucky derby was the best derby i have ever seen and i can't remember the last one i didn't see!.. he was clear out in front before the announcer even realized his name! i loved watching him and wish him the best.

re: Best Goosebump Moments / Favorite Breeders' Cup Experiences

derbyfan — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 19:15:23 GMT

i have to say my goosebumps moment was watching mine that bird coming from last then sneaking along the rail to win the kentucky derby. i have watched that race over and over and am still amazed. hurray for the underdog!

re: Best Losing Performances in a Breeders' Cup or Triple Crown Race

derbyfan — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:09:20 GMT

i think if the preakness was a little longer mine that bird would have caught rachel and won.

re: Most Memorable Triple Crown Performances

mine that bird faN — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:06:54 GMT

50-1?. this was the best kentucky derby ever in the history. i can watch it over and over. i love mine that bird. hurray for the little guy!

re: Best Goosebump Moments / Favorite Breeders' Cup Experiences

derbyfan — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 11:57:23 GMT

i have watched the kd every year for as lng as i can remember. the most exciting was mine that bird run along the rail. i can and i have watched it over and over. i also have to add zenyatta in the bcc. i love her!

re: Most Memorable Triple Crown Performances

Shelley Deuso — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 23:16:50 GMT

Where is Zenyatta? She did just as good as Rachel and Rags.

re: All Decade Eclipse Award Winners

vikingblood22 — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 00:57:08 GMT

Hi Steve. I like your articles/writing style/blogs very much. I agree but please explain to me why you dismissed Dreaming of Anna as 2YO filly of the decade . . . I disagree with you on that one. With all due respect, Vikingblood.

re: Most Physically Impressive Horses

Cliff P. — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:33:40 GMT

Steve = I agree with you completely on Curlin, Bernardini, Point Given as well as Zenyatta and Rags To Riches. However, you excluded a few very worthy candidates in your "most physically impressive" lists...(boys)

Barbaro,

Easy Goer,

Spectacular Bid,

Foolish Pleasure,

Swaps...

(girls)

Winning Colors,

Landaluce,

Genuine Risk.

re: Most Memorable Triple Crown Performances

Rachelfan — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 02:04:17 GMT

Thanks for finding this incredible videos. I absolutely love to watch Barbaro's Derby, Rachel's Preakness was outstanding and Rags to Riches will always be one of my favorite racehorses ever. Loved watching them!

re: Most Physically Impressive Horses

GAGSTAG — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 05:13:46 GMT

Discreet Cat definitely had the looks Ouija Board every bit the Aristocratic Lady.

re: Best Losing Performances in a Breeders' Cup or Triple Crown Race

Slew — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 00:09:58 GMT

Karen...are you speaking of the BC?

Cloudy's Knight lost the slight edge to Man of Iron with Johnny Murtagh the jockey. Joe Talamo won the turf sprint with California Flag.

re: Most Memorable Two-Horse Stretch Battles

bsinboots — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:55:49 GMT

Ummm...You/Carson Hollow over Rags to Riches/Curlin? That makes your entire list meaningless right there.

re: All Decade Eclipse Award Winners

bsinboots — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:54:06 GMT

Could not disagree more with your horse of the decade. I don't think Curlin would beat Point Given, Ghostzapper, Invasor or even Bernardini if they all raced the same year. And he didn't deserve HOY in 2008...that was a gift to Jackson for running him at 4.

re: All Decade Eclipse Award Winners

robinm — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 02:38:36 GMT

I was never a huge fan of Curlin, though when he was good, he was very good and always consistent. I can't really argue the choice of "Horse of the Decade" though, because some of the more brilliant horses with higher win percentages did not compete in as many races. There is one category with which I strongly disagree, that being Midnite Lute as sprinter of the decade. He was absolutely brilliant in winning the BC sprint back to back, but his overall record does not match up with Lost in the Fog, or the filly, Extra Heat.

re: All Decade Eclipse Award Winners

Slew — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:37:36 GMT

I've loved horse racing my whole life, and though I have been amazed by Citation, totally awed by Secretariat, I never fell "in Love" with any one horse until the first time I saw Seattle Slew. I though he was magnificent, and one of the all time great American athletes. When I saw Vindication in the BC Juvenile, it was like seeing a re-incarnation of the Slew himself. I thought he was the odds on favorite to be the next Triple Crown winner. Thank you for giving him the 2 year old spot. We lost him much too soon. As for the others on your list, I can't disagree even though I may not completely agree. I guess we all have our own personal opinions on the best, and our own criteria.

re: Most Physically Impressive Horses

SusanW — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 20:00:07 GMT

Nice lists. After looking at the BC Classic again think Zenyatta is the most physically impressive of both sexes.:)...she is something else.

