Even if she wins the classic she will not have come close to accomplishing what Rachel has done.  She's been beating the same horses over the same track at roughly the same distances.  I assume they are running her in the classic to challenge for horse of the year; but in my opinion there is no contest.  Rachel has proven the versatility and class worthy of a horse of the year.  Zenyatta has just been doing the same thing over and over again.  No comparison.

You are so right! Football is the sport for 'mine is better than yours'. Appreciate each horse for who they are and enjoy. I've sent links to the Zenyatta 'She's a Freak' Youtube video to all sorts of people that aren't interested in horse racing. Both of my sons, who are in the Army, will be watching the Breeders Cup races just because I got them interested in her. They'll be watching Einstein also because I took them to Churchill Downs when they were on leave to see him race. Maybe gambling makes the money, but without the fans, there will be a shrinking pool of support.

BECKY, EXACTLY!! Great blog. Why isn't everyone pulling for our Zenyatta to win this!! How can you not love her beauty, charisma, perfection? There will be a major void in my racing world when she retires.

Count me in on the Zenyatta train, always!

Bravo!  Enough said!

Everyone should take some time out of their lives and do theirself a "favor" and watch the Grade I Apple Blossom.

Zenyatta made a mockery of that Apple Blossom field. She was 12 lengths off the pace and blew past that Grade I field (as if they were claimers).

Zenyatta appears to be much better on the dirt than the synthetics.

Watch this mare close in this impressive performance on the dirt:

www.youtube.com/watch

Absolutely frightening. She literally grabbed Ginger Punch by the throat and didn't let her up

If you watch closely, you'll notice that Ginger Punch is 12 lengths ahead of Zenyatta going into the far turn, and at the wire, she ends up 12 lenghts behind Zenyatta.

U-N-B-E-L-I-E-V-A-B-L-E!

Zenyatta travels to a dirt track in another state pretty well, doesn't she?

   Spot on Becky!  It is a shame and a disgrace that some "Fans" feel the need to belittle everything and anything regarding Zenyatta.  She is one for the ages(Along with Rachel), But, For some unknown reason to me, I am in the minority to love both filly's.  How silly will these people feel, That, When history is written, She will be one of the best of her generation, and all these people did was put her and her connections down!  I really hope she makes all of them eat crow on Saturday when she takes the Classic!  She is a TRUE Champion, All Class...

Becky, Write On! Endless analysis is tiresome and subtracts from the beauty and heart of the horse - as well as her accomplishments.

Thank you for putting The Classic run for Zenyatta in the proper perspective.  As Steve Haskin said "your eyes follow only Zenyatta" when she is racing.  The prerace dance is something we will never see again.  Whether she wins or loses on Saturday, she has provided two wonderful years of watching a fantastic filly who grabs your heart with her 'come from behind" wins.  Good luck Zenyatta!

AMEN!! Try keeping a horse race ready for 2 years and oh, did I mention UNDEFEATED.  Girl Power in the Classic.  Not only is her running style exciting but the mare has presence and radiates personality and chrissma.  Her repertoire of cha cha, war dance, dressage moves, pawing of the ground to the frequent stopping to gaze upon her spellbound fans...yes, Zenyatta is the consumate marketing tool for our sport.  There will be a void when she leaves the track for the broodmare band but we'll all be waiting in anticipation for her Z-power foals to carry on the torch.

on the train.. waiting for her big run in the classic..win or lose she has already won my heart,,so glad that she is taking on the boys..with that''the horses are at post''

My feelings exactly!

Ms. Johnson is so right on. We should be enjoying a horse like Zenyatta instead of forever finding fault. People are never satisfied. I bet if Secretariat or Ruffian or even Man 'O War were running now there would be bloggers complaining about them too. Horses like Zenyatta don't come along that often. I thoroughly enjoy watching her run. She has brought her A game to the racetrack EVERY TIME. It doesn't matter who a horse runs against - even greats have been defeated by a horse of lesser caliber. What is special here is that Zenyatta has defeated every horse she has raced against. This is truly special.

Becky, Nuff said! Well done!

I became a Zenyatta fan last year when I saw her win the Ladies' Classic.  I agree that we should enjoy her and her perfect record.  I don't disagree with that.  What I would argue against though, that even if she wins Saturday, I still don't think she would deserve Horse of the Year over Rachel Alexandra.  Rachel has raced more often this year, has faced and beaten the boys(of all ages) more often, run at many different tracks, and has several firsts in history.  First to win the Preakness from post 13(in over 100 years of the race), and her win in the Woodward has history written all over it.  Add it all  up and it is hard to vote against her.  That being said, I am excited to see what Zenyatta can do against the boys Saturday.

She's putting it all on the line Saturday agaisnt the best field she has ever faced at a distance she has never run,she'll be the main show and deserves to be.The best part is her owners weren't scared to compete against the best and didn't send her on vacation. If she wins she's the HOY case closed.-Jesse you should shown some backbone and let RA run against her instead of using the phony track excuse.

I am glad that they decided to run Z where champions are suppose to run. J Jackson calls himself a sportsman but hey doesnt bring his car to the daytona 500! It is great for the sport too bad Zenyatta is going to get crushed on saturday. She is a great horse but the classic will be one by either Gio Pointe or my boy Quality Road! Look out ..lights out here comes Quality Road baby the real star of the breeders cup!

Exactly what I have been trying to tell people on other blogs. Use to be everyone loved Zenyatta until Rachel came along and then it just became who was better than who with alot of fighting on both sides. Be thankful that we've had Zenyatta for this time and upon her retirement we will have another great mare in Rachel to take her place. That is the love of the sport waiting with anticipation for the next great one.

I can guarantee you, I'll be glued to my seat on Sat. Everyone I've talked to knows to root for this amazing mare. And like you Becky. If she wins there won't be a dry eye in my house either.  

I Agree!

While you do make some good points, and i agree that she is one of the best horses to come around in the last few years, the reason some of us have these reservations, is the fact that she wins so easily. It was clear by about her third or fourth start that she was begging for competition. The connections kept her with the females and she had a perfect year. That was fine.

I guess most of us expected a more ambitious 2009 campaign from a horse we so highly regard. This was only compounded with the emergence  Of Rachel Alexandra, and the way she was allowed to do great things.

I don't think fans are knocking the horse, we just want to she her run to her full potential.

Is it wrong for wans to want to see there favorite athletes performing at the highest level?

Are we wrong to want to match our two best girls together?

Fans are the ones that go out and wager, to keep this sport going, we deserve,not to be short changed.

We keep getting short changed and given politically correct excuses

" doing right by the horse"

" am going to let the horse tell me

when she is ready"

BS, they were bred to run , they love to run, let them run.

Well said and well said!! Why can't we be happy with a horse like Zenyatta? WHAT MORE COULD WE WANT???

Cheers and safe trips.

Seems to me that no one was putting Personal Ensign down when she won her 13 straight.  She even beat Winning Colors, that year's Derby winner.  As in Rachel Alexandria, this year's Preakness winner, would Zenyatta have beaten Rachel had the two met in the Classic?  Personally, I am for the Zee-Girl.  I used to be for Rachel but since her owner opted her out of the race because of the "plastic track," (c'mon, give me a break!), we'll never know who is the better female.  Of course, we are discounting the boys, unfairly.  I'll be on Summer Bird's gravytrain in case Zee-Girl falters.  I love Zee-Girl with her dancing antics and her looking around while walking in the post parade.  She knows she's a queen.  I just love her!  Sorry, Rachel.

Meadow36

You sound like a bandwagon jumper.....No one is disputing what Rachel has accomplished.....It would be nice if people like you applauded what the great mare Zenyatta has accomplished....,.You say that Zen has defeated the same horses over and over again.....just what did Rachel really deafeat.....The fillies she raced against where are they?   Are any racing in the BC....She defeated Summer Bird at an opportune time and wouldn't threaten him now.....She barely beat Macho Again and he was a dozen lengths behind SB and on his preferred surface.....The fields she raced against come nowhere close in depth and overall Class as this year's Classic.  At least Zen has shown up on racing's most precious day.....Rachel is great, there is not doubt about it, but so is Zenyatta and if she wins the Classic then based on a feat in the year's toughest race DESERVES HOY.

I just watched the ESPN promo of Zenyatta link above and got MAJOR goosebumps.  The Classic is full of great stories this year, and there are several horses that I wouldn't mind seeing take it, but I'll be slap outta my head if this big, beautiful girl wins!

Meadow36 I think you missed the whole point.  It isn't necessary to compare Rachel and Zenyatta again.  Rachel is not at the Breeders Cup. Zenyatta is!!  She is carrying our hearts around that track and I get choked up just thinking about that race.  If some feel that she wasn't allowed to race to the level she could have been - well, now she will do just that.  Maybe they could give HOY to two fillies - now wouldn't that be something.  Zenyatta all by herself is incredible and watching her both before a race dancing her magical dance and rolling past all the rest to the finish, is pure joy.  Let's just love her.

CB MAN

Did you know that one of many noteworthy comments that the trainer of John Henry often said was "the horse comes first". Case closed!

Zenyatta is a great mare. Rachel Alexandra is a great mare. Lets hope they are both great producers.

"She needs to beat Rachel Alexandria."

Err, that would be Rachel AlexanDRA.

MEADOW36

You  have a poor attitude! So called fans like yourself are a bunch of crybabies! If you can't find greatness in a horse like Zenyatta then YOU AREN'T A TRUE FAN! How do you explain her perfect record? Do you think it's a "walk in the park" to maintain a horse to retain form without injury or a dozen other factors getting in the way? She's not 13-0 by accident! If you even resembled a real fan you would appreciate her for what she's given. We all know that the race for HOY is long over w/RA the obvious winner,but to slam or not give credit to Zenyatta isn't fair by any means. How long do you think it will be until another horse comes along to equal Zenyatta's wins? You don't come close to having a clue,period!

I so agree with most of the posters! Let's appreciate QUEEN ZENYATTA for her accomplishments! If you don't have something nice to say ~ then don't say "post" anything!

We are watching something truly spectacular - enjoy the here and now!! Enjoy her in the paddock ~ I will be standing not too far from where she "dances" for the adoring crowd. :-)

I will not have dry eyes if she wins the BC Classic ~ you can make a bet on that!! Even if she doesn't win, I will have tears because this will most likely be the last time we see her beauty grace the race track. God bless her and keep her safe.

Meadow 36,give us a break, RA never ran a mile and a quarter, owner ducked the Belmont, Travers, Jockey Gold all had better fields and then the  owner puts her on vacation and ducks the best competition that there will be gathered in 1 race  a true champion distance of a mile and a quarter!She would have loved to run but the owner was scared to put her against such a tough field at a distance he knows she couldn't win at.If Zen beats this field she will have  proved she is the real Champion.RA ran 3 tough races aginst so so fields of boys and the filly races were a joke.She is a great filly  but Champions aren't on vacation when the best horses gather to race against each other-that is the fault of the owner he was scared.If she wins HOY put a asterik she didn't run against the best horses in the Real Classic because she was on vacation! That's funny maybe Fl or Ala. should declare the winner of the SEC championship game as national champ and avoid the BCS championship game.The owner didn't support the sport of kings and didn't want to see her get beat .Good luck Zen and congrats to the owners for putting it all on the line and ready to go  against the best instead of going on vacation and retiring unbeaten.Jesse chose to avoid the Cup so she can remain unbeaten this year and rest on her laurels-Phony!Champions run they don't go on Vacation and avoid the Breeders Cup Classic.

Bravo! She is magnificent .. everything about her from her size, her looks, her little dance before she runs, her perfect 13 win streak.  Let's just enjoy what time we have left watching her race.  I for one will be screaming, laughing and crying my eyes out if she wins come Saturday ... and that is saying a lot because this year I would love dearly for any number of these horses to win especially Einstein. But Zenyatta all the way!!!!

BRAVO Becky!!!! Amen!!! and yet to prove your point the first post goes waaay out of the way to put the BRILLIANT Zenyatta down--why? why? why? Sorry that just SOME Rachel fans can't just enjoy Rachel without putting Zenyatta down--that is THEIR problem. We can love Zenyatta and not have to even mention Rachel much less put her down. Go Zenyatta--you are one amazing girl and I have never seen any horse like you!!

Becky - You hit it out of the park on this column.  so many are NEVER satisfied with the gifts we are given - it's not worth their time unless we can pick the item apart and find reasons not to enjoy it.

Meadow36 couldn't even respond to the theme of the column - instead he/she became the Class A living example of the problem.  First post on the line up, and what's offered?  A bitchfest about who's better than whom and why Rachel is a goddess and Zenyatta should be pulling a milk wagon. Yada, yada and so it goes in Never Satisfied Land.

These kind of horses don't roll by every day.  Let's just appreciate that Zenyatta is the gem that she is and be THRILLED that the connections have done exactly what the fans wanted - they have entered her against the boys in a Grade 1 race.  And not just a grade one with a short, ho-hum field like the Woodward (take THAT, Meadow36!) but the CLASSIC -  chock full of Grade 1 winners from the US and abroad.  

And what if she'd entered the Ladies Classic instead?  The Meadow36s of the world would be up in arms about the fact she ducked a real challenge.  There's no winning.

