Horse of the Year is Simple: Blame

re: Horse of the Year is Simple: Blame

craighorse — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 02:16:27 GMT

one can't take emotion out of sports. it is the reason we cheer for our team/person/horse! zenyatta put many emotional thrills into this sport!

re: Horse of the Year is Simple: Blame

Sara — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 23:45:56 GMT

I keep hearing "he only beat her by a head!" but that just makes me wonder why it matters. Zenyatta won many races, including the 2010 Clement Hirsch, Lady's Secret and many more. I agree, Blame deserves this award.

re: Horse of the Year is Simple: Blame

craig — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 22:57:49 GMT

to say that a 3 year old horse that wins the triple crown is automatically hoy is quite simply stacking the deck in favor of 3 yr. olds over older horses. that would be a total crock, as those races are restricted races and given way too much weight, as they are ballyhooed prep races for the breeders cup. so, if goldi comes over here next seasonand races and wins 3 stakes turf races against males, and captures her 4th straight bc mile, the 3 yr. old triple crown winner would get the nod????? that would be an obvious dirt horse bias...no doubt!!!!

re: Horse of the Year is Simple: Blame

WoodbineOaks — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 14:37:39 GMT

funny how the Zenyatta hardcore's are saying she had a better campaign then Blame make me laugh. The Stephen Foster , and Whitney are 2 massive Grade 1 races, and Blame won both. How can you EVEN compare restricted filly/Mare Grade 1's(which should have been Grade 3's) with NO GRADE 1 Horses aside from Zenyatta?. Blame traveled to multiple tracks to race, and Zenyatta stayed sheltered in So.Cal(aside from Oaklawn). If they weren't gonna come out east, and race in the BIGGER Graded races, then why not race in the Pacific Classic, or Hollywood Gold cup vs THE BOYS????. TV Ratings Don't win Awards, the Strongest performances DOES!. As for you those always referring to us as Old Timers.....food for thought a LOT of us are under 40 years of age.....NOT SO OLD NOW HUH?.....What is next for your Drama Queen??....Meet the president?, or Dancing with the stars???....pfff Give me a break!.

re: Horse of the Year is Simple: Blame

JFNC — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 18:54:26 GMT

If HOTY voters subscribe to the “American Idol” theory of voting then Zen is a lock for the award. I’m sure she has more Facebook friends, more website hits, and has sold more tee shirts than all the other horses combined. Her popularity is a testament to her greatness. One can’t help but be in awe when eye-balling the column of “1’s in the finish order of her Past Performances chart.

But was her performance the best of the year? Not even close. Popularity aside, horse racing is about winning, and winning BIG. Zenyatta’s five Grade 1 wins sound impressive, but not all grade 1 races are created equal. Blame won races with purse money totaling over $6.5 million compared to $1.55 million for Zenyatta. Although Blame’s victory in the Breeder’s Cup Classic over Zenyatta was nothing short of phenomenal, it was nothing new to him. He’s been beating the best horses in the country all summer. In June he won the Stephen Foster Handicap. With a purse of $671,700 this race had the highest purse available for older horses in the country for the month of June and it was $171,700 higher than Zenyatta’s highest purse won in 2010. There’s an old saying in horse racing, “the talent follows the money” and this was never more evident than in this race. The 2010 earnings of the 10 horses Blame defeated in the Stephen Foster was $2,874,494. This amount was nearly equal to the combined earnings of the 23 horses Zenyatta defeated in all 5 of her wins ($3,016,241).

In August blame won the Whitney Handicap at Saratoga. The $750,000 purse of this race was equal to three of Zenyatta’s Grade 1 races COMBINED! (Santa Margarita $250K, Vanity Hdcp $250K, and the Lady’s Secret Stakes $250K). Again Blame faced top notch competition, total 2010 earnings for his five competitors was $2.485 million (avg $497,042/horse) and the field contained multiple Grade 1 winners. Zenyatta’s 16 competitors combined from all three races listed above had 2010 combined earnings of $2.033 million (avg $127,080/horse) and, like all of the races she won, not a single Grade 1 winner.

Fortunately for Blame, HOTY is not about marketing. It’s a performance-based award and performance can be quantified… the numbers don’t lie. It’s hard to find a supporter of Zen who doesn’t reference her 2009 performance or the “unbeaten” streak when promoting her for HOTY but her races prior to 2010 are irrelevant and the streak is gone. Yes, Zenyatta will be remembered and recognized for her lifetime achievements but Blame will be recognized as the Horse of the Year 2010.

re: Horse of the Year is Simple: Blame

TJ — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 18:57:41 GMT

Who says Zenyatta didn’t do enough? She had the best record over any horse winning 5 of 6 Grade I races. She also beat Quality Road and Haynesfield – The best males of 2010. Blame did not compete exlcusively in Grade I stakes and was beaten twice. If not for his BC win, Blame would not even be considered.

