Given the number of horse racing fans that saw Secretariat, you can be certain that Disney’s cinematic fairy tale about Penny Chenery would have not been dismissed entirely from Golden Globe consideration had movie-goers cast ballots. Likewise, given the right to vote for the Eclipse Awards, horse racing fans would produce the same referendum. They would lead with their hearts and not with their heads. This is what those with the Eclipse Awards vote at the NTRA, the Daily Racing Form and the NTWAB believe. But what’s so bad about emotion?
It is understandable why the vote for the Eclipse Awards is restricted. Like the Golden Globes and the Oscars, the program is an industry property. As hard as it is for fans of the sport to comprehend the difference between how a professional employed by the sport faces his responsibility and how they might if put in the same place, a difference exists. Moreover, when something’s been done the same way for a long time, changes to that way don’t come easily.
On the sixth day of Christmas, horse racing would be well served by giving those who follow the sport a vote for the Eclipse Award winners. There are myriad ways to accomplish this while still keeping true to tradition.
Vic Zast invites you to visit his Web page at Facebook.com/viczast and to follow him on Twitter.com/viczast. He will post six more wishes in the last days before Christmas. Return to TrackWords daily to keep up with them.
18 Dec 2010 at 10:48 am | #
Dear Mr. Zast,
Though I like your basic idea of letting the fans have a vote, I think you sell the “racing fans” short.
You are not the only one who continues to act like racing fans are only capable of “voting” with their hearts.If we did have a vote,( which is a very good idea, but won’t happen) we would surprise you, sir, and others, with our analysis, our logic and our ability to see the big picture, through our lens of a lifetime of actual, active participation. We have all this AND emotion,too.
There are lots of fans who are actual horse owners, breeders or otherwise “employed “ by the industry.These are the people who should be part of the voting group. We are “participants” and not just “spectators”.
And though a good amount of current voters ARE employed by the Industry, ( Racing Form, Racing Secretaries, etc) many of them are not. There are a good number of voters who are employed by dying newspapers. And though they may love the game,these same voters have absolutely nothing to do with the Horse Industry, and for the most part, do not follow racing for most of the year. Are they “informed” enough to be called a “professional employed by the industry?” I don’t think so. So I cannot agree with you that all the voters are somehow “employed “ by the sport. That the number of voters is being expanded to include broadcasters, is probably a good thing, if those people are actually informed and have been in the business for a while.
You are right when you compare the Eclipse Awards to the Film Industry Awards and even politics. “The Tourist” gets 1 star and is up for Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Actress. The “folks” talk, but nobody listens.
Happy Holidays to you and your readers!
18 Dec 2010 at 01:07 pm | #
I agree, the European fans have a vote in the Cartier Awards and they seem to do a pretty good job in picking the winners.
20 Dec 2010 at 07:37 am | #
Don’t know about other reasonable and analytical persons, but personally, I’m extremely tired of this hackneyed “heart over head” slogan, which obviously is directed towards those who would vote for Zenyatta as “Horse of the Year.” I am equally disgusted with repeatedly reading how all of these Zenyatta folks are basing their opinion on her “total career,” and not her 2010 campaign. Putting words in the mouths, and thoughts in the heads of others is criminal.
I’ve read all the arguments from bloggers and turf writers, and most of the stupidity, rudeness and “emotion” has come from those with a vote, directly or otherwise.
A reasonable man who could not see that an honest case could be made for both animals, and that one need not look at Zenyatta’s pre-2010 career to do so, is not reasonable.
And a reasonable man who labels anyone who votes for Zenyatta as having voted with their “heart,” is not reasonable, and ignorant to boot.
For the record, in my opinion, Zenyatta’s 2010 campaign was the best of her career, and her run in the Cup the best race of her life. What an athlete, or are these statements coming from my “heart” and not my head. Excuse me while I go vomit.
TTT