Surprised that Barbaro/Big Brown weren't on it, they both had "the look of an eagle".

Prettiest horse of the decade (looks, not conformation) to me will always be...Hard Spun.

re: Most Physically Impressive Horses

CURLINLOVER — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 14:17:03 GMT

Unless you have seen these horses in person at their best in their racing careers, it's impossible to judge this one. I'm a CURLIN fan big time; but I agree that Rock Hard Ten should be on the list - having seen this impressive specimen at Lane's End myself in person. where on the list, I'm not sure - but near the top for sure; very impressive horse. and until CURLIN, I leaned toward black horses; CURLIN changed me into a chestnut lover! :-) the others I have not seen in person; and that makes a difference; I know CURLIN impressed me beyond imagination when I first saw him in the Stephen Foster. I'm just happy that Haskin chose CURLIN for a spot on his list. Thank you, Steve; CURLIN well deserved it!

re: All Decade Eclipse Award Winners

CURLINLOVER — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 14:10:36 GMT

I'm so glad that so many on this blog agree with Haskin who knows his "stuff" and is a great writer.

CURLIN absolutely deserves the top spot because of his accomplishments over a two-year strenuous racing schedule here and overseas. CURLIN is the horse of the decade! So, you naysayers can have your own opinions! People always do. But both the readers and Haskin have spoken and voted for CURLIN - which should tell you something! Thank you all for supporting my all-time favorite horse, CURLIN!

GO CURLIN!!!!!!!!!!!

re: All Decade Eclipse Award Winners

Brown cow — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 12:06:36 GMT

LAZ

The test for validity of Results is Repeatability-- results are valid for as long as they CAN be repeated, with the same OUTCOME or RESULTS.

RAGS is nice and she beat CURLIN, but like Zenyatta, she retired after that SINGLE EFFORT, which was NEVER REPEATED again EVER. Can we CONCLUDE greatness from that SINGLE monumental victory? Sadly, the answer is NO.

We did not give Alexander the Great the nickname "Great" coz he won ONE BIG BATTLE. Alexander was GREAT because he won many many battles, and expanded his empire from Europe to India, to Asia Minor. Alexander didn't stay home in Macedonia with his dad, but instead, TRAVELLED across Asia, conquering every opponent that challenged him.

If we hastily call any horse who wins One Big Race as "Great" and award them Horse of the Year (or Decade), then we start to lose sight of WHAT IS THE TRUE MEANING OF GREATNESS, and start mistaking the Trivial for the Paramount, the Inconsequential for the SIGNIFICANT. What is sensational is praised, and the Relevant is discarded.

My dear, when that happens, its the Age of Decadence, all over again. The MIDDLE AGES has returned.

re: All Decade Eclipse Award Winners

LAZMANNICK — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 23:23:27 GMT

Hey GunBow:

I agree with what you say about Ghostzapper, but not quite in the way you are saying it. When Ghostzapper won the Tom Fool, the fourth place finisher was Lion Tamer who was thoroughly defeated after being in contention throughout much of the race, and would go on to win the Cigar Mile in 1.33.2 later that year defeating a very good Pico Central (He also won won 5 graded stakes).......When Ghostzapper won the Iselin, it is not hard to see why he got a 128 Beyer. Other than a couple of maintenance taps in the stretch after he was well clear of Presidential Affair, he drew off leaving his foes totally defeated (Presidential Affair was whipped continuously). The manner in which he won stuck out far more than the competition and suggests that he could have easily knocked another second or more off the time and still have had a lot left. He only ran 10-F once, but his time was brilliant against an equally brilliant field. He was capable of doing that again and would probably have been able to go longer. I think he was every bit as good as Curlin and probably better, but his knock, of course, was his relatively short career. For that reason, I placed him second in the Horse Of The Decade debate and I don't think he would have had a problem with any horse this decade if he raced against them......As far as Candy Ride, what a horse, but once again, a short career. To me he had a chance to be every bit as good as the others and would have given Ghostzapper a harder time than Curlin. The truth is, I am not taking sides with any of them because they were all favorites of mine, and all were simply brilliant......Regarding Formal Gold.......he just might have been the best Canadian Bred ever, right up there with Northern Dancer. Once his career became established he ran in some very difficult races against the best on the continent and more than held his own......Another fabulous horse. LOL