Zenyatta not only won, she broke records:

In the Clemente L Hirsch Handicap at Del Mar, she broke the world record (set by Rock of Gibraltar) for consecutive Grade/Group I victories.

In the Lady’s Secret Stakes, she broke the All-time North American record (set by two-time champion Bayakoa) for Grade/Group I victories by a filly/mare.

It’s hard to believe she won’t be HOTY.

re: Horse of the Year is Simple: Blame

stevebiscuit — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 04:42:45 GMT

Still think Horse of the Year is simple, Jason?

re: Horse of the Year is Simple: Blame

tweety — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 19:44:31 GMT

JShandler quote:

"Luckily, the turf writers were the ones that voted and awarded the title to horse with the unquestioned best season."

That statement should be qualified by pointing out the East Coast Bias that even the "peoples choice as HOY" couldn't overcome.

re: Horse of the Year is Simple: Blame

nay nugget — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 19:22:11 GMT

HOY should go to the horse who does the most for the sport on AND off the track. Zenyatta wins hands down. No other horse in years has captured the attention of so many fans. HOY is no different than any MVP award in other sports which take into account on the field and off the field accomplishments. Many an MVP has been won by a player with lesser stats than another but who led in the locker room and off the field as well. Getting beat a swollen nose after overcoming trouble against a horse the quality of Blame doesn't lessen her accomplishments. If those two went 10 times and each had a clear run Zenyatta would win the next nine. There is clearly one horse who captured the world's attention all year and who put the face of the sport on a much bigger map. Zenyatta not only excelled on the track but did more for horseracing than any other by a mile.

re: Horse of the Year is Simple: Blame

Footlick — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 16:33:35 GMT

Zenyatta barely beat Rinterval, Switch and St Trinian's. Blame barely beat Zenyatta. If we are going to go by pure comparison, and since many have said Zenyatta was all out to beat those three, I guess Blame isn't that much better than they are. And what does that say for the rest of the East Coast horses? I'm being Devil's Advocate here, but I want to show you how dangerous it is to compare statistics like that. None of you have any real knowledge how good the races that those fillies actually were. But you all disparage them in one way or another. But the fact that Blame barely beat Zenyatta without acknowledging that Zenyatta runs to the level of her competition leaves it open for interpretation like this. There is no speed figure that I have seen that can accurately make a number that is comparable to a dirt figure. Because St Trinian's hasn't won a marquee event, you downgrade her. Switch beat blind Luck and ran second in the BC FM Sprint. Sadler said 9 furlongs is too far for her. 8.5 is ideal. Rinterval ran two big races in a row so she was in the form of her life. I'm not saying that they are as good as QR et all, but to relegate them to allowance horses that many of you have may not be quite correct. Anyway, I just wanted to point out that if you use the comparisons the way you are, you are opening it up for somebody to come to the conclusion that Blame is not much better than the horses Zenyatta beat on synthetic. Just some food for thought. Either Zenyatta steps it up when she has to and should be given her due respect, or Blame isn't much better than Rinterval. You guys decide.

re: Horse of the Year is Simple: Blame

Screen Prospect — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 13:41:05 GMT

Did you read the latest issue of the Bloodhorse? The points system they used said Zen would have 110 points and win HOTY honors. Not so. Goldikova would have 110 points as well. She ran in open group 1 company against the boy's. Older younger best of the best. Goldikova had the kind of year HOTY horses have.

re: Horse of the Year is Simple: Blame

Big Red — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 03:41:08 GMT

JShandler quote:

"Luckily, the turf writers were the ones that voted and awarded the title to horse with the unquestioned best season."

