COMMENTARY
NOVEMBER 14, 2009
Horse of the Year debate
by John Mucciolo
Since the debate regarding who should be voted Horse of the Year for 2009
will be running rampant until the selection takes place at the Eclipse Awards in
January, I figured that chiming in with my two cents couldn’t hurt, right?
Excellent cases can be made for each of the two wunderkind female athletes in
what is clearly the most entertaining and historic year of racing since I got
sucked into this way of life more than a decade ago. In a normal year, the
voting would be a no-brainer with either of this sensational duo, but in 2009,
with otherworldly performances by both Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d’Oro) and
Zenyatta, it seems unfortunate that one of them must not win the grandest prize
at the Eclipse Award ceremonies. Still, it has to be Rachel Alexandra.
Rachel, as she is commonly referred to as, won all eight of her races this
year and turned back the clock to be the first filly since Nellie Morse in 1924
to win the Preakness S. (G1). In addition to that courageous victory, she
thoroughly dominated her sophomore filly counterparts with incomparable ease and
also defeated males in both the Haskell Invitational S. (G1) (over soon-to-be
three-year-old champion Summer Bird [Birdstone]), and the Woodward S. (G1) (the
first filly ever to win that demanding and prestigious race). And while I’m not
sure if captivating a racing nation and bringing a plethora of new racing fans
to our sport matters in this particular vote, she undoubtedly did so.
What especially must be taken into account is whom Rachel defeated this year,
and that’s where her argument is strongest. The burly Kentucky-bred was much,
much the best over the winners, either previously or subsequently, of the
following 2009 races: Kentucky Derby (G1), Belmont S. (G1), Santa Anita Derby
(G1), Travers S. (G1), Jockey Club Gold Cup S. (G1), Whitney H. (G1), Stephen
Foster H. (G1), Arkansas Derby (G2), Acorn S. (G1), Test S. (G1), Coaching Club
American Oaks (G1), Woody Stephens S. (G2), Illinois Derby (G2) and Tom Fool H.
(G2) — to say that she beat some accomplished horses is an outrageous
understatement! Her connections went after the Horse of the Year title, and
racing is better for it.
Her voyages took her to Oaklawn Park, Pimlico, Churchill Downs, Aqueduct,
Belmont, Fair Grounds and Monmouth Park. Her durability can never be questioned.
This has to be considered one of the greatest individual campaigns recorded in
recent times.
The incomparable, invincible, unbeatable, etc…Zenyatta, did everything she was
asked of in 2009 — and in her lifetime — but we must remember that we are
voting on this year and not a whole body of work. The majestic five-year-old
capped off yet another flawless campaign with an historic score over a top-notch
field in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), becoming the first female ever to
accomplish the feat.
Her foes earlier in the year left something to be desired, though, as
dual Grade 1 heroine Life is Sweet (Storm Cat) is the only noteworthy runner she
topped in 2009 prior to the Classic. The all-timer had chances to run with
better in the Pacific Classic S. (G1), Hollywood Gold Cup S. (G1) and Santa
Anita H. (G1), but her connections opted not to pursue the Horse of the Year
trophy. It’s not her fault, but, unfortunately, she must be punished for that.
We can’t take away from the 11 she cruised past in the Classic, featuring
Grade/Group 1 winners Gio Ponti (Tale of the Cat), Twice Over (GB)
(Observatory), Rip Van Winkle (Ire) (Galileo [Ire]), Einstein (Brz) (Spend a
Buck), Colonel John, Mine That Bird (Birdstone) and Summer Bird. But even in
that event, I question if she beat the real Summer Bird, or the real Mine that
Bird, or even the real Girolamo (A.P. Indy), the real Regal Ransom (Distorted
Humor); I hope you catch the drift of my intention. Not to say that she wouldn’t
or couldn’t have trounced those same foes on a dirt oval, but one must
acknowledge that she had a major edge over many of her counterparts in the
Classic — both in surface and locale. Zenyatta raced solely in Southern
California this year with virtually no travel and never put in a dirt or turf
effort, focusing solely on synthetic starts.
If there was to be a truly run race with both Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra
among the competitors, I would think that the five-year-old would win more times
than not. She’s just too athletically talented and mentally gifted to let a
horse in front of her get away. But that is not what this vote is all about. The focus has to be on the whole body of work for 2009, not who might win a
match race.
As I type this, it becomes increasingly clearer to me that Rachel should
actually win Horse of the Year with little or no debate. This is far from an
East Coast bias, just common sense. I told whoever would listen that nothing
would beat Zenyatta prior to the Classic, and I have become a giant fan of hers,
so I’m not playing favorites. I was at both the Classic and Preakness and
admittedly cried after both. We might not have another year of racing like this
for a very long time — if ever.
But it should be forever known as the Year of Rachel!