I'm putting my heart and soul into the show Zenyatta will present on Saturday.  Win or lose - she will bring tears to my eyes and joy that I had the incredible good fortune to be alive and see her race.

Enjoy her folks - don't look this gift in the mouth.

Citation:

Thanks for sharing the youtube  video. Once Zenyatta kicks into gear, it's bye bye. She's amazing...

Zenyatta is THE reason I am making the trip to Santa Anita this year for the Breeders' Cup.  I haven't had the opportunity to see her yet and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see her on the biggest stage.  

Zenyatta is a joy to watch, that's for sure. There are lots of horses like that - even the gutsy oldtimers giving their hearts at tracks each and every day across nowhere tracks, but she's not the big draw like Rachel is. You want to attract more fans to this sport, you need to promote Rachel. And as far as HOY, it goes to Rachel who has accomplished more this year than any other horse.

Yes, Zenyatta is a wondrous horse who has charisma and star quality she displays for her fans each and every race.  When will we ever see another horse with such attributes ever again?  She is so in touch with what she does, it is totally amazing.

Just her physical presence takes my breath away.

This is Zenyatta's moment and I am thrilled to share it with her.  I appreciate the Mosses' giving the fans what they wanted to see.

Her record stands for the ages, no matter what.

I

I agree--I think the east coast bias has really shown up in this topic. They have a hard time understanding that a West Coast horse is superior to even RA. Her 2009 Clement Hirsh was an incredible performance. Probably the best performance i have ever witnessed in 26 years by a race horse. Zenyatta wins by a head, and everybody criticizes. Folks, she is the defending champion, never lost a race, never lost to another horse, won on dirt and synthetics. She has beaten past champions and future champions. This horse will go down as one of the greatest of all time; enjoy!   I hear she might be running in the MidWest after the BCC- RA then could watch Zen's behind then; if Jackson has any guts.

CGRIFF

Well said! Individuals like MEADOW36 are a long example that derives great joy in slamming something!

You shared my exact sentiments.

Fans can do so much to self promote the sport and I have done that in my workplace!  Everyone is asking me about Breeders Cup day!

Thank you Jerry and Ann Moss for the gift of Zenyatta and all she has accomplished, PERIOD!!!

I had the luck to see Zenyetta last year in Cal live and have not missed watching her race since.

She is the wonder horse of the 2000's and we should be so lucky to see her race.

I'll be watching on Sat. and I know she will bust the boys.

She is a filly that the press will follow thru her breeding career.

The true meaning of this article is great and meaningful, but when you say fans are ruining the sport that is much not so. The main people I hear stating your reasons are people that write articles and sit in front of cameras and handicap for a living. There are many different kinds of fans. There are those in it for the game and the pay out, and those that love horses and a good show. There are many variations of fans in any sport. Lets not knock the fans when the media is the one that puts these ideas in peoples heads.

I just wis you zenyatta fans were reasonable. taking on g1 winning males at a distance she has never run is going to make her look very average. hitting the board would be a dream but I wouldn't expect it.

Zenyetta doesn't need to beat Rachel Alexandra--Rachel needs to beat Zenyetta!  Zenyetta is running on Saturday!  What is Rachel doing???????

I was so glad to read your column -finally, a blogger "gets" Zenyatta! I am counting the hours until the race, and am thrilled she will finally get her chance to show all racing fans how truly special she is.  If you read some of the other trainers' comments about her (the ones based in CA), they all say how great she is. I suppose they don't know what they're talking about? Go Zenyatta!

Laz,

    Not defending anyone, but it's kinda hard to take advice and listen to a person who says to just appriciate what a horse has done then turns around and belittles another horse that is not his favorite. Macho Again loves mud, ture, but he does not relish that extra furlong in the 10 pannel, plus SB likes slop just as much. SB may not relish the nine furlongs like he does ten, but he ran a winning race in the Haskell, and ran it with the style new running style that has earned him wins in both the Travers and JCGC. As of now who has Zenyatta beaten that has come anywhere near the caliber of SB? The answer is nobody. RA has run eight times going outside her division, first to 3yr old male then to older males and won all her three races against them and all were Grade ones. I will not deny Zenyatta's greatness, because that would be foolish and stupid, but nothing in her career compares to what RA has done just this year. Even if Zen wins the BCC, it is one risk race to RA's three, while making history in each of her eight races. Again if Zen wins that will be one historic race this year to the eight times RA has written history. Zenyatta is great, but thanks to the conservativeness of her connections no rational person on earth could look at the wieght of her season and vote her HOTY off of one big race, when comparing it to that of RA's season.

Citation,

I watched that Apple Blossom video you posted above and I have to admit that  Zenyatta took that Breeders Cup Distaff Champion "Ginger Punch" out behind the woodshed.

Zenyatta is starting to grow on me a bit.

Phantom,

   Has Zenyatta ever won anything over nine furlongs, no. So why don't you call her a phoney as well. She will have a total of four races this season. Champions do NOT skip out on half the racing season then race in relitively light races THEN decide when backed into the corner to go all out. Who honestly thinks that if RA had lost the Woodward or Haskell that Zen would be in the Classic? The reason why she is now is because her connections are trying to gain extra brownie points for HOTY, that is it. It is not for sportsmanship. They know the ONLY way possible to get close to HOTY is to go and try to win the Classic. If RA had not won any of her races against males she would not be in the Classic. She would do what she did last year and try to go unbeaten through a Ladies Classic, since SB for one is not as popular with the public and did not get really good until the second half of the season. A win in the Ladies Classic would have been enough, so they would've taken that route. She is great, but if you want jellybacked that is Zenyatta's connections, since they will only go all out when actually forced to do so.

I agree Meadow36. Also she has beaten other grade I mares only but that is it. She is a really good horse but in order to be Great she has to run on all different surfaces against more competitors. Rachel has done so but if she comes back next year she can do so even more.

What people are missing here is that Meadow36 speaks the truth. Now both Ra and Zenyatta are very good horses but if I were the owner for Zenyatta I would be racing her all over! Not just in CA for almost her whole career!! And on the Synthetics!! Also fro RA would be racing her in the BCC! Both horses are very good but in order to be great Like Citation, Secretariat, etc... those true champs you have to go up against everything!! Different tracks, horses, conditions etc...

If Zenyatta runs the type of race she did in the Apple Blossom, she will probably win the Classic.

LDP,

You are so wrong when you call Zenyatta's connections "jellybacked." Whose horse is in the barn for this year's Breeder's Cup? Who calls Santa Anita's track "plastic," because he got so angry that Curlin lost last year - he could only blame the track and not take into consideration that the horse wasn't in the same form as earlier in the year? Jess Jackson showed how little faith he has in Rachel Alexandra by ducking the Breeder's Cup this year. His horse had already won over an artificial surface. He was just plain afraid that she would lose. And anytime a horse goes out to race, it is a risk race. Many don't come back sound, and many don't come back at all. It is way too bad that people can't wish Zenyatta good luck and enjoy what may be her final race without name calling and comparing her to other horses. Some people just can't enjoy anything without complaining. I wonder, if they were horse owners how they'd have handled THEIR horse's career. Meadow36 andd Mark, sour grapes to you both.

i think zenyatta is a great horse.  i think the reason people are putting her down as much as they are is the fact that last year she was a contender for horse of the year, so they expected a lot more from her this year. the fact that she got scratched from a race at churchill because they thought the track might adversely affect her was the starting point of the fans not supporting her. the fact that she ran 4 races this year against the same horses she has repeatedly beaten instead of going out of state to meet higher quality horses is insane. now, because of that and because of seeing rachel alexandra do so many things that zenyatta never did, the fans aren't behind her as much. she has no chance of being horse of the year, so people need to get off that, even if she wins the classic.  however, i think if summer bird wins the classic (and my money is on him and rip van winkle) he (summer bird) has a shot at horse of the year because he has won so many prestigious races (belmont, travers, jockey club gold cup). tim ice was not afraid to put summer bird up against anyone.  he knew that summer bird most likely wouldn't beat rachel alexandra, yet he still put him in the haskell, refusing to be intimidated by her.

that said, i think zenyatta comes in somewhere in the top 4 in the classic but she has a lot to overcome if she wants to win. she's never faced the boys, never ran a mile and a quarter and never been in a race with 12 other horses.

Dray dont fall for the Z hype stick to your guns and watch QR romp on a dry track. Two track records baby about to be three! QR finally gets away from the rain he is in peak form now. Pletcher has a live horse. Alot of love for zenyatta she has proven herself and deserves a shot! This is going to be an awesome race and its good to have superstar power running and knowing that a some point Zenyatta will be charging home at the end! Hope she wins for all you fans I just think QR is too good!

I love Zenyatta for what she is.Rachel Alexandra is a completely different horse who is spinning her own special story.Will miss her racing,but will love to see her kids.

Mike Relva

As a horse owner and fan

I do believe we should put the horse first. How is running in a more competitive spot not doing that. The claimers and the big race horses all face the same risks on the track. A horse can only do his or he best and no more.

For the record, I love zenyatta, She is an awesome athlete, her size  is intimidating, and i think she is fully capable of beating any horse.

I am always taken back by aggression that is present when folks discuss Zenyatta, especially when Rachel Alexandra gets thrown into the mix.  Its worse than the mud flinging between parties during an election year.  For the record, I am a hugh fan of both horses. Zenyatta,(the queen) is one of the most stunning horses to ever step on the track. Size, attitude, strength and confidence wrapped in that beautiful exterior.  She knows her role, she loves the game and has perfected her run.  Rachel is the Rockstar.  Pure raw talent with the heart of a lion and the toughness of a veteran campaigner. As a fan it is obvious how both these ladies as well as other big named horses are good for racing.  All year long I try to post the results of the big races on my Facebook page with the hope that maybe a few new fans will tune in for Breeder's Cup...and its has worked.  Bottom line, both Zenyatta and Rachel bring fans to the track.  It has been a long time since we have seen folks piled ten deep along the paddock/winner circle to just get a glimpse.  Hope they are 20 deep Saturday.

Why is it  that if you question a horses racing chops on this site, people consider it an assault on the horse and the sport? A lot of us Becky, are capable of loving the sport, enjoying the races and arguing the age old argument about who is the best. I have seen every Zenyatta race. If I wasn't able to see it live then I taped it. So should I not debate who has had a better year? Are you aware that a large portion of fans like to handicap the races and bet? I read all of the blogs on this site and I have seen almost no one say that Zenyatta isn't awesome or that they don't like to watch her race. People have debated her performances and have laid down handicapping opinions which of course can contain negative statements about the horse but that is good not bad. Some of us like to hear people give their opinion about horses performance.

Why are some of you people comparing Rachel and Zenyatta?  That's not the point of this article.  And why can't you just enjoy both horses?  You remind me of grade school children that can't accept new friends into your pitiful little clique.  

Anyway, Zenyatta's pre-race dance is my favorite part of her show.  I'll miss that more than anything.  

For real, R Howard, that was the best race you've seen in 25 years? Do you watch horse racing very much? Draynay has the point-why are Zenyatta fans not reasonable about her performance? Why do we all need to love the same horse? I rooted against Big Brown in every race he ran! I'll root against Zenyatta on Saturday because I like Summer Bird better. And because I bet, I won't be putting money on a horse that should logically be 10-1 to win at 3-1 odds. Get over it. But there is no argument that if she wins, she is HOY. See Lanagulzion, he puts it right.

Meadow36 & ThePhantom,

     This is the problem, BOTH of you are the same.  Did you even read Becky's Comments?  You both don't get it, Why must one feel obligated to diminish one to bolster the other?  Why is it so hard to respect BOTH of these greats as what they are, Champions!  Only true fans would be able to enjoy both without it becoming some juvenile, immature argument, Grow Up...

If you guys want to save money bet quality road please i beg you its the best value bet of the day!! The best part of this classic is there so much hype on Z and Z that the other horses are just quietly going to dominate on saturday its start with Gayego and ends with QUALITY ROAD! I do love attention that zenyatta gets because she deserves so much more. The queen will turn into a princess on saturday by the KING....... Quality ROAD! LOL!

Cgriff, well said! Zenyatta is a grand fantabulous (as Van Morrison would say) once in a lifetime mare that I am grateful to see in my lifetime. Not taking away anything from past greats, but Zen is here and now. I as always, am rooting for her to win, and if she doesn't at least she stepped up to the plate and tried.My main wish , as always is for all to have a safe trip.

Dray, Zen growing on you just a little? A little is better than before!! :):)

Excellent!  I think Zenyatta will blow the field away as she always does and prove that she does not have a comfort zone.  The track is her zone and she rules!

All should pray for Z to have a safe, successful trip.  She is a beautiful representation of the sport, I don't think any fans dispute the fact that she is indeed one of the greatest.  Go Z!!!

Excellent article!  I agree! Zenyatta is an amazing animal (as is Rachel Alexandra).  It is possible to enjoy them BOTH without putting either one down!  There is room for more than one "great" horse and I personally am thrilled to have been able to watch them since I was not around to see many of the greats of the past! What horse is greater has always been a never ending debate throughout time and everyone is entitled to their opinion.  Comparing performances is not degrading to either one if it is a straight up factual comparison, but the downright nastiness from some posters toward which ever is not that persons favorite is ridiculous in my opinion!  In fact I believe all the horses deserve our appreciation and none deserve to be degraded as they have no choice in any of these matters!

