Horse Racing Fantasy Community

without a doubt!!! Fantastic run in the Classic!! stucki in the gate, wrong lead way back. what else could go wrong?! Nothing! absolutely incredible run down the stretch. No other horse can compare!!!

I agree with studdboys. Rachel is my choice for HOY based on her entire "year" not one race.

From bloodhorse.com to thoroughbredtimes.com Zenyatta is winning the vote of HOY by a landside.

I am voting for Zenyatta. She proved herself in the Classic going against the boys. That is a feat that the in my book is the greatest moment of the year. She truly deserves Horse of the Year because Rachel didn't race in the Breeder's Cup. If she did, it would've been different. Zenyatta is 14-for-14 and Rachel is only 8-for-8 so there is no contest for that.

~~~Sharon~~~

i voted for RACHELALEXANDRA!!!!! she is a super horse and have betten the boys.

Not only did Zenyatta defeat the boys she defeated those from Europe that came across the big pond to face her. She defeated the winners of the Belmont and of the Kentuckey Derby and those were also won against the boys. She ran a furlong further in the BCC than she had all season in the final race of her career, she earned the winners share of the $5 Million purse for her owners, increased her value as a Dam, was the first female to win the Breeders Cup Classic in its 25 years of its existence, surpassed Personal Ensign's undefeated streak of 13-0 and thrilled over 58,800 cheering fans from literaly FAR BACK, and finished by running into Horse Racing History with a perfect record of 14-0.

No one will ever know if Zenyatta would have won if Rachel Alexandra would have been in that race or if Zenyatta would also have beaten her as well. That would have made Zenyatta the winner over each of the horses that won one of the three races that make up the Triple Crown. However, again this would be going into a coulda, woulda, shoulda discussion that would be meaningless. The only real answer would have been if Rachel Alexandra's owners had entered her into a Breeders Cup race, I' m sure if she had been she would have given her best effort but she was never given the opportunity. I also believe that had Rachel Alexandra ran in the G-1 Ladies Classic she would have won that and put a new wrinkel in the game for HOY, but reality is reality and its time to give the Lady her due, Zenyatta, Horse of the Year 2009 by the skin of her teeth.

she was so good

Zenyatta did run and win on dirt last year too. she has not raced just on synthetics.

Rachel Alexandra may have beeten the Kentucky Derby and Belmont winners, but remember, shes 3 years old! Zenyatta is 4 or 5 and she beat them! She won even though she broke out on the wrong lead, was in dead last, and had to unloaded and loaded back in the gates! Rachel didn't set the record for the first filly EVER to win the Breeders Cup. Rachel wasn't 14-0. No. I still love both fillies and if there was a runner up, it would be Rachel Alexandra. But I believe the HOY is a well deserved title for Zenyatta. And remember, Rachel can get it next year, and this is Zenyatta's last year of racing. You never know what lays ahead.

I apologize. I was very wrong in my post. She only has the fastest times posted for distances at those three tracks for the past few years. She has NO real track records to speak of. Mea Culpa!

Zenyatta's argument is that she beat a tough Classic field and is 5-5 this year. But that is it. Horse of the Year is based on a horse's accomplishments of the whole year, and their authority, wins, and losses are evaluated. Last year, Horse of the Year went to Curlin because he beat harder competition, ran at all distances, and tried everything put in his way. The Breeders Cup has not been a true measurement of horses for the past 2 years, as the synthetic has had a deep effect on some horses. The Triple Crown race winners who showed up? Both faltered on the plastic. How many dirt horses did you see succeed at Santa Anita? The Europeans also see the Pro-Ride as an advantage and send their turf horses over. Zenyatta fans will argue that Rachel didn't show up at the Breeder's Cup, but neither did Hot Dixie Chick and many other great horses. Curlin's performance last year made Jess Jackson wary of synthetic; that alone is the explanation. They were not afraid of Zenyatta or any other horse. People say that Rachel couldn't last a classic distance of 1 1/4 miles; let me remind you that the two times at lesser distances she faltered because she set a hard pace up front with male horses pressuring her from every side. She won the Woodward on her tired legs and heart alone. Rachel stepped out this year and demolished her filly counterparts and showed a total of 23 male horses, 11 of them Grade 1 winners, her hind end on the way to victory. She chose the path of most resistance, while Zenyatta had a campaign that paled in comparison. Sure, Zenyatta traveled out onto her "preferred surface" once, but that was last year and she beat a less-than-stellar Ginger Punch. If it was truly her favorite surface, she should have traveled out of California more. Rachel beat horses like Mine That Bird and Macho Again when they were at the top of their game, not when they were tailing off. She made history 6 times, compared to Zenyatta's two. Zenyatta went unbeaten for a whole career, doing it with an impressive style, and won one important race in November against average competition on a foreign surface. Horse of the Year is Rachel Alexandra all the way.