I made the mistake I feared other people would make.
When Zenyatta won and Rachel Alexandra didn't, I lamented my Horse of the Year vote, thinking that Zenyatta's win proved that she was the better horse and thus, in retrospect, was more deserving of the sport's highest seasonal honor.
My conflicting thoughts illustrate the precarious balance between accomplishment and talent in this game. When Zenyatta won the Breeders' Cup Classic last year, I thought she might be the better horse (especially at 1 1/4 miles), but I voted for Rachel Alexandra as Horse of the Year because I felt she put together the more impressive campaign.
Obviously a loss in her four-year-old debut off a six-month layoff doesn't change that, and I was foolish to have such a knee jerk reaction following the champions' races. I will say, though, that Zenyatta has never needed an excuse. We've never had to be told "She was only cranked to 80%" after one of her races because it's never mattered.
So for now it looks as if the Race For the Ages is off. Zenyatta is definitely pointing for the Apple Blossom, but Rachel Alexandra is not, though it wouldn't surprise me if her connections change their mind if she's telling them she's ready to run because this is very likely the only opportunity either camp will have to run for a North American record $5-million purse.
Assuming Zenyatta stays undefeated whenever they do meet, the storyline will be more about Rachel Alexandra trying to snap her foe's unbeaten streak than it will be about which is better. I'm sure Rachel Alexandra still has her supporters, and she certainly is capable of beating any horse in training at her best, but Zenyatta will be favored if they run, so at the very least we know who the public thinks is better.
The surface question with Zenyatta is obviously of at least some concern in terms of how good she'll be when she ships East, but if her 2008 Apple Blossom win on dirt isn't enough to give her connections solace, then certainly they have to like how West Coast shippers Lookin At Lucky and Amen Hallelujah have done when making their dirt debuts this year.
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I would have voted for Zenyatta, but would never cry, "I told you so," because of a couple races early in 2010. Rachel won her honor fair and square last year and will be the 2009 Horse of the Year forever.
ReplyDeleteIn retrospect, I am glad that Rachel got that trophy. I don't think that Zenyatta would be back it she had gotten the award.
Now the competition continues for another year. Great theater, and hopefully several super races.
It's obvious that the Zenyatta camp is on a mission. It will be interesting to see how agressively Rachel's team battles back.
Would fans be firing volleys at Rachel's 2009 supporters, if that magic hole on the inside hadn't opened for Zenyatta on Saturday? Until the final yards of her race I thought we were going to see them both beaten.