They're Kidding!!

[miff]

\"We\'re going to miss her, but that\'s what happens,\" Shirreffs said. \"The big thing is to enjoy the ones that you have when they\'re with you.\"

The Mosses couldn\'t resist a bit of campaigning, with both of them wearing \"Vote Zenyatta\" buttons in reference to her bid to win Horse of the Year honors in January.

Fans did the same, chanting \"Horse of the Year\" while Zenyatta was on the track.

\"I think the industry will miss a huge opportunity if they don\'t give her Horse of the Year,\" said Shirreffs

Ahem,

......okie dokie, the voters should just forget Blame and Goldikova.Shameless lobbying in Cali for this horse. It would be a travesty if Z is HOY.If she does win, on what will it be based and don\'t tell me that it\'s what she did for racing, thats bulls--t.It\'s supposed to be based on what a horse does on the racetrack.

Very sad though, no more \"Zenyatta days\" in Cali,don\'t know what I\'m gonna do.


Mike

[P-Dub]

Take a breath Mike.

So the fans and owners are doing a little campaigning. So, what\'s the harm in that??  People campaign for awards all the time, is it really that serious?? You have some kind of personal stake in the award??  Its a freaking award thats voted on, who cares??

Did you get this upset when Kirk Gibson won the MVP over Darrell Strawberry??

As for honoring Zenyatta, guess what?? If you don\'t like it, don\'t tune in to TVG or attend the track that day. Perhaps the most popular horse ever to race in California gets a few days in her honor, and you can\'t stand it.

You\'re kidding.

Pretty tame stuff Mike to get this worked up.

[miff]

Paul

True greatness needs no campaign and her adoration is way over the top relative to her ability. Z was as much West Coast media hype as any horse that ever lived.If you never saw her race and read what the West Coast writes, you would think she was a freak, not even close.

Imagine if Ruffian were running today.

Mike

[TGJB]

And I would add that SOME people here have gotten more worked up, over less.

Meanwhile, I\'m trying to understand the rational argument for HOTY 2010. Not a lifetime achievement award, which would be a no-brainer, for the year.

This is exactly why they have those lifetime awards at the Oscars.

New award, the Zenyatta trophy for lifetime achievement? Or for whoever does the most for racing?

[P-Dub]

TGJB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> And I would add that SOME people here have gotten
> more worked up, over less.
>
> Meanwhile, I\'m trying to understand the rational
> argument for HOTY 2010. Not a lifetime achievement
> award, which would be a no-brainer, for the year.
>
> This is exactly why they have those lifetime
> awards at the Oscars.
>
> New award, the Zenyatta trophy for lifetime
> achievement? Or for whoever does the most for
> racing?

I know Jerry, good thing you have me around to keep things calm.

[HP]

I can see Goldikova as the winner.  

I would have no problem \"forgetting Blame\" in this vote.  If Zenyatta won the BC Classic it would be no contest.  She lost by a nose and...Blame is HOY?  If I were voting I would pick Zenyatta.  Especially since she did so well on real dirt after being lambasted as a \"plastic champion.\"    

Comparing Zenyatta to...Ruffian.  An all timer.  Who would you compare Blame to?  Among the great ones?  Come on.  Can\'t see voting for Blame as anything much besides an anti-Zenyatta vote.  Goldikova I could live with.  

Had to bring up freakin\' Kirk Gibson too?  Now THAT should have been \"tooken down\" by Jerry!  

HP

[phil23]

She showed more in that 1 defeat than in all her wins, imo.  But Blame beat her, fair and square, along with QR at the Spa, and won the Foster too.  He\'s HoY.  Any other year or horse, there would be no debate.  It\'s just because of sentiment (a terrible way to objectively assess accomplishment) that we\'re even having the debate.

This is what happens when you give your horse only 1 chance (on dirt against males) to prove herself.  If she had run in the Whitney or the Foster, who\'s to say she might not have won one of those.  Then we\'d have a real debate.  

Her connections, while keeping her around for 3 years which is to be admired, really ended up cutting off their nose (one loss at exactly the wrong time) to spite their face (the win streak against joke competition).  Imagine what we might have seen if she\'d been campaigned this year the way Blind Luck was.  Too bad.  Oh well, regardless of which of them wins, it still doesn\'t get fix the dead rail that screwed QR.

[miff]

HP,

With somewhat similar accomplishments this year, Z and Blame should be compared head to head first for HOY.I could not agree more with you that Blame was a nice horse, nothing more.


Mike

[TGJB]

Right. HOTY is based on accomplishment, not ability.

On another point, to all those this year and last that think winning the Classic should get get you HOTY no matter what-- if they want the BC to count that way, they shouldn\'t hold a vote. Just give it to the Classic winner.

[HP]

TGJB - is there an official \"criteria\" for HOY?  What do they send out with the ballot?  Any kind of description of what they are actually voting for beyond the vague title?  HP

[TGJB]

The only rule I\'m aware of is that you can\'t look at foreign races unless the horse has run here at least once. I don\'t think there are any stated criteria.

[HP]

Then there is nothing stopping someone from looking/voting on it like it IS a lifetime achievement award?  Of sorts...  Not saying that would be right...\"I\'m just saying\"...

I think phil\'s points are good.  Blame did indeed accomplish something this year.  

HP

[alm]

Just let it be decided by one vote from Trevor Denman...he\'s impartial.  (He also calls horses\' asses like a horse\'s ass.)

[TGJB]

I agree, my earlier comment was not sarcasm. The only possible rational position one could take against Blame would be for Goldikova-- which would be my vote, but it ain\'t gonna happen.

One of the interesting questions here is who gets to vote, and how informed they are...

[smalltimer]

What does Ruffian have to do with the 2010 HOY conversation?