What, above all, was the reason? It’s that she stuck around when she could have easily passed out of sight, following the path that so many before her have taken. No horse commanded the spotlight as long as she. Yes, of course, the Sport of Kings has had stars. Rachel Alexandra was Horse of the Year and a captivating presence. There was Barbaro, Big Brown and Smarty Jones – colts that emerged with their records intact as they won the Kentucky Derby. And, for a totally different reason, who will ever forget Funny Cide?
Each of these horses threw off heat that was keen as mustard. But Cigar, Seattle Slew, Sunday Silence and Affirmed never approached matching her, Secretariat, Seabiscuit, Phar Lap or Man O’ War in causing goose-bumps. Such was her effect; so is her legacy. The sport was blessed to have her as a bright light when darkness descended. More like her would put horse racing in the fun business.
Horse racing is an emotional playground. Hearts beat fast in the sport. Heads swim. People get lost in the moment before, during and after the experience. Better than winning one more trophy would be having another Zenyatta emerge so that everyone would recall the original.
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15 Dec 2010 at 05:40 pm | #
Hi Vic. You are wrong - Zenyatta will not be a loser at the HOY awards. She will be a three time winner - of the Champion Older Female award. As an avid Zenyatta fan, I am under no illusion that she will receive enough sentimental votes to beat blame for HOY - I am resigned to that fact.
She will, however, be the first winner of the Kristen Hall Horse of a Lifetime award. It’s being held in my basement; the Mosses and Sherrifs are not expected to attend, although they are welcome if they are so inclined.
We’ll be eating carrots, sweet potatoes, and drinking Guinness. I’ll save you a seat up front if you’re available.
15 Dec 2010 at 07:03 pm | #
The best legacy Zenyatta could leave would be as an inspiration to owners and trainers - that if you do right by the horse, everyone wins. As far as what impact she has made on this sport, there are no losers.
As far as HOY, here is this year’s records for Blame and Zenyatta:
Zenyatta:
6 Grade I races
5 tracks
4 surfaces (dirt plus 3 different types of synthetics)
5 wins, 1 loss by a head
Blame:
4 Grade I races, 1 Grade III
4 tracks
1 surface
4 wins, 1 loss by 4 lengths
Why are so many writers saying that she didn’t do enough? And how can they hold Blame’s efforts as better?
15 Dec 2010 at 10:36 pm | #
Something I’ve notice in the frequent comparisons between the 2010 campaigns of Blame and Zenyatta is that Zenyatta carried more weight than Blame several times this year. I can’t really recall any articles that have mentioned this fact because the focus is usually on all of the other issues in this particular debate. I am in complete agreement with Zenyatta’s winning the Kristin Hall Horse of a Lifetime award as I think she’s the horse of a lifetime for many of us.
15 Dec 2010 at 11:55 pm | #
“Eclipse Award voters are lining up to embarrass her a third time in the Horse of the Year voting”. When were the first two? Was Curlin not worthy,was Rachel not worthy. Talk about bias I guess you have to be part of the club to get something like this published.
16 Dec 2010 at 08:12 am | #
Curlin finished 4th in the Classic the year he was awarded HOY and lost another race besides. Rachel didn’t even run in the Classic, the reason being given that Mr. Jackson didn’t like ‘plastic’, even though Rachel had won a race on it and didn’t seem to mind. But now all of a sudden, Zenyatta isn’t deserving because she lost that one race by a head?
22 Dec 2010 at 11:16 am | #
We have another great filly going to race in her third year, Awesome Feather. She’s undefeated and she has that stare that her Uncle Smarty and that her great-great-grandsire Secretariat has had. I saw her at Calder and she stared right through me and would not stop staring until she left the paddock saddling area. Unreal, all the great ones have that look. And it looks like Penny Chenery’s (the owner of Secretariat) Cora Moriah, a very well deveolped yearling filly, has that stare, is training well, and has the conformation of great-great grandpa Big Red. (She has her stabled at Calumet Farm and her picture is on line).
What about the fabulous Uncle Mo, another great stallion.
Big Red’s spirit has been very active and he has been whispering to the horse racing Gods ever since he’s been memoralized by the movie Secretariat. All of the horse racing families associated with him and his sire and dam have done well after the movie came out. And now Big Red, says from up in Horse Heaven, just wait to you see my baby granddaughter. God willing it will be a blessing to see the Meadows silks on a major horse again. Penny Chenery is such a classy lady she well deserves this to happen.
Wishing you all a wonderful holiday and a terrific New Year.