Mr. Shandler,

Do you mean that filly who beat Mine That Bird and Macho Again? These two males have become the laughing stock of the industry. Rachel Alexandra reminds me of Humpty Dumpty. She fell apart in 2010 and couldn't win a Grade I. I can't remember the last time a HOY couldn't win a single Grade I the following year. We are starting to find out that we (Turf Writers) voted on the wrong horse. When you look at the males she beat last year, it has become "pathetic".

re: Horse of the Year is Simple: Blame

Mike Relva — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 03:25:50 GMT

RIDERSUP

Please!

re: Horse of the Year is Simple: Blame

Bellwether — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 01:29:09 GMT

"NEVER SEA ONE ANY TIME SOON"...THAT$(B$)WHAT U THINK...LONG LIVE "THE GAME"...GET REEL!!!...

re: Horse of the Year is Simple: Blame

zenyatta mondatta — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 23:09:34 GMT

Larry, What did Zenyatta beat all Year Long?

Re: The same competition as Blame did. She beat them all in the BCC. and still only came up short a few inches from beating Blame. Go Figure.

re: Horse of the Year is Simple: Blame

Carlos in Cali — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 20:27:07 GMT

Re: Zenyatta

Some still don't get it and never will.

Too bad.

I'm just glad she shut-up her detractors,that's all.She loses by a head-bob on dirt vs. top class males, yet & still some folks are non-believers?...un-freakin'-believable.

Like I've said from the get-go: She runs to her competitions' level.Ultra smart & ultra competitive like all of the greats! And,coming from as far back as she did makes it even more amazing.You'll never see another one like her anytime soon.

Lesson learned?..I hope.

re: Horse of the Year is Simple: Blame

ridersup — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 18:22:50 GMT

Actually "if you take the emotion out of it" who really cares? Time to move on.

re: Horse of the Year is Simple: Blame

Jenny Ross — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 18:17:11 GMT

ZENYATTA HORSE OF THE YEAR!!!!!! SHOULD HAVE WON LAST YEAR AND WILL WIN THIS YEAR!!!! GO ZEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

re: Horse of the Year is Simple: Blame

Billy's Empire — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 16:28:39 GMT

Look, you are all calling out Blame's competition, running in open company grade 1 races, but you are all blinded by the fact that Zenyatta faced much, much weaker competition this year than Blame. You are making the argument for Blame as horse of the year stronger and stronger. Basically, you are all saying Blame ran against no one and beat no one, yet he beat Zenyatta.

re: Horse of the Year is Simple: Blame

Sharon — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 05:08:55 GMT

Just because Zenyatta got beaten by a head in the Classic, doesn't mean she shouldn't be HOY. She did everything that was asked of her and won all of her races.I am going with Zenyatta for HOY all the way!!!!!

re: Horse of the Year is Simple: Blame

YanYarD — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 01:12:15 GMT

She beat 5 mares that ran second to her, in 5 grade ones. If Zenyatta skipped those races, there would be 5 more grade one winning west coast mares.

She didn't get to race Blind Luck as the connections left the state to dodge her.

The lesson was pretty clear to the connections of the East Coast mares who dared not travel to Cali. If they want to win a grade one, dodge Zenyatta. This was successfully accomplished by running in one mile turf races. One filly was even retired after dodging her in two 5 million dollar races.

I believe she beat a few Grade one winning males in her most recent and unfortunately, final race.

re: Horse of the Year is Simple: Blame

Billy's Empire — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 21:25:22 GMT

Larry, What did Zenyatta beat all Year Long? That is what you need to ask yourself!!

re: Horse of the Year is Simple: Blame

Screen Prospect — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 20:36:43 GMT

Zenyatta among the best of all time?

Only for the Z fans. For the rest of the real world not so much. great filly? Yes. Best ever? Nope. Goldi RULES. Zenyatta had no problem with the Churchill Downs surface. She ran the race she always does but she was further back. You can tell who are the California fans. BTW I am not saying Goldikova is the greatest ever as well. Just better than Z.

re: Horse of the Year is Simple: Blame

Hoy4who — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 18:59:01 GMT

I totally agree with Jason ... "She runs soft races all the time!" Granted, Saturday's running made me respect Zenyatta finally, because she finally proved to me how good she really is. All the same, her connections (excluding Mike Smith) should've been more ambitious with her. If they do lose out on HOY, it's their fault." they did not test her in any race except for the BC. That doesn't prove she could have beat all her races ... cherry picken doesn't mean she is the greatest hores ... Mr BIG SHOT Moss should have tested the waters outside her comfort zone ... if she had still had a clean record then give her the HOY, but not with a soft easy win as she had

re: Horse of the Year is Simple: Blame

Slew — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 15:24:28 GMT

Kauto Star...my only point was that Goldikova and Workforce were not the only 2 being considered. I'm thrilled she won the award; I thought she should for reasons already stated. My point was also that Timeform ratings can be misleading because of the manner in which they're calculated.