Posted on 01/18/2011 7:38:02 AM PST by Holen1
Zenyatta, the daughter of Street Cry who sustained her only loss in 20 starts when second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I), was honored Jan. 17 as North America’s Horse of the Year for owners Jerry and Ann Moss and trainer John Shirreffs.
The winner, announced during the Eclipse Awards dinner, received 128 first-place votes, edging out Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Blame , who received 102 votes. The third finalist for Horse of the Year honors, Goldikova, received five votes. There was one abstention and two no votes.
Moss congratulated the connections of Blame, noting “Blame is a wonderful racehorse.”
"It has been a great honor to be associated with the other two finalists," Moss said while accepting the award. He went on to acknowledge Zenyatta's breeder Eric Kronfeld of Maverick Productions, Don Robinson who foaled and raised the champion at his Winter Quarters Farm, and bloodstock agent David Ingordo, who bought her at auction, and Jeanne and April Mayberry of Mayberry Farm near Ocala, where Zenyatta was broke and trained. All these people were on stage with the the Mosses.
(Excerpt) Read more at bloodhorse.com ...
True enough.
I would have voted for Goldikova. FWIW.
Yes.
Awesome. FReeper trivia rocks!
I wondered what the connection was as soon as I saw the name was Zenyatta (Mondatta).
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Blame BARELY beat Zenyatta. If Jerry Smith hadn’t waited so long, she would have gone 21 for 21. Overall, she is the superior horse.
True enough but Blame still won. I think this is a case where the voters considered the entire career, rather than just the accomplishments for the year.
Don’t care for The Police. Did go see Little Feat last week. They were great.
Winning matters, it’s how you win. Most people do not blame Zenyatta on her only loss, they blame jockey Mike Smith. He himself said the same and it tore him up. I witnessed Zenyatta race twice in person. I have a friend who manages a race track and allowed me near her stall as she was being saddled up for a race. I called out her name and she literally, turned a 180 looked me in the eye, and bowed! I swear it’s true. Hundreds of people witnessed it. She’s a ham!
BTW, recall Eight Belles two years ago at the Kentucky Derby. A renowned racetrack expert warned her owners to no send her into a “meatgrinder” where she was the only mare. It would overwhelm her. It did. She came in second and died of a heart attack just across the finish line. It was borderline animal cruelty. So sad. Bottom line, for a mare to beat a gelding when both are at the pinnacle of their sports is very unusual and a thing to behold.
“Blame BARELY beat Zenyatta.”
So. Zenyatta “barely” won most of her races against tiny fields. And except for Gio Ponti (a grass horse) she had never beaten anybody worth noting. Not to mention her speed figures were not that great.
Now I like Zenyatta, and her record speaks for itself, but I don’t think she is the second coming of Regret.
If I were to apply your logic to the BCS championship, Oregon barely lost to Auburn, missing several scoring opportunities, and then losing the game on a fluke play late. Oregon looked like the better team and regardless of losing, they should have been named the champion.
That being said, I really don't care who was named HOY. Blame will have every opportunity to make (his connections) huge money as a sire.
If I were to apply your logic to the BCS championship, Oregon barely lost to Auburn, missing several scoring opportunities, and then losing the game on a fluke play late. Oregon looked like the better team and regardless of losing, they should have been named the champion.
That being said, I really don't care who was named HOY. Blame will have every opportunity to make (his connections) huge money as a sire.
I actually thought Smith's ride was pretty good and he didn't deserve the criticism. I thought that Blame was the better animal that day.
I never understood Mike Smith’s strategy on Zenyatta’s last race. She was dead last 3/4 of the race. He was so emotional at the press conference, I never heard why he challenged so late. When Z lost by a nose, I’m not the only one who thought a little more “giddyup” earlier might have made for a win. BTW, I’m impressed with you’re knowledge of horses.
“On occasion, a mare can beat males.”
For three years now Goldikova has beaten some of the best racers in Europe, then come to the U.S., to beat the best in the world.
Colts, fillies, horses and mares, Goldikova beats them all. She was HOY in my humble opinion.
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