DRAYNAY:  don't forget the you guaranteed that Zenyatta would not even run in the Classic!

HELLO GREG J

As usual,you are on point again. Nice going! That's my point also,people can't appreciate the amazing talents of BOTH HORSES,many have to slam one to raise the other. Just a bunch of babies!

One thing that no one seems to mention is the way horses look AFTER a race.  

Zenyatta looks like a million dollars after each race.  She looks alert, bright-eyed, and like she could run a couple more laps around the track.  Her ears are pricked and she looks like she has barely broken a sweat.  She looks HAPPY.  

Rachel Alexandra -- as fast as she is and as many times as she has won against "the best" -- looks tired, beaten down (ahem, Calvin's 20-some-odd whips to the finish), and just plain worn out.  She doesn't look like a happy horse at the finish.

Sure, this may say that Zenyatta hasn't been tried.  Sure, this may say that Rachel puts her heart into every race and runs to the end.  

But this may also say that Zenyatta's tank has never been emptied and that if she really is peaking like her connections say she is, there is no reason why she can't hold her own on Saturday.  

Personally, I'd rather see a happy, alert, bright-eyed and pricked-eared mare who came in 2nd or 3rd over a worn out, dogged-tired filly who had to be beaten into a first place win by a nose.  Oh yeah, that filly isn't running on Saturday...

GREG J

Nice touch as usual. Always enjoy reading your posts. What do you think some of the so called fans will say after Zenyatta makes their little world collapse in one frame Saturday? lol

I have read a lot of comments about Zenyatta that are purely emotionally driven. If the truth be told, Zenyatta is a brilliant California mare that has been skillfully managed. There have been very few risks taken with her and this has resulted in her being undefeated. The recently retired Peppers Pride is a brilliant New Mexico mare who was undefeated in 19 starts. She like Zenyatta was kept in company that she was cable of beating everyday and twice on a Sunday.

Many horses with exceptional ability could have Zenyatta’s record if managed properly. Let use Curlin as an example. He was trusted into the Triple Crown series after only three starts. If his connections had taken a more conservative rout and skipped the TC and raced him in some of the easier derbies he would have remained unbeaten until he was fully seasoned. In spite of his lack of seasoning he competed in all three TC races against the best both sex. Curlin won his last eight dirt races that were contested on two continents and at five or six different tracks. The risk of defeat for Curlin during this eight race stretch was enormous. However, he was up to the challenge. Let’s no forget that Zenyatta started her racing career as mature 4YO. She did not run against Belmont winner Rags To Riches as result of this. It can be argued that she did not face the best females or males from her crop. Can any one without reservation state that the horses Zenyatta has beaten are better than Rags To Riches.

Rachel Alexandra is undefeated in seven starts in 2009. Her body of work in seven races has eclipsed what Zenyatta has done in her 13. This cannot be disputed. If her connections had chosen to keep with the girls, she could have easily won at least 10 or more races this year. Her connections were convinced that she was the best horse in the country and set out to prove it. She competed at six or seven different tracks; four to five different surfaces; she defeated the best colts and fillies in her age group; she defeated older horses. She won the KO in hand by 20 lengths.

They did not choose to repeatedly beat up on the same group of overmatched girls and then label her great. The same cannot be said of Zenyatta. I hope she wins the BCC because her résumé is very light.

NB: It appears that everyone has forgotten that  Zenyatta belongs to the 2004 crop that included Breeder Cup Juvenile & KD winner Street Sense; Preakness, JCGC,BCC winner & two times HOY Curlin; Derby & BCC runner up Hard Spun; Haskell winner Any Given Saturday; Breeder Cup winner  Dreaming of Ann; Belmont  & Oaks winner Rags To Riches. How many of these top horses did Zenyatta face?  How many of the aforementioned horses could she have defeated to remain unbeaten?

LDP

I'm not trying to belittle Macho Again.....he's a nice horse, but he's simply not top class G-1 horse.....And believe it or not, I am not trying to belittle Rachel.  She is the real deal…..But I always feel I have to defend Zenyatta, a great mare that has proven her greatness and has brought personality to the sport like we haven’t seen in a long time…..As far as your comment that if Zenyatta wins the BCC it is one risk to Rachel's three, why don't you put that in perspective.....If Rachel could defeat any two of the horses running in the Classic on any surface you want to name (dirt, synthetics) at any distance from 1-1/8M and up, she would arguably have defeated two horses that were tougher than any she has faced so far in her career, (including SB who was not as good in the Haskell as he is NOW)…..If Zenyatta wins the BCC against possibly 12 such horses, do you think that she would have to defeat males again and then again to prove that she is at least as good as Rachel?  I think that that assumption is ridiculous.  WHOEVER WINS THE CLASSIC WILL HAVE WON THE TOUGHEST ROUTE RACE IN N/A THIS YEAR AND WILL NOT HAVE TO RACE AGAIN TO PROVE HOW GOOD THEY ARE.

LDP

One last thing. Thanks to the conservative approach by Zenyatta's connections we are at least seeing her race in the BC.  She is not TIRED and in the barn.  We are not hearing the excuses about synthetics or distances or too many races......What's wrong with that plan?  Nothing.

Draynay:

I read your following two posts.  You better put a better password protection on your computer.  Somebody appears to be posting in your name.....

I watched that Apple Blossom video you posted above and I have to admit that  Zenyatta took that Breeders Cup Distaff Champion "Ginger Punch" out behind the woodshed.

Zenyatta is starting to grow on me a bit.

Draynay 04 Nov 2009 4:03 PM

If Zenyatta runs the type of race she did in the Apple Blossom, she will probably win the Classic.

draynay 04 Nov 2009 4:42 PM

Hmmm, this blog makes me wonder; why is it assumed that there can only be one champion, either or? The champion qualities that make a great competitor, are prominent in both of these female athletes. If we had hearts as big as theirs, we would be able to embrace them both. As others have said; enjoy every minute of every race while we can. To be able to witness such talent is a gift. Be grateful, not greedy.

I have been a Zenyatta fan from the near beginning.  I was at Hollywood park when she won her 4th race in a row and was so disappointed she got no attention from anyone at the track.  This is her time to SHINE and oh she will.  I am glad this is finally getting the attention she deserves.  I can't wait to see her run lights there, and I will be there to witness her majesty! :)

Laz, no it's just CYA time for Draynaysayer. Wouldn't be the first time nor the last.

LAZ,

It was me, relax. I'm still betting Quality Road.

Mickey Relva-see I admitted and ate my words on Zen, sure you went back to check that out, now you can eat crow for a failing memory.Lol,Greg J Mr Meow, fact is RA is a great horse up to 9 furlongs no question, Jesse didn't want to risk racing her beyond that distance and avoided the mile and a quarter races, Zen 's onwners should be praised they are putting her rep, streak all on the line to run against the best at the classic distance.If she wins that's as good as anything RA has done all year because the field will be the best gathered for 1 race.My bashing is not  RA its the phony chicken owner who has such a big ego and denied his great filly a chance to run against the best, is that supporting racing and giving the fans a chance to see the 2 giants meet head to head -no.Just think where the Breeders Cup would be if all owners had the fear and ego problem Jesse has -it wouldn't exist.If the race was in NY she would not be tired its his fear and not wanting to see a repeat like the crushing defeat of Curlin on this track last year.Maybe she would have loved this surface more then dirt and possibly have won the Classic but the horse and racing fans  are  being denied this because of a phony! owner.When's the last time a HOY didn't win a race at a mile and a quarter!

Well said about Zenyatta, I have loved her since the 1st time I saw her run. She is all about what makes this sport great. She is all about what stirs that emotion in me. Growing up as a boy back in the 1950's and 1960's, going to the track with my dad. Zenyatta is a throwback, a nomily of a generation of race horses long since gone. Whether she wins Saturday is immaterial, how she made me feel at the time is everything.

Go get-em girl............

I always find it interesting when a filly or mare is held to a higher standard than a colt.

I have heard many times about big "Z" running in the same races this year as last.

Did not Lava Man win the same race two years in a row?

What about Native Diver? I believe he won the same race 3 years in a row. Many people still talk about what a great horse he was.  He also raced exclusively in California.

 A horse being able to come up with a win everytime is very hard to accomlish.  It does not matter if you believe the field to be weak or strong. Every dog has its day.  

In fact, the 1933 derby winner Brokers Tip had never won a race til then. He did not win any afterward either.

RA is great no  argument.

But the only BC race I will be watching this weekend will be the classic. No matter how it ends, it will become one of those memorable moments that will be talked about for years.

Well said, Grandefan.  

I've been a fan of Z long before I ever knew there was RA, however, there's plenty of room in my heart for both these amazing racers.  

Wish to share the following link, which was beautifully written on Rachel's behalf wishing Zenyatta the very best this Saturday.  You won't be disappointed!

www.stonestreetfarms.com/rachel_diary.html

Great article! I love both Zenyatta and Rachel. But this story isn't about Rachel, she's done for the year. The focus should soley be on the classy lady Zenyatta. I don't know about anyone else but I have plenty of room in my heart for more than one great horse!

Coldfacts

Your analogy has a few holes in it.  Not too good for someone who probably prides him/herself in getting the facts right:

a) Zenzatta raced in tough races during her career…..what do you call a Breeder’s Cup Distaff…..and what about her Apple Blossom when she destroyed a field that is at least as tough as this year’s Lady’s Distaff and which included the undisputed filly/mare champion (Ginger Punch) whom she would defeat twice that year.

b) Zenyatta started her career at three, not four.  She was abnormally big for a filly which probably accounts for that.

c) If Life Is Sweet (defeated by Zenyatta several times) wins this year’s Lady’s Distaff or even finishes within a length of winning then your assumption that Zenyatta has faced easy fields in California will be totally wrong.

d) Curlin never won eight races in a row.  Even if you subtract his Man O War on turf, the number on dirt would have been seven.

e) The joke about Zenyatta being from the same crop as Curlin and SS and Hard Spun, etc., and never facing them is pure hog wash since she didn’t even start in her first race until November of her 3-y.o. year (when virtually all the horses from that crop that you mentioned were retired).

f) A far as Rags-To-Riches, she was already retired before Zenyatta ran her first race, but in putting your astute analogy into perspective, do you think that Rachel would defeat her.

g) Leave Rachel out of the equation.  The fields she raced against weren’t exactly deep.  For example, other than Sara Louis (who defeated Rachel by the way)none of the fillies she raced against are at this year’s BC.  Where are all those great fillies she defeated by 20 in the KO anyway (I know a couple of them would later win G-1 races, but those were against themselves, not more difficult competition)?  The Mother Goose was a great performance on Rachel’s part, but it also set up perfectly for her…..(pretty easy to defeat two other fillies battling for the lead and running suicidal fractions)…..Only three of the males she faced are racing on Saturday (Summer Bird and MTB in the Classic and Bulls Boy in the Mile)…..It would be a stretch for her to defeat SB now, and MTB would probably beat her at the 1-1/4M distance (remember the 1-3/16M Preakness)…..Bulls Boy isn’t considered a strong enough threat to even go in the Classic.  And Macho Again whom she was all out to beat by a nose isn’t here either.

Why don’t you just enjoy Zenyatta for what she is and what she has contributed to racing?  You talk about her like she is a plow horse or maybe should race on the Ohio circuit.  I like Rachel.  She’s fantastic, but the truth is if she could read and understand your complete disrespect for one of the stars of our sport she would probably turn her back in shame.

Just an FYI Smarie-The Jackson's didn't want to take Curlin to Santa Anita last year either, but they bowed to the pressure.  It didn't work out for them, so he decided not to bow to the pressure this year.

Are fans ruining the sport?  If the BH blogs are truly representative of the horse racing public, then I would say a HANDFUL of fans are ruining the sport for others, as is the case with life in general.  For example, it takes just one driver to ruin the commute for thousands, and it took only a dozen people to do so much damage on 09/11/01.  I would like to see BH do a better job of weeding out the hateful comments while leaving the good healthy debate intact.  I first recognized the problem of Zenyatta being a lightning rod for some disturbed minds several months ago when Becky wrote a pro-Zenyatta blog, and was visciously attacked for doing so by a few rabid commenters;  it is connected in some distorted way to their loyalty to Rachel Alexandra.  I will leave that up to the mental health professionals to decipher.  Next year, when Zenyatta is retired to the breeding shed, who will be their new object of ridicule?

Yes, when Zenyatta retires there will be a huge void for me.  She is the complete package, the likes of which we won't see again, and has brought me great joy every second I have had the privilege to experience her.  Simply, poetry in motion!

Becky,  I think you are exactly right!  I have been spreading the word about Zenyatta here at my office. Nobody here watches horse racing regularly like me but when I tell them to watch a race they know that it must be something not to miss.  I think a few new fans have jumped on the Zenyatta train! Go Zenyatta Go!

DRAY

Good going.....You had me worried there for a moment.....Given your record if you know what I mean. LOL

Lazmannick, I agree with you about the horses RA beat, and of course the owner avoided anything longer then 9 furlongs after the Preakness, no Belomont,Travers,Jockey Gold Cup, all stronger fields and of course more distance.When was the last time a HOY didn't win a mile and a quarter race or even run in a mile and a quarter race try finding out if ever???Give full credit to Zen's  owners she is  taking on the the best field at a longer distance then she's ever run .She's here RA a no show!

dbj8, pressure for the phony Jesse, the astute racing fan knows why he doesn't want to face the best comp at a true champion classic distance of a mile and a quarter- Lack of belief in RA?, scared ?funny he's not the one racing on syn so just because his HOY got crushed he hates syn and refuses to let her run but what if RA loved the track more then dirt ?We'll never know but Real  Champions don't go on vacation when they are still healthy.He's counting on her popularity to win HOY without taking on the best.That is phony logic just like him!

Apparantly Meadow36 didn't get the message behind this blog. Sorry.. I haven't read the rest of the comments but of course this was the first one so you can't miss it. An immediate comparison to RA and the usual put down of Zen.

Helsbelles: you hit the nail on the head... some so called "fans" just need someone to hate at all times. Its shameful.

Really Dray.....it took someone ONE video to get Zen to start growing on you???? Either that or you are being completely sarcastic.

I have a lot of respect for many hores running in the classic so I will be happy with many outcomes. Of course, first and foremost, I hope they all arive safe and sound but just to put a plug in all the naysayers, I hope Zen romps.

After reading the current comments, I just wanted to add one more.

I've been a fan of MINE THAT BIRD, too. Therefore, I would be thrilled if either horse came in 1st in the Classic.

Both have alrady made horse racing history as we wait for Saturday...

Praying for safe racing.

I for one just hope and pray that all the horses/jockeys come out of the races happy and healthy...I hope to enjoy the beauty of the horses as athletes and if Zenyatta wins great but her (as well as the lowly claimer's) welfare is the MOST IMPORTANT thing...not awards etc.

Wow, Draynay, I never thought I'd see the day.  I think Hell has literally frozen over.

Just want to say that I've been frustrated all year by Zenyatta's schedule.  I'm confident she has so much more to give than what's been required of her up to now.  But if she can indeed pull this off Saturday, then I'm pretty sure I'll no longer have any beef with the way things have been done.  And I probably won't be able to stop crying for half an hour.  I believe she's already one of the all-time greats, and hope that on Saturday she proves it beyond a shadow of a doubt.

I will be behind Rachel 100% "Next Year". The reason I'm all about Zenyatta is the "complete" show she's given me. You need to see her walking in the paddock as I did @ last year's Breeders Cup for the 1st time in  my life. They say she walks like a cat. Heck, she walks like she's got arthritis all over her hips, she'll limp & drag her front foot & even hold it in the air & kick it around. If you don't know her you think something's wrong, then she breaks out of the gate & trails last & you think "See, something was wrong with that horse." Then at the last minute she comes up & wins. The 1st time I saw this I'm laughing my head off. I couldn't believe it. But now I know her antics well. Like I said, the complete show. It's been entertaining & fun. That's why she's captured my heart over Rachel. Rachel deserves it in another way & she'll have it next year.

Well said helsbelles:

Just once I would like to participate with a BH blog without the hateful and disrepectful comments. In case you haven't noticed, it's always the same people making the comments.  

A horse like Zenyatta comes along once in a lifetime. And not since Secretariat, have I gotten so excited as I have been with Zenyatta. Enjoy her, the Breeders Cup Classic could very well be her last race.

Hey COLDFACTS READ WHAT A CHAMPION SAYS!

Gary Player said it all including the gutlessness of Mr. Jackson:

We need more horses like Rachel Alexandra and Sea The Stars to come and compete," Player said Nov. 5 while accepting a Steuben glass trophy as the inaugural recipient of the Breeders’ Cup Sports and Racing Excellence Award. "Don’t hide them away. Don’t make excuses about tracks. We need these champions to compete against each other."

Sea The Stars was retired to stud following his victory in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I), Europe’s most prestigious race, and Rachel Alexandra’s connections announced she was not running in the Breeders’ Cup because majority owner Jess Jackson eschews artificial surfaces such as the Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita.

Referring to his successful career as a professional golfer, in which he won nine major international championships, Player said he never considered backing off from competition.

"I never in my life said I’m not going to play against (Jack) Nicklaus or (Arnold) Palmer because the course is too long or is too windy or doesn’t suit me. If you’re a champ you get in there and you play against the whole damn lot and beat them. That is the real sign of a champion."

"Don’t put them away," Player said of top horses that can still compete. "Don’t put them to stud too early. We need Sea The Stars out here. We need Rachel Alexandra running against Zenyatta. That stimulates the business. So what if you get beat? You’re going to win and you’re going to lose. And if you’re a competitor, you must prepared to win and lose."

LAZMANNICK

Many thanks for pointing out the inaccuracies in my post. Let just address some of them and some of the point you raised.

(a) Curlin won his last seven dirt races after his defeat in the Haskell he never lost again unit his turf effort. Don’t kill a guy for a minor error. But I take your point I should have done a fact check.

(b) Again you are correct Zenyatta made her second start on 11/15/2007. She started as a mature 3YO so she would have been structurally more mature (Stronger/Tougher) than those who started as 2YO.

© In the 2008 Ladies Classic, the place and show mares (Cocoa Beach/Music Note) were at a disadvantage. They were shippers and were making their synthetic track debut. In spite of this, they defeated the same crop of mares that Zen defeated had been beating all year.

(d) I mentioned the fact that Zen was from the same 2004 crop that contained Curlin and SS, RTR and Hard Spun, etc., because they made more history than Zen. SS became the first horse to win the BCJ and the Kentucky Derby a feat the naysayers would not occur. RTR became the first filly in 102 year to win the Belmont and in the process defeated Curlin the eventual HOY. Curlin repeated as HOY. These horses took up the challenge of history in spite of the great risk of defeat. Their path to glory was far more adverse. How do their achievements rank with Zen 13 race undefeated record? Is Zen the best horse from the crop of 2004? Does her 13 race unbeaten record supersede the moments of history repeated and created by the likes of SS, RTR and Curlin?

(e) RA did not just defeat males; she defeated the Kentucky Derby & Belmont Stakes winners. She could have easily broken the Belmont track record in the MG if not wrapped up in the last.

I like Zen and truly appreciate her consistency. In fact I think she is a brilliant mare. However, I do not believe she is as super as others imply. If defeating a group of over matched mare repeatedly is the bar for greatness, then she is great. Compare her achievement to that of Genuine Risk the only filly to start in all three TC races. She won the Kentucky Derby and was runner up in the Preakness & Belmont. She started in three races in five weeks, three different tracks and 311/2 furlongs against big strong colts. Her record reads 15 Starts, 10 Wins, 3 Places, 2 Shows. If Genuine Risk was managed like Zenyatta could any filly/mare have beaten her?

Zenyatta is a exceptionally talented mare that has been brilliantly managed. Her unbeaten record is impressive but does it represent greatness?.

<>I enjoy both horses, and never miss anything either one does.

Several people want to compare the way RA and Z look AFTER a race. This is irrelevant because they have two different running styles. You guys understand the four different running styles, don't you? No matter how long Zenyatta's races are, she only runs 3/8 of a mile, while RA's running style is necessarily much more tank draining because she is in the thick of it from start to finish. RA's running style requires a lot more out of her to get the job done.

I was right there at the finish line for both the Haskell and the Woodward. The Haskell was a non issue as far as how she looked post race, but she did look tired in the winner's circle after the Woodward. I worried about her until I saw the youtube video of her walking back to the test barn after the Woodward. While she did look tired in the winner's circle, she was already looking much better and breathing easily before she exited the track. It is posted online for all to see. It's the one that basically follows her exercise rider around on Woodward Day and interviews a few people (like Andy Beyer). It finished up with  following Rachel from the Winner's circle all the way across in the front of the stands to an exit just about opposite from the clubhouse turn. Yes, she looked tired directly after the race, but like it or not, she made a very quick recovery and was not blowing when she went through that exit gate. That walk took what, a few minutes at the outside?

Nor do I think a comparison of how 'happy' these two mares look after a race makes a lotta sense. Zenyatta enjoys showing off and is absolutely adorable doing it. Rachel Alexandra acts very professional and well behaved before and after her races. I am not saying one is better than the other. I admire both attitudes because they are both very focused in their own way. But don't forget, none of us have yet seen what Zenyatta looks like after she has been tested right up to her outer limits, and we may never see that given her running style and depending on what instructions they give Mike Smith on Saturday.

I see they are still knocking Borel for smacking RA with the new humane popper whip. Maybe the tv cameras didn't catch what was obvious to those standing track side. The crowd goes cookoo for cocoa puffs for Rachel Alexandra. When she turned for home in the lead in the Haskell the crowd went crazy. She turned her head to look at the stands. Calvin gave her about 6 pops done the length of the stretch to keep her mind on the race. Multiply the crowd noise from the Haskell by a factor of about 10 and you will understand the distraction it presented during the Woodward. It was deafening. Not only did this 3 yr. old still growing girl have to pay attention to the late charging tough as nails older males, she had to do it while the humans in the world appeared to be going crazy. Couldn't help but think that racing is alive and well that day. <g>

And true to form, I see Rachel's Stakes record in the Mother Goose being diminished as though it is somehow Rachel's fault that hardly any dared show up to face her. That just doesn't make sense. I don't see any other horses faulted for scaring the competition away. And don't forget she was just a tick off the track record while being eased up for at least the last 100 yards. That would be Secretariat's track record, mind you. You've heard of him? THAT is the only beef I have with Borel; he didn't have to actually urge her, but if he had just let her run a little bit that last 100 yards she would have smashed through not only the winning margin record, and the stakes record, but the track record as well. Horse of the Year would have been GAME OVER over right there even if Rachel was the only horse in the race.

And true to form, even Curlin and Jess Jackson take a few hits anytime the rivalry between these two great horse's fans flares up. The leading all time money winner proved his mettle on many different tracks and even differing continents. The Jacksons' and the Mosses (sp?) are all nice people and good for racing. Can't you guys just leave them alone? Leave it!

Wishing all the BC horses and jockeys a perfect trip.

The Phantom

I believe the last time a HOY didn't even attempt a 1-1/4M race was Secretariat in 1972.....as a 2 y.o.  That was the only time that two 2 y-o's finished 1-2 in the voting (La Prevoyante a filly was 2nd).....It appears that every year since then the HOY at least ran in a 1-1/4M race.  I'm not sure if they all won at the distance but at least they tried it. LOL

Phantom

I missed one.....In '97 Favorite Trick was HOY when he was undefeated.....But he was also a 2 y-o.....The irony is that when he tried the Kentucky Derby, it was his only race at 1-1/4M and he tired and finished 8th.

Smarie,

    Since when is an allowence race at Keeneland over the quirkiest and least consistant synthetic track the same as winning a grade one over Pro-Ride. Do me a favor after the BC go tell me how all the Keeneland shippers faired, then go and say well just because RA had one allowence win over Keeneland poly that she should be able to run over any synthetic track on earth. Did you not see what happened to Stardom Bound when she shipped to Keeneland and CT when she shipped from Keeneland to SA? Both LOST. Tell me why if the connections of Zenyatta are so brave did they scratch out of Zenyatta's supposed debut for this year when the track was listed as GOOD. Why have they stayed out in California, ducking males and the 10 furlong distance up until now? Moss said he didn't like detention barns so he wouldn't race in NY. Sounds like he's sore over a couple of losses as well, Giacomo and Tiago perhaps, that he did not let his GREAT, yes i said GREAT mare run in NY because he was afraid she would be unnerved? Am I mistaking or is that the very same thing that JJ is doing by boycotting the surface? The difference is NY offered to take away the detention barns and Moss still made the exuse that it would be to quick a turn around. Really? At that point she had raced a grand total of three times all in her home state, your telling me one crosscountry trip would have rendered her empty by BC, that is what I call BS. And in all honesty this man would not have entered Zenyatta in the Classic if RA had even lost ONCE this year against the boys. By winning the Woodward, RA forced Moss into a corner and forced him to take a risk he would not have take if either RA was not around this year, or had lost. He is by a jellyback and it's a darn shame that Zenyatta is stuck with an owner like that.

Laz,

    I get where your coming from, believe it or not, I'm just on the other side of the fence thinking I have to defend RA. You may think I'm insane but honestly, and I'll be blunt and truthful, but I don't think it's a stretch to think RA could beat SB at 10 furlongs and think your just as off your rocker as you think I am, for the fact you think it is. In each of her closest races she was pushed all out by suicidal rabbits. PTP can throw out some darn good fractions and BD is a record setting sprinter who can probably carry that speed as far as a mile. In both the Preakness and Woodward Rachel led at EVERY pole while being pushed. Whether you believe it or not it was said she wasn't fond of the Pimlico track and to run like she did early while not relishing the does take stamina. In the Woodward she was past her peak and due for a bounce off her Hurculean performance in the Haskel, where she was again just off suicidal fractions. This time she has two rabbits breathing down her neck while running on a tiring Saratoga track. To fend off MA and Bulls Bay when the ONLY thing going for her was weight takes courage and stamina. What I look at is the possibility of fractions like that being set in a 10 furlong race. They weren't in the Travers and weren't in the JCGC and would have been run on the type of surface that RA loves, mud. A moderate pace with her sitting just off or even setting it will result in her kicking away from the field. I know it's long and drawn out but those are my reasons why I don't think that 10 furlongs will be a problem.

I am not out to start fights, but as I said earlier, like you I feel like I must constantly defend RA, which leave no room for me to rave about how great Zenyatta is. I do think she is great, heck I thought BB was great, but in no way shape or form do I like either connections, one trainer was arrogant, and we know what I think of Moss and that will never change. The fact is I feel both are great.

I have a serious question for everyone on this blog.

If a mare not named Zenyatta won the Milady, Vanity, Clement Hirsch, and Lady's Secret in 2009, would we be saying that mare had a shot at HOY? The answer is a resounding no. The only reason anyone is saying that is because it's Zenyatta. Remember, though, this is HOY 2009...not 2007 and not 2008....I'm talking about 2009.

I love both Zen and RA but I also love to deal with facts.

Much of the anti-Zenyatta

sentiment stems from folks diminishing RA's accomplishments this year and attacking her owner. I'm quite sure Zenyatta fans feel they have been attacked by Rachel fans, too.

All we can look at is what has been accomplished so far, and if someone thinks Zenyatta's four races vs females in CA in 2009 outshine RA's 2009 campaign, it is an opinion based on emotion and not fact.

It's certainly not the horse's fault, but when I hear Zenyatta's owners talking about how she has won on "so many" different surfaces I laugh. Four in her entire life. Rachel ran on seven different tracks this year alone....sloppy and fast. Shipping isn't easy, and running regularly from Feb through Sep while doing so is even harder.

Those who put down RA totally ignore the face that she eclipsed not one but two of Ruffian's records. They ignore that she is the first 3-year old filly to beat older males in a GI route race in NY since 1885!

They minimize that she is the first filly to win the Preakness in 85 years and the only horse -- male or female -- ever to win from the outside post.

The list goes on and on.

Zenyatta is great. She's beautiful. Unfortunately, though, her owners were not aggressive enough with her. They mapped out the same races for her as last year, except this year she raced even fewer times. It was already established that she was by far the best female in CA. At some point in 2009, they should have shipped out and let her prove she's the greatest rather than to just keep saying so. I think she would have, but we can't base awards on assumptions only accomplishments. Zenyatta has had the luxury of the BC being held at her home turf two years in a row. While this is not her fault, it certainly is quite convenient, especially when making the decision whether to run in Ladies Classic or the Classic.

Once again...none of this is Zenyatta's fault. Personally, I think it's a shame they didn't ship all around the country so folks like me on the east coast could have seen her in action this year. That would have been awesome. I got to see Rachel in the Woodward, and regulars there were commenting on how they had NEVER heard the crowd erupt like that. That excitement I will never forget and will always cherish.

All I can say is that I hope Zenyatta comes home safely and retires sound. I wish her well in the Classic. I hope she runs her best race and gives the fans a final thrill.

Wonderful article, Becky!  I am with you all the way and I fail to understand why we cannot simply appreciate Zenyatta for all that she is right now, right at this moment when she is running her heart out for our pleasure.  It is discouraging to me that you cannot read any blog about Zenyatta without someone bringing up Rachel Alexandra and then all the arguing begins anew.  Why it is so hard to appreciate and enjoy them both is beyond my understanding, so I am grateful to you for encouraging us once again to simply enjoy Zenyatta while we have her.  It has been a wonderful run and while I still hold out the hopes that she may run a few more races before breeding season starts next year, I am glad I've been given the opportunity to watch her in my lifetime, although I do wish I had a bigger screen tv!  Those who have seen her in the flesh have my happiness for them to have experienced that, but still...I'm envious of them - ha!

Coldfacts:

This Blog is supposed to be about Zenyatta and her accomplishments…..Why you have to bring Rachel into it and now other fillies like Genuine Risk to try and pale Zen’s accomplishments is beyond me.  If you say that Zen is a brilliant mare then let it go at that…..at least you will be right when making that point.

You say that Cocoa Beach and Music Note were at a disadvantage in last year’s Distaff because they were shippers and they were trying a new surface…..Boo Hoo, poor little them…..I will counter and say that when Zen shipped to Oakland Park for the Apple Blossom to face a field that was tougher than last year’s distaff, she was also at a disadvantage…..she was a shipper too and she was also trying a new surface …..it’s called dirt isn’t it…..All she did was demolish the field.

You say that Rachel defeated a Derby Winner and a Belmont winner and in doing so try to make it sound like they were Citation and War Admiral…..That Preakness winner, as much as I love him and do not want to diss him, didn’t win a race this year before the Derby and hasn’t won one since.  The Belmont winner won the Belmont off a maiden win and when he faced Rachel in the Haskell had to completely alter his running style to suit a speed orientated track and was cutting back in distance by 3/8ths of a mile…..As much as I like Rachel, and believe it or not I really do, she wouldn’t warm Summer Bird up now, especially going 1-1/4M, at least not with her current running style.

Rachel’s 20L win in the Kentucky Oaks was impressive to say the least, but take a look at it more closely.  The time was slow (1.48.4) over a fast track.  The field was so weak that the third place horse was another 4-1/4L back….Other than Gabby’s Golden Girl leading to the ¾’s, not one horse offered even a remote challenge……The Mother Goose was simply a workout (two horses running at each other all out for a mile in 1.33.3 and then Rachel blowing by them)….the time was fast, but if you check the charts, all dirt races at Belmont were exceptionally fast that day…..the Whitney was a herculean effort on Rachel’s part and her determination, and refuse to lose will power, not to mention the fact that she was whipped something like 20 times in the stretch, was when I really fell in love with her…..But take a look at that race…..She beat salty horses that are really only G-2 at best in a race that used to be one of the benchmark races in the east……Her main rival, Macho Again, was out of site in the JCGC against SB which tells me that Rachel will not defeat that Bird again anytime soon.  Nevertheless, she was still sensational.

When mentioning the 2004 crop, you make good valid points about great race horses…..to bring Zen into the picture, even though she was from the same crop is not fair because she did not have a chance to race against them……this should not in any way deviate from her record…..How many horses in the history of racing in N/A at any level from lowly claimers to G-1 stakes horses have won their first thirteen starts?  I have not even attempted to say that Zen is the best horse from the crop of 2004.  Such a statement would be ludicrous.  I will say that if she wins the Classic she will have accomplished something that only one horse from that crop accomplished.  Maybe some of the horses she has raced against this year are over matched, but like I mentioned before, if Life of Sweet shows up in the Lady’s Distaff then that claim will be thrown out the window even before Zen runs in the Classic.

You finish by saying that Zen is an exceptionally talented mare that has been brilliantly managed.  Her unbeaten record is impressive, but does it represent greatness?

You darn right it does, just like the accomplishments of Rachel and Genuine Risk and other champion fillies and mares do. LOL

You have to respect and admire Zenyatta's owners and trainer.  They have kept her sound and running.  I think she is a beautiful mare that has earned much more respect than what has been shown to her.  She will truly be missed when she retires.  I wish I could be there on Saturday to cheer her on.  Win or lose, she is one very classy lady.  

Coldfacts,

Are you living in a fantasy world?

Maybe I should ask it this way:

Have you been living under a rock?

Let me take the time and educate you:

Zenyatta is a first ballot Hall of Famer (HOF).

Do yourself a "favor" and watch the video link that "Citation" posted (above).

This should answer everything for you.

I adore Rachel Alexandra and have been a fan of her since she was a two year old.  Her new owner, Jess Jackson took many risks with her this year which paid off, thus ensuring her place in racing history. Zenyatta's owners have been a bit conservative in their approach, and unfortunately, she has been overshadowed by this new "superfilly". Nevertheless, Zenyatta's presence and her performances on the track demonstrate greatness as well. I believe she, too, is destined to be part of racing history.  I am thrilled by her every time she runs, and in a time when champions "come and go" so quickly, I am thankful that the Mosses' have kept her active. I am tired of reading all the negative and sometimes unkind comments about this wonderful mare.  Like Becky has said--Enjoy her now.  Bet whoever you want for the Classic, but I plan on rooting for the first female horse to win this event!  May we have a safe trip for all the horses and riders the next two days.

How do you figure Zenyatta runs 3/8 of a mile when she's usually 6 wide coming around the turn?  Just who has Rachel raced against?  Really?  Yes, they were good horses, but they weren't great horses.  Rachel was the best of all of them.  Zenyatta hasn't run against alot of good horses but i wouldn't say Ginger Punch was a nag would you?  Truth is, we don't know what would happen would these two meet.  I think the distance will be good for Z because she's just getting going at the end of the race.  She'll have to stay closer than usual.  I love both horses, but I have to say, I'm attached more to Z because I've watched her since her first race and was amazed by her.  I always root for the filly anyway.  Girl Power!  

Like I said before ...RACHAL WHO???

ZENYATTA IS THE ONE STEPPING UP AND FACING THE BEST FIELD OF MALE HORSES THIS YEAR NOT RACHAL...

ZENYATTA ...UNDEFEATED...HORSE OF THE YEAR!

On most races, I have a favorite I root for to win. This Classic, there are about 4 or 5 that would be fine. Mine That Bird, Zenyatta, Einstein, Colonel John..... So I'm just looking forward to a great race and let the best horse (at least best on Saturday) win!

Needler wrote: Well said and well said!! Why can't we be happy with a horse like Zenyatta? WHAT MORE COULD WE WANT???

***** I am a huge fan of both Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta, and now Zenyatta's connections have given me the "more" I wanted.  They are finally doing something exciting, challenging and brave with this mare.  Win or lose, they will let us see her face the best, at a distance she's never tried, against males, for her final race.  No matter how she finishes, I will remember this race with thrills and admiration.  For my money, Rachel remains Horse of the YEAR for 2009, that being the key word in the award, but Zenyatta will be an Immortal.  She's a goddess for sure.      

Love your post Mary in VT..... I just couldn't quite get the after race comparison...Rachel was tired after the woodward.. who wouldn't be? She ran punishing fractions.

How do you pick a favorite to win with so many great horses in one race? Wow......so many superstars stepping on the track at one time.. I love it... I will be watching Einstein.... might be a little over looked and might put in a big show.

Lazmannick, thanks for clarifying what I thought,2 year olds obviously don't race a mile and a quarter but SEC sure did as a 3 yr old! This is why I think RA winning HOY should have a asterik [ didn't run in Breeders cup or a distance of a mile and a quarter], The phony Jesse was scared to go against better comp at longer distances that's a fact and this lame excuse about the track is so phony as the owner.She's outstanding up to 9 furlongs but would have difficult time winning beyond that distance.If Zen can beat this field it would be a bigger feat then anything RA did this year.Maybe co HOY would be fair though personally my opinion Zen would be more deserving.The whole purpose of the Breeders Cup is to bring the best horses together from around the world to compete against each other ,a phony like Jesse doesn't support that anymore imagine if the majority had that attitude -MNo more BC! Good thing that other owners don't share that feeling and support the Cup and believe in their horses and not go on vacation and cry about the track.I'm sure if given the op she would have run her heart out but the phony didn't want to chance it.He should walk backward to the podium when they give the HOY award to the owner.9 furlong specialist and that is a fact.Let the races begin and great 2 days of racing Champions running against Champions not on vacation ducking the best!Enjoy the football games Jesse.

I don't believe Azeri tried 1 1/4 during her HOY year. I don't think she even tried it at all until her last few races. Guess she was scared too! It's amazing that RA gets grief from fans of a horse who hasn't tried the distance yet either. LOL. Nice double standard.

LAZMANNICK

I'm on board w/you!!!

THE PHANTOM

Your comment saying its good not all owners are like JJ. Guess what,if SOME OWNERS were like JJ they would be racing horses past 3 yrs. old,instead of retiring them.BTW,you must live in a scary world!

Phil T, Azeri showed up and won the Lady Classic against the toughest fillies when she won HOY. She didn't go on vacation and rest on her prior record that year.

I think RA is outstanding but her owner is a scared phony!See real Champions prove it on the track against the BEST COMPETITION.By the way she raced on the pro ride and dirt, won on both.No phony track excuse.

Phil T, at least Zenyatta is here to run against the best field of the year, where's Rachel, watching football with the phony owner.lol

Im wasn't a big Zen fan until the owners decided its time to put it all on the lineagainst the best.

PhilT

Azeri ran 1-1/4M in the 2004 Personal Ensign Hdcp. when she finished second to Storm Flag Flying, but not during her 2002 HOY campaign.  That might have been her only try at the distance.

ROFL.

Oh I see, I thought it was just 9 furlong specialists that couldnt win HOY. Now they also must run 1 1/4 miles and run in the Breeders Cup to be HOY. So I guess if a horse were to win the Triple Crown and let's say the Travers and then retire or not run again then they wouldn't be eligible(or would have an asterisk) because they didn't run in the Breeders Cup?

Let me ask you a question. What would have happened if RA's "scared" owner had not bought her? I can tell you one thing, she wouldnt have had arguably the greatest 3 yr old filly season of all time if he had not bought her. She would have never raced against the boys twice(something Z hasnt done yet). It's a laughable notion that he's scared.

Vacation? Perhaps RA is done for the year considering the campaign she waged while Z was napping in the barn. I guess Z taking off most of the year doesn't count.

And lastly, Azeri did race a full campaign. She won G1s on 4 different tracks, she won races on 5 different tracks her HOY year. She earned HOY. Her owners didn't restrict her like Z's have .

Wow!! What an amazing race this great mare ran today! I am so honored to say I got to see this great mare on three seperate occasions!! After the display she put on today, Zenyatta deserves Horse the the Year. 14 & 0!!!

Yo, DrayNay:

"I just wis you zenyatta fans were reasonable. taking on g1 winning males at a distance she has never run is going to make her look very average. hitting the board would be a dream but I wouldn't expect it."

Nanny nanny boo boo, sucks to be you!! Or at least your handicapping "skills."

That was a race for the ages. As much as I like and admire Rachel, Zenyatta just snatched HOY honors from RA's unused bridle.

Does she look "average" now?

I love Rachel, too,  but why is the comment always that Zenyatta needs to beat Rachel to show how good she is?  Rachel would have to beat Zenyatta to show how good she is just the same.

Agree 110% with Jill, Zen is the Queen and everyone, even Rachel, bow down to her! Zen for HOY!!

I am a big Rachel fan but watching Zenyatta's performance she would have my vote for HOY.  What Rachel did this year was outstanding but I agree with JB comments on the telecast when he said he would vote for Zenyatta for HOY. Rachel took the easier route skipping the Travers a much more difficult race and running in the Woodward and she did not run in the BC.  Take nothing away from Rachel she is one of the all-time great fillies to ever race and her accomplishments have secured a place in the history books but she didn't run in the Breeders' Cup. Yesterday Zenyatta beat Summer Bird the Champion three-year old colt,  Mine That Bird the Kentucky Derby winner, Gio Ponti the probable turf champion, Rip Van Winkle considered by many to be the second best three-year-old behind Sea The Stars, Colonel John and Einstein maybe the most versatile horse on all three surfaces and possible champion handicap horse. She won the race pulling away form the field at the end.  She showed up on the biggest stage the Breeders' Cup and showed why she is one of the greatest mares to ever race.  She has won every race she has entered and he won the Classic in the best field assembled in 2009.

Won won that big race?  Why ZENYATTA, of course!  The Zee-Girl comes through again!  She is DEFINITELY HORSE OF THE YEAR, or as Mike Smith put it, HORSE OF THE DECADE!  She is great, she is powerful, she is beautiful, she is God's creation, and she deserves the be listed among the greatest of all time!  If Rachel gets HOY this year, I'll be very disappointed.  Blame Jess Jackson on his stubborness not to run on a "plastic surface" and face the greatest males in the world.  Mr. Jackson, you lost Rachel's bid for 2009's Horse of the Year.  If a horse is great, she should be able to run on any kind of track at any distance against any foe.  

I'll get off my bandwagon now and say a big THANK YOU to the Mosses, John Shirreffs and Mike Smith for bringing Zenyatta to the pinacle she has now achieved.

HOY!  She just trounced the best male's in the world. At her best she beats anyone. She is just too talented with a HUGE heart. To all those who said they ducked the best well I just say that it was great managment and a lesson on how to have a racehorse ready to run their best. Great job by all of her connections.One for the ages.I bet Gio Ponti but didn't mind one bit that I got beat. It was worth it.

Rachel did not run in the Breeders Cup, big deal. It never has the biggest names in racing.

Zenyatta did a nice job beating a lot of the horses Rachel had already beat. Of course she did on her favorite track under her conditions. The best in the world was not there and she would not have run against Sea the Stars on his home track now would she????

The Eclipse awards are a joke, it is not about who was best in the bulk of their work anymore, it is about a popularity contest. Which any horse from California gets aleg up. It should not even be about who makes the most money be it man or animal but that is what it is about.

I think it is good Zenyatta finally went against the males though most were a year younger than her or way older and spiraling down like Einstein. And again she was in her home court.

So my solution is split HOY with them as the Eclipse awards are not about what they did anyway as I said before.

What a ride, what a race, what a Champion..HOTY no question.

Luckily JJ didn't own Alydar or Affirmed, Sunday Silence or Easy Goer and others.

Oh and Trevor Denman gave a call for the ages in the classic and throughout the BC. Awesome.

Oh, Zenyatta!!  What a beauty, such a runner and preformer...what a winner you are...man, did I enjoy that win yesterday...

Go Girls Go...WOW!!!

Horse Of The Year:  Goes to the 5 year old mare: Queen Zenyatta

Princess Rachel will have to wait? .... Rachel has really worked hard for the top prize too, "they are equal" could they not share the title??

So true Mike Relva

Jennie J:

Thanks for the story about Rachel wishing, God Speed to Zenyatta.  That was very touching and endearing.  Loved it...thanks...

lover of Zenyatta and Rachel

That was great!  Tremendous and moving.  I'm glad I don't have a HOY vote; both Zenyatta and RA are "Women of the Year", to borrow the book title. THE BEST HORSE in this country-in the world-is a SHE.  Thanks to Ann and Jerry Moss, John Shireffs, and Mike.

for HOY honors, lets not forget owner's strategy...for surely if the girls had any say, RA wouldn't be afraid of "plastic" any more than Z would be afraid to come meet her anywhere.  I believe JJ didn't want to put RA against Z; he contrived an amazing schedule for his young filly which deliberately included ducking Z, and she held up her end of the deal.  Z's owners have an undefeated 5 yo champion on their hands - not a one season wonder - and they chose a path they felt was best for their girl, to allow her to fulfill her destiny.  Because lets face it, even JJ must have known this was Z's final season; if he really wanted to put his filly up against the best girl in America he would have designed her race schedule so that she would have been at peak form and he would have come to CA.  JJ has time on his side; he let Time work in his favor to get rid of one horse with real potential to bring his baby down to size.  It would be different if Z was the same age as RA...then you can just bet their paths would cross eventually!  Assuming RA is even still healthy and competitive at age 5; there will likely be some new youngster flashing brilliance to try and dim her glory.

I really believe Z made her case for HISTORY in the Classic; whether the voters feel her 2009 is better or worse than RA's in choosing HOY - who really cares?  10 years from now, people will still know who Zenyatta is....will they remember Rachel?  Time will tell....

Sherriffs vs. Assmussen--  Sheriffs trained and developed Zenyatta since she was a yearling.  The Moss's purchased her for a modest sum- $60k.  

Assmussen and Jess Jackson purchased Rachel Alexandra for $10 million plus.  Like Curlin, they bought a superstar that had already been developed by another (smaller) trainer.  

Steve Assmussen likes to win the early races at Keeneland going 4.5furlongs.  However, when the classic races roll around he needs to take over someone elses star.  

Zenyatta did everything Rachel did and more.  She competed on the Championship day in the best race in the World.  Hands down Horse of The Year.  Rachel is coming back as a 4yo.  Let her win the Classic next year.

I

Where was Rachel? Oh thats right her connections said no to the pro ride. Would rachel have won? Maybe, but we will never know. Because Rachel was not raced in the Classic then Zenyatta should take Horse of the Year, hands down. Then maybe her connections will think twice about not going because of the surface. And for Meadow35 Zenyatta is 5 she couldn't  race in those 3 yr old races that Racheal raced the same horses over and over again. Zenyatta's connections should be rewarded for racing in the Classic with "Horse of the Year." They are both great horses and I enjoy watching both of them.

What a fantastic race yesterday and Girl Power rules for 2009.  Have loved Zenyatta but hey love Rachael too.  This has to be the year that HOY has two winners not just one.  Zenyatta is 5 and should be near or at the end of her growing peak, while our Rachael is still a baby and growing.  Zen has beaten the boys once, Rachael has done it numerous times plus a Preakness win.  Dang if I can say one is better than the other.  My vote would be for two HOY not one this year.  The lady and the teen combined.

I love both Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta because they are some of the best racehorses I have seen in years.  Frankly though I think that Zenyatta deserves HOY because of her win on Saturday, it is probably be the last time she will ever race.  Yes other people would say that RA should win it because she beat the boys not once but three times.  That is just my opinion.  The only way we will really know who is better is if they meet between now and the end of the year.  Then our question of who deserves the HOY honors will be answered.

I read of all your messages, but I do know what is going on with Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta'r races...they are almost same thing; however, Zenyatta is the biggest and tallest than Rachel is! She can beat them all including Rachel because of her size. She is very intelligent, powerful, and will to win that she can handle just like Rachel is. I wish they will race next time, and see how they goes battle to battle to win? I believe that Zenyatta could beat Rachel by biggest head, or more; however, I would love for them to have dead heat on the wire. They both are truly greatest horses since Ruffian. I suggest all of you that we need to vote Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra as Co-Horse of the Year this year because of their brilliant, beat colts, and also they have not meet each other as well. I encourage you....PLEASE let them to be Co-Horse of the Year together, so they gave us all will be remember what they have done for us this year. They are super fillies!!!! I believe I am doing right that they should be Horse of the Years together instead either one of them...PLEASE write to NYRA, or BloodHorse or whomever that you want them to be Horse Of the Year together, okay....If not, then Zenyatta should be Horse of the Year this year, so Rachel can have it next year...Thanks, ILVSLEW!!!!

Folks who were not on Zenyatta side-Draynay, Jason, MIke, Andy Beyers etc. just learned a lesson once again. Come out to the west coast and see some real racing. A horse they call "a very good 3 yr old filly",Careless Jewel, looked like a cheap claimer.

I will pose a question if Rachel was in the BCC does she win? HECK NO, SHe would have quit at the 1/8 pole. Zenyatta beat the following GRADE 1 winning Animals- Ky Derby, Belmont stakes, Travers, Jockey GOld cup, Santa Anita Hcp, Pacific Classic, Super Derby, and multiple Grade 1 turf winners (Gio Ponti,and European stars). Not a better field anywhere else in the world. She not only won, but cruised!!!! Hands down HOY is ZENYATTA, the only other question, is where does she rank with all time greats.  I have seen racing for 26 years, seen CIGAR, John Henry, and countless other superstars, but Zenyatta nobody would beat her!!

split horse of the year between them.  seriously.  at this point, the only horse i think has a chance at zenyatta is rachel.  the only horse I think has a chance at rachel is zenyatta.  

at the same time, lets put things into perspective and remember that even if your pick doesn't win HOY, both rachel and zenyatta are already "immortals", and we're around to see them in action.  what a great year for horse racing 2009 turned out to be.

Let's see:

Rachael fans want to ignore the first female to win the BC Classic, oh she's undefeated to boot (another first, no undefeated horse has won the Classic.)

Why? Because she's a "synthetic only" horse (who beat a fine mare in Ginger Punch on dirt last year), who's been beating up on "second rate" horse (like the Lady's Classic winner who put in a respectable run against the boys herself, and the same group of 3 year olds Rachael was running against.)

Zenyatta fans want to ignore the first filly to win the Woodward, and won the Preakness and the Haskell. Why? Because she beat up on a "second rate" group of three year olds (the same ones Zenyatta beat up on in the Classic,) and she skipped out on the Breeder's Cup (and maybe a race against Zenyatta.)

Do you people listen to yourselves???? You're dissing two of the best horses we've seen in YEARS!

Angel Cordero said it best, NEITHER of these horses deserve to lose horse of the year!

First of all, I too like both Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra.  Both are good for horse racing and both are extremely talented and charismatic females.  That said, Zenyatta put on quite a show in the Classic yesterday, even when things were not perfect.  Delay before the race, etc and she  still did what she needed too.  A mile and a quarter, not problem.  The best males that Rachel Alexandra beat, well Zenyatta put them away too, possibly even more decisively.  Equally impressive to me was the show that her stablemate put on in the Ladies Classic.  Life is Sweet made Zenyatta's race look even more impressive as she destroyed a strong field of older fillies and mares.  This has truly been the year of the GIRLS.

Zenyatta just beat every good horse that RA beat and more.  She beat them at a classic distant-something that RA never tried.  She won under adverse circustances-no real pace factor, a delay at the gate,a bad break. If RA had come, I believe the result would have been the same.  RA's connection chose the course they took & avoided a more difficult race in the mile & a quarter Travers.  If any horse is one dimensional, it is RA.  She can't go the classic distant  & carry her speed.  A good horse should be able to run on any surface-no excuses.  Zenyatta-horse of the year.

Zenyatta!!...I'm not surprised.A truly,Great Champion that this sport rarely gets to see.I don't care who she runs against or who's in front of her,but she'll come and get 'em,that's for sure.NOBODY who ran this year,anywhere,can beat her.She has no equal.Not even Sea the Stars,..RA? though she's a very good Filly,would loose too,and you know it!! A World Champion-through & through!...

Jill, ROTL!!! Too funny!

Wasn't she something? And she wasn't even breathing hard afterwards.

Well, she won the Classic. She did not have the perfect trip. She broke on the incorrect lead and couldn't get back on it, she was like 13 lengths off the leader when she started making her move, the gap closed, forcing the jockey to pull her way on the outside then, she exploded. She won by a length, an amazing length. I guess we'll never know if Rachel Alexandra would have beaten Zenyatta because Rachel's owners wouldn't put her in the race. Well, I guess we'll never know. I believe Zenyatta would have won.

Was an interesting and informative blog and NOW there is no question and not even a controversy.

1. Zen has raced again and beaten the "BEST" the world have to offer. (something rachel has NOT done)

2. Undefeated 14-0 ( something rachel is NOT)

3. Won a grade 1 on both dirt and cynthetic (something rachel has NOT).

4. Won grade 1's at more distance than rachel. and,

5. Has NOT shyed away from competition.

Sorry, but Mr. Gary Player summoned best what a "true" champion is and Zen proved it yesterday.

Well, thats horse of the year.  Zenyatta did what Curlin couldn't do.  Come back an extra year, but won with an undefeated record.  Yes, up until the Breeders' Cup her competition was lacking as compared to Rachel and Curlin, but she proved yesterday she is a superior animal.  Let me ask, 2 of three times, was Rachel not in deep water against males?  Yes she was, in both the Preakness and Woodward, had that race been an 1/8 longer she most likely would have been beaten.  This is not up for debate, she was being gained on at the end and was asked for her all.  The only time she beat up on males with dominance was in the Haskell, which in the past has proven as a graveyard for horses that ran in the Belmont(Summer Bird beaten 6 lengths).  As for Zenyatta, she isn't brillant in the amount she wins by, but is brilliant in the way she does it.  I honestly thought she had no chance after that horrendous start and terrible 1st quarter in 24 + seconds.  She did what a great horse does, she wins at all costs.  She had everything against her and won pretty easily.  Only whipped 5 to 7 times and that was to keep her head in the game, was pricking her ears a lot of the way.  Zenyatta is Rachel's supeior this year, you can talk about history of Rachel's campaign all you want, but what Zenyatta did yesterday will likely never happen again in any of our lifetimes.  Yes, two of the three main horses(Rachel Alexandra and Sea The Stars) didn't show up for the main event but Zenyatta did beat both of their greatest rivals (Rip Van Winkle and Summer Bird) just as easily as they were beaten by RA and STS if not beaten easier by Zenyatta.  Prior to the Breeders' Cup Classic I had Zenyatta as the 5th greatest filly of all-time behind 1-Busher, 2-TaWee, 3-Rachel Alexandra, 4-Personal Ensign.  Yesterday's race which I believe is more impressive than all of RA's races against males combined, puts her as the greatest filly of all-time.  This is a simple fact.  Zenyatta unlike all of these other fillies, beat males on the biggest stage in open company in the Breeders' Cup Classic.  The best male horse was not there this year, but that simply doesn't matter.  Like RA's connections, STS's chose not to run and therefore saying what coulda, woulda, shoulda, is a moot point.  Fact is Zenyatta has met every challenge and raced the world's best.  Rachel beat the best on the east coast both young and old 3 times, but Zenyatta beat the best the world had to offer at racing's biggest stage and day.  She did things she had never been asked (1 1/4 and males) and won easily.  She did this after a bad break and a slow, slow pace.  Believe me if they had met on dirt Zenyatta would still win considering she is a better dirt horse than synthetic as proven in her race at Oaklawn last year.  If Zenyatta's HOTY is stolen, then they should take back the one they gave Curlin last year, he couldn't even complete a perfect campaign, let alone season.  As the fans at Santa Anita were chanting yesterday while Zenyatta was in the winner's cirlce "HORSE OF THE YEAR, HORSE OF THE YEAR, HORSE OF THE YEAR, HORSE OF THE YEAR".

Looks like neither Quality Road nor Zenyatta read blogs!

Zenyatta undefeated winner of the Breeder's Cup Classic over the best grass horse in the US, over the Derby winner, over the Belmont winner, over older handicap champions, over the best Europe chose to send and at a distance she'd never run before. Coming home happy and healthy and still not giving the impression that she was ever running full out.

gotta love ZENYATTA!

Jill,  My sentiments exactly.

Zenyatta Horse of the Year

Zenyatta Horse of the Year

Zenyatta Horse of the Year

Zenyatta Horse of the Year

Because Where was Rachel??

I agree completely with this article.

If ever there was a time when TB racing needs a shot in the arm, it's now. Young people need to become fans of the sport or the industry will go down the drain. Let the fans glory in her win!

Rachel just looks a bit average now.  You think....

Zenyatta.  She toyed with an International field and made it look so easy.  It was absolutely incredible performance by one of the greatest horses of all time.  A few years from now, people won't remember Rachel, but they will always talk about the great champion Zenyatta and her undefeated record, toped by her last race, which was at an international field setting being the BC, against the best male horses and that she simply blew them away, with her patented late surge.  They will talk about her not just in the United States, But also in Europe, Middle East and Asia for quite some time, or until another undefeated champion steps up on the international stage and wins as excitingly as this great champion did, in front of 58,000 screaming fans and millions more on TV throughout the world!

LONG LIVE THE QUEEN OF RACING.  The American Treasure that is ZENYATTA….

TWO DOLLAR BETTER

Thanks for what you said regarding STEVE A.  I don't like him anyway,he's a jerk!

Kev needs to get his head checked.. and Mike Relva's going INSANE... Phantom is spouting non-sense..

All this for ONE lousy race-- NONE of my friends bet on Zen, and NONE really wanted her to win.  Ability-wise, SUMMER BIRD and RICHARD'S KID, maybe GIO PONTI, were the leaders.  I guess they never liked the PRO-RIDE that much, thats why they never fired.

Its so sad, though.  Zen won, not because shes the best.  She won because she THRIVES on the PRO-RIDE surface.  why not?  that mare WAS RACING ON NOTHING BUT PRO-RIDE ALL HER LIFE.

If Zen won the BC Classic ON DIRT, IN A RACETRACK OUTSIDE OF CALIFORNIA, then maybe Id say she really MIGHT deserve a Horse of the Year award.

Right now, its just a case of HOMECOURT ADVANTAGE-- when you are in your backyard, you are KING.

Why give racing's highest honor to a horse THAT IS NEVER TESTED outside her HOMETOWN? Zen had been racing inside her own little FISHBOWL called California, and you say she's GREAT??  Are you crazy????? Zen is great for racing IN CIRCLES around California???

RA travelled to FIVE different states to race.  She raced on MUD, SAND, DIRT, even polytrack.  She raced in the RAIN, SUN, WIND, and in temperatures from blistering hot, to cold & soggy.  They even tried to shut her out of races, give her only 2 weeks of rest-- but still she WON.  Despite the odds, Rachel Alexandra STILL WON!!

Now, THAT is the true test of a champion..and the mark of a TRUE Horse of the Year. Not some One-Race Wonder stuck in ONE PLACE.

Zen is a champion, but RACHEL ALEXANDRA IS THE HORSE OF THE YEAR 2009!! Congratulations to everybody

Becky....THANK YOU for posting your blog.  I've been so irritated with all the naysayers from both camps (Rachel and Zenyatta's) that I'm about ready to lose it.  They're both phenominal and they've both made history this year.  Why is it so hard to just sit back, shut up, and appreciate how lucky we are to watch these two amazing horses run?

Pasturelands

You are unbelievable.....First of all, Zen could have repeated what she did in the Classic, OVER AND OVER AGAIN, and on any surface.  The problem is, there is only one Classic every year…..To show that those California allowance horses are a lot better than what many people think was validated by what her stable-mate did in the Lady’s Classic......You just don't, or maybe it's that you refuse to recognize greatness when you see it......If you think that Zen couldn't have won, and convincingly, every race that Rachel won and on those same tracks, then you're the one that's going a little daft......Of course the excuses are already rolling in from people like yourself.....home court advantage, the others weren't at their best or were at a disadvantage, nada, nada, nada……To show that-that is BS, Summer Bird’s actual time in the race was 2.01.1, Gio’s 2.00.4.  Those times at 1-1/4M would have won most 1-1/4M races this year, so how were they at a disadvantage…..The only disadvantage I seen was Zenyatta…..Rachel could win HOY and she might even deserve it, but the races she ran in were orchestrated and if you refuse to believe that then you probably are already planning on sitting in front of the fire place so you can talk to Santa…..When it came time to put her reputation on the line, her connections backed off and opted for a very weak way out…..Even Jerry Bailey as an unbiased observer made that point on the ESPN program…..When it comes to HOY, IMO if Zen doesn’t receive it, who cares……Oh, and one last thing…….You and none of your friends bet on Zen…….that just goes to prove that you were the LOSERS.

I'm for dual Horses of the Year: Zenyatta and Rachel. (Fort Macy and the filly Moccasin did it in the 60's)

Rachel deserves it for her historic campaign, displaying brilliance, courage, and tenacity. She raced against all male fields 3 times and she raced on a # of tracks.

Zenyatta deserves, albeit for her total brilliance displayed in one race, against many of the world's best. After seeing that race there is no way Rachel would beat Z at the Derby/Classic distance. Z moved like a cat in the stretch, ears pricked, and unextended. R's stretch runs became painful to watch, as did the whippings.

Moss let history come to Z. Jackson hunted history down. Did either show sportsmanship? Moss could have done more with Z. R's grandsires were also very nice grass sires. Was R really incapable or running on grass or "platic". Give me a break!!

This great filly and this great mare both deserve the HOY. Usually, when all the boys falter, they give it to the girl. This year the girls deserve it. If they can't give it to both then give it to Life Is Sweet -- because she, Z and R made it so. Sheriffs for Man of the Year!

Enjoy a ride on Z's back:

www.youtube.com/watch

They turn her loose about the 3:40 mark. Turn up the volume; feel and hear the power.

Rachel and Zenyatta -- MAKERS OF HISTORY!!!!The greatest horses in N. America for 2009!!!!!!! Beautiful, wonderful.

Yeah for the fillies and mares: Azeri, Rags to Riches, Zarkava, Goldikova, Ouija Board, Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta. What a time to be a fan!!! Loving it!!!

Wow what a year!  I am still hoarse from rooting on Z in BCC. Kudos to the Ann and Jerry Moss for running her in the BCC.  I had a chance to see her up close and personnal (and have photos) of Z the week of the KD.  I was less than 3 feet away.  She is a monster in person, but a lady in personality.  I was very disappointed when she was scratched from the Louisville Distaff.

  I agree and disagree with many of the postings here.  Frankly we are LUCKY to have such wonderful athletes to argue about. I love and appriciate both equally and can make cases for and against both for HOY. Without going into the competetion or how each respective campaign was handled by the ownership and trainers, I will say this, HOY has been won by horses that did not race in the BC.  HOY has been given to horses that had short 4-5 race campaigns that won BC.  So again a case could be made either way.

 I will also say that HOY has been shared 5 times and as BOTH have made HISTORY this year, history making should continue with both sharing HOY, a first under the 'new' (1971) format.

  Most here are also assuming the Z will never race again.  I think that we ought to be asking that Z keep going until next years Apple Blossom, at which time RA should also be pointed to the race and that will end all speculation.  Z would still have time to make a date in the Breeding shed.

  And as to rhowards comment about Jewel, same could be said about California Flag's race last year and we both know that isn't true. He was a CA horse that should have won last year that did not run his race because he was uncontrolable.  The same thing happened with Jewel, so race is a throw out.  I know you said 'she looked like' but still. Frankly good horses come from everywhere and have good and bad days, thats what makes the sport great.  Can't wait for Lava to return!

  So think the focus should be share HOY and meet in the Apple Blossom.

Pasturelands:

I think Zenyatta took your money,along w/you're friend's right?...No excuses,EVERY horse ran their race.Gio Ponti ran a winning race,are you blind or just ignorant.Richard's Kid loves the  synthetics,that's why BBaffert brought him to Cali....you have no clue.Even Zen's opponent's connections have given her props,w/out excuses.They say she beat them fair & square and is an amazing Champion.Excuses are for sore losers.

Pasturelands, can you give us a list of HOY horses who didn't run in the BC unless injured?Lets see what you come up with?Champions race a against each other they don't go on vacation especailly after only 3 tough races.Remember Citation in 1948 won the Triple crown raced 20 times won 19 and a second , raced all over the country against the best horses that year didn't go on vacation .She is a 9 furlong specialist who is great at that distance but best horse in America,don't think so and the phony owner was afraid to let her race beyond 9 furlongs doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out  why.So send the list lets see if you or and RA fan can show Which hoy skipped the BC if healthy.

I loved the Breeders Cup Classic and wanted Zenyatta to win and was delighted for her victory.  However, Rachel Alexandra has proven herself over and over and over by beating the males 3 times in 3 big races.  HOW CAN ANYONE DENY HER THE HORSE OF THE YEAR AWARD.  If Zenyatta is named Horse of the Year it should also be given to Rachel and let them both share it, otherwise Rachel deserves it.

Mike Reiva's - Thanks for pointing out the many accomplishment of Rachel Alexandra and the different conditions she raced in.  She withstood the elements and accomplished what many horses cannot with the cold damp weather and hot humid weather.  Nothing against Zenyatta (I do love her) but California does have better climate and it may be hard for her to tolerate the cold damp and hot humid weather that the East Coast is so famous for.  

Two-dollar bettor, I think 5 year-old Zen could beat 3-year old RA THIS year BUT when you compare the '09 campaigns, Rachel wins hands down.

Even for lifetime stats, 3 year-old Rachel already has 14 lifetime starts (11-2-0) compared to 14 total at age 5 for Zen.

RA has a Triple Crown race, faced the boys 3 time and won three times (at age 3), run in mud, synthetic and dirt...

Zen has never run on an off track and only left California once...

I am not dissing Zen...but even if I personally like her a teensy bit better, in no way will I take away the accomplishments of an ENTIRE season from RA's historic 3-year old season for Zen's one big race in a year.

People want Zen to win HOTY for her LIFETIME accomplishments...that's not what HOTY is about.

LAZMANNICK

Thanks for your loyal support for the great Zenyatta. Also,I TOTALLY AGREE w/what you told PASTERLANDS.

1984 John Henry

1985 Spend A Buck

1986 Lady's Secret (2nd in Distaff)

1987 Ferdinand (Classic Winner)

1988 Alysheba (Classic Winner

1989 Sunday Silence (Classic Winner)

1990 Criminal Type  

1991 Black Tie Affair (Classic Winner)

1992 A.P. Indy (Classic Winner)

1993 Kotashaan (Turf Winner)

1994 Holy Bull

1995 Cigar (Classic Winner)

1996 Cigar (3rd in Classic)

1997 Favorite Trick (Juvenile Winner)

1998 Skip Away (Classic Winner)

1999 Charismatic

2000 Tiznow (Classic Winner)

2001 Point Given  

2002 Azeri Laura (Distaff Winner)

2003 Mineshaft  

2004 Ghostzapper (Classic Winner)

2005 Saint Liam (Classic Winner)

2006 Invasor Kiaran (Classic Winner)

2007 Curlin (Ran in Classic)

The Phantom

while I don't agree with everything pasturelands said, to answer your question and to go along with what I said earlier, 3 horses have recieved HOY during the 25 years BC has exsisted that did not race on BC day. 2001 Point Given (injured) 1999 Charismatic (injured in the Bel S) and in 1994 one of my personal favorites, HOLY BULL.  Jimmy Croll decided that the Bull had done enough for the year and refused to bow to pressure to nominate/supplement and take him.  Additionally the BC was held at CD, the place where the Bull had put in his worst performnce ever, so he decided to wait for the next year when it would be held at Belmont Park and set out his 4YO campaign accordingly.  Unfortunately, the Bull bowed in his race against Cigar and the rest as they say is history.  Like RA, the Bull raced from 2 to 3 without a break.  Like RA, he finished his campaign in the Woodward and was on VACATION during the BC.  He still received HOY and is a member of the Hall of Fame.

Pasturelands

Horses do not have to travel the country and race 20 times to be HOY.  In 2004 Ghostzapper was voted HOY mainly based on his BC win, as he had a total of 4 starts for the year, the Iselin (Monmouth), Tom Fool (Bel), Woodward (Bel and almost defeated by Saint Laim who did not go to the BC) and the BC at Lonstar.

  so there is precedence for both.  Now behave and appricate what great athletes both are and what they have accomplished.  You have/are seeing HISTORY in the making.

  HOY for both!!

“Zenyatta is over rated”, “Zenyatta never beat a quality horse”, “Zenyatta doesn't have the speed to win”, “Zenyatta peaked last year” and  “Zenyatta is all hype”. Perhaps most insulting of all “Zenyatta is racing in the Classic so her lose there will not be as damning as her certain lost to Careless Jewel or Music Note in the Lady's Classic”. It is a good thing horses don't read news papers or  blogs. Perhaps she did and that's the reason she did not want to go into the gate at the Breeders Cup Classic.

The idea that undefeated Zenyatta was dodging Careless Jewel and Music Note to take on Rip Van Winkle, Summer Bird and Geo Pointe demonstrates the absurd lengths some will go to diminish this great mares achievements.

None of the smart people gave Zenyatta a chance. She was the peoples choice and the handicappers rubbed their hands in glee anticipating a nice profit betting against  Zenyatta.

Things started going south for the nay sayers Friday in the Lady's Classic, Life is Sweet trice beaten by her stable mate Zenyatta won a convincing Zenyatta like victory.  Maybe some of those “same old second rate fillies” weren't so second rate after all?

In the Breeds Cup Classic Zenyatta was asked to do things she's never done before. She was facing males for the first time and not just ordinary males either but the best males of all ages in training. And she was running 10 furlongs for the first time.

Zenyatta wanted no part of this race. She refused to enter the gate and had to be forced in. When the bell when off she didn't break and her jockey Mike Smith had to kick her into gear.

Mike Smith later said he thought to himself “Oh no girl, not today”

She came out on the wrong lead and appeared to be looking for an exit. Mike had to yank her head twice and remind her she had a race to run.  

Zenyatta just gave everyone a 5 length head start.  

Trevor Denman, the race track announcer calls “Zenyatta is dead last, Zenyatta is dead last early”

Things were not looking good going into the first turn. “Zenyatta is dead last, Zenyatta is last, gotta be giving them a 10 or 11 lengths start”

On the backstretch with a ½ mile to go, “Now here's Zenyatta a good 10 or 11 lengths off the leaders”

Tens of thousands of Zenyatta fans fell silent.

It looked hopeless for Zenyatta against this assembled field of the world's finest horses. Doubts of her  greatness, after all the pundits said she can't win, must have surely entered their heads.

Mike Smith maintained his cool and Zenyatta finally remembered she is a race horse and there is a race going on.  But she has a lot of work to do.

In what seemed like an instant on the first half of the second turn, Zenyatta when from trailing the pack to in the thick of it. Mike Smith did a masterful job of making up ground for Zenyatta.  

What follows will be talked about as long as there is horse racing in the Western World.  Zenyatta class and determination to win coupled with Mike Smiths skill as a jockey will be legend.  With tens of thousands of screaming fans Zenyatta passed four horse on the inside then hooked to the outside, trading ground for a clear path to the wire. She dug deep found another gear and ran past Colonel John, Summers Bird, Twice Over and Gio Ponti. Just like she's run down every horse that has ever been in front of her.

Zenyatta and her connections are a profile in courage. Zenyatta for running a race for the ages. Mike Smith for keeping his cool in his biggest race in a career full of big races.  Shirreffs and the Mosses for putting their undefeated horse and their reputations on the line in a race that only the ordinary folks thought she could win.

Well done Team Zenyatta!

jpsb -

BRAVO!!! Well said! The initial blog was right. When in history have we had two superhorses running? Oh, that's right - War Admiral on the east coast (with all the high-dollar camp) and Seabiscuit on the west coast.

Why not just enjoy the fact that we've been blessed with two of the finest horses (let alone distaffers) to look through a bridle competing in our day.

My vote would be to name Zenyatta HOY and RA Champion 3-year-old (not filly - 3-year-old, period). RA should be fit to run (and, good gracious she could be even stronger) as a 4-year-old. Then she can beat everything coming her way and be the undisputed HOY.

What a fun blog! best HOTY debate going. I am in the Zenyatta camp, but the 2009 campaign of Rachel is the best 3yo filly campaign I've seen since Ruffian. Any other year it's RA, no contest not even close. So I flat out refuse to take cheap shots at RA. How can any fan of TB racing diss RA? Dido Zen.

In my mind the issue hinges on Best Campaign of the Year or Best Horse of the Year. If the award is for the best campaign of the year advantage RA, if the award is for best horse of the year, Zenyatta going away.

RA did more, she ran more races and in better company. Did RA carefully pick her spots? Sure, so that? RA 2009 campaign, sans BC Classic, was far more challenging then Zens. It was in fact brillant.

That said without a doubt Zenyatta is the better race horse. Any doubts about Zenyatta greatness were answered emphatically in the BC Classic. Zenyatta ran like Zenyatta always does and best the worlds best. There is not a race horse in the world that can run with Zenyatta in the stretch. None, Zip, Zero, Nadda. That's why Zenyatta is 14-0.

Will Zenyatta's life time achivements favor her in the voting? Of course it will and it should. One would have to be particully cold blooded not to reward a retiring, undefeated, record breaking, all time great race horse with the Horse of the Year award.

Rachel had an all time great year and she does not deserve to lose this award, but Zenyatta is an all time great horse and she deseves to win it.

What a year for racing! I can't wait to see RA, LIS, SB, GP and Rip next year.

One more hope that is ok.

Rachel/Zenyatta wars, the view from Texas

Rachel 2009

RA most impressive win against fillies was in the prestigious Kentucky Oaks where she finished 20 lengths in front of Stone Legacy and Flying Spur.  In the Mother Goose she faced Malibu Prayer and Flashing and again won big.  Well a race is a race and anything can happen but really, no disrespect intended, but the fillies RA faced are hardly of the caliber of the much derided Anabaa Creation who once managed to finish a close second to Zenyatta.  I seriously doubt any would even qualify for a west coast Grade 1 filly/mare race.

In Rachel's three outing against the boys she beat two good colts and one very good colt. In the Preakness Rachel beat Mine that bird. Score one for Rachel. In the Haskel she beat Summers bird. Now Summers bird is a very good horse, this victory is far and away Rachel best win. This win is impressive. The last descent colt RA beat is Macho Again. Macho Again is a good colt kinda like Mind that Bird only better.  Again score one for Rachel.

Summery Rachel 2009

I look at it this way. After the Kentucky Oaks Rachel's soon to be connections realized that the east coast fillies were terrible. Just plain terrible and the 3yo colts appeared weak too.  So they entered her into the Preakness just to see how good she really was and oh boy was she good. She was better then good, she was great. All heart. Now if RA connections desired greatness and they did, then RA had only two paths to greatness and the HOTY title.

Path A--challenge Zenyatta

Path B-- take on the east coast colts.

Rachel's connections being the smart horsemen they are choose the easier of the two paths, they took on the east coast colts.  

Easier? Yeah, I did not say easy, I just said easier.

Ok now lets look at team Zenyatta 2009

Zenyatta connections figured they had a lock on HOTY if their horse stayed healthy and ran like she did last year. They scratched Zenyatta on first outing and her only road trip, due to a sloppy track.  They were playing prevent defense in the first quarter.

Zenyatta connections were unprepared for the challenge RA presented. They were totally blind sided. After the Milady and the Vanity, Zenyatta was only 2 wins away from Personnel Ensign's record.  Her course, like Christopher Columbus's was set, come hell, high water or mutiny, they would not alter course until she achieved her goal of 13-0.  And while Zenyatta was beating the best mares and fillies, RA was beating the best 3yo colts.  

Jackson played the game perfectly, one has to stand in awl of his 2009 campaign for horse of the year, brilliant. He made the Zenyatta camp look like the Jamaican bobcat team.  “Rachel beats Belmont winner in the Haskel”, “Rachel beats older males in the Woodard”. Team Zenyatta had no answer, Zenyatta beating Life is Sweet was so page 4.

After Rachel's September victory in the Woodward she needed a rest. No filly since Ruffian has been asked to do so much and delivered.  In 2009 she ran 8 races and won 8 races, she won the premier race for fillies and two weeks later a triple crown race in the Preakness. She beat the best 3yo colts in the Haskel and older males in the Woodward.  If there is a reincarnation of Ruffian it is Rachel Alexandra. Not since Ruffian has there been a 3yo filly with such talent and heart.  Rachel 2009 campaign was over, Path A was executed to perfection, Rachel beat the east coast boys and without ever challenging Zenyatta, HOTY was hers. For Zenyatta to even have a chance she would have to do what no female has ever done before. Beat the worlds best males in the Breeders Cup Classic.

Mean while in Cali Zenyatta wins the Lady's Secret and ties Personal Ensign's 13-0.  The yoke is finally lifted from Zenyatta, she is free at last! Her trainer John Shirreffs says “now we start over”.

Folks this is high drama, someone should make a movie. Rachel  Alexandra has managed to dethrone the reigning champion while never challenging her directly. She did it by proxy and in doing so left Zenyatta an almost impossible path to regain her throne.  Zenyatta must now beat the best male horses in the world, not only does she have to beat the best Rachel ever faced, she has to beat American champions and European champions that Rachel never faced, while Rachel enjoys munching oats in the barn!

Perhaps it would have been better if Zenyatta had lost her maiden race, or if Anabaa Creation had held on in the Clement Hirst. Who knows to what heights Zenyatta could have risen if she had not been chained to Personal Ensign in 2009.  All we know for sure is that Zenyatta ran a race for the ages in the Classic. Her last to first run will be remembered as long as horse racing is celebrated. Her stretch drive in the classic is unequaled in the modern era.  She ran passed the world best with ease.  

In her last race she gave the world a hint of just how good a race horse Zenyatta really is. I just wonder what she might have done had she not been chained to Personal Ensign or had her connections had the faith to set her free before the great filly Rachel  Alexandra reminded her of what horse racing is all about.