HOY 2011 will win due to attrition.......

[MR.W]

I guess we all know who that's going to be. I'm sorry to be so negative about this, but that's the way I feel. Drosselmeyer??? gets Moment of the Year and now we have the winner for the BIG award who in my opinion could not beat Blind Luck in their marquee match up at her own home track. We all know what happened in the BC.....a pedestrian win for the Moment of the Year horse.
As with any year, we had some promising horses to follow and hope for, but the ones that were the contenders all faltered for one reason or another down the stretch. And the winner for HOY 2011 for the lack of any other decent choices goes to.........???????

[Epiphany]

I guess we all know who that's going to be. I'm sorry to be so negative about this, but that's the way I feel. Drosselmeyer??? gets Moment of the Year and now we have the winner for the BIG award who in my opinion could not beat Blind Luck in their marquee match up at her own home track. We all know what happened in the BC.....a pedestrian win for the Moment of the Year horse.
As with any year, we had some promising horses to follow and hope for, but the ones that were the contenders all faltered for one reason or another down the stretch. And the winner for HOY 2011 for the lack of any other decent choices goes to.........???????

Dunno. I am busy engraving Whiner of the Day award for you, Mr. W.

[Secretariat Forever]

If HDG doesn't deserve the award then who the heck does?

[MR.W]

Dunno. I am busy engraving Whiner of the Day award for you, Mr. W.

Thank you. I guess I can't help but reflect on past winners and what they accomplished on the track to win the award. This past year was the exception.

[Horse's Rear]

If HDG doesn't deserve the award then who the heck does?

I think the filly will become the fourth consecutive HotY who to be both a) a female and b) a loser of America's richest race (Rachel only qualifies as a loser by failing to show up; Curlin and Havre De Grace ran fourth, while Zenyatta got up for the place).

That said, one alternative answer to your question would be that Acclamation had more wins, as many G1 wins, and actually beat males. But I think that there is a separate thread on that topic.

[MR.W]

If HDG doesn't deserve the award then who the heck does?

I'm not disputing that HG deserves the award this time around. I know they have to give the award but I don't see her credentials as being HOY worthy.

[seahawkgal]

I guess we all know who that's going to be. I'm sorry to be so negative about this, but that's the way I feel. Drosselmeyer??? gets Moment of the Year and now we have the winner for the BIG award who in my opinion could not beat Blind Luck in their marquee match up at her own home track. We all know what happened in the BC.....a pedestrian win for the Moment of the Year horse.
As with any year, we had some promising horses to follow and hope for, but the ones that were the contenders all faltered for one reason or another down the stretch. And the winner for HOY 2011 for the lack of any other decent choices goes to.........???????

Despite other people's smartas.s replies, I agree 100 percent and I really think that NO HORSE deserves the award this year. Who says they have to give one out at all? I really wanted HDG to at least justify getting the award but that up the track finish in the BC really left me at....UGH...What a lackluster bunch.

[curtisw]

Despite other people's smartas.s replies, I agree 100 percent and I really think that NO HORSE deserves the award this year. Who says they have to give one out at all? I really wanted HDG to at least justify getting the award but that up the track finish in the BC really left me at....UGH...What a lackluster bunch.

I agree except the title of the award--Horse of the Year--suggests that someone has to win. As I've said before though, years from now someone will ask "Who was Horse of the Year in 2011???" The connections will be able to proudly answer immediately--as they should--most anyone else will have to look it up. Jay Hovdey makes a good comparison between 1970 and 2011 in his DRF blog. The champion older mare that year--Shuvee--was arguably the best horse around that year, especially when you factor in the bias towards dirt. Yet she didn't win. The co-champions were an erratic three-year-old--Personality--and an accomplished turf horse--Fort Marcy.

[TapitsGal]

I think and hope Havre De Grace will get it.

[LifeAtZen]

This is the first time in a long time where I really don't care who gets HOTY. Sure it'll be neat for a female three-peat but when you list Grace with Zen and Rachel, it's like, wow - really? That's the best we could do?

I'm WAY more interested in 3yo colt and 2yo colt.

[Epiphany]

This is the first time in a long time where I really don't care who gets HOTY. Sure it'll be neat for a female three-peat but when you list Grace with Zen and Rachel, it's like, wow - really? That's the best we could do?

I'm WAY more interested in 3yo colt and 2yo colt.

We? Where is the "we" part for you? Did you breed, own, buy, or train, or even pet Havre de Grace?

[LifeAtZen]

We? Where is the "we" part for you? Did you breed, own, buy, or train, or even pet Havre de Grace?

Really? I didn't mean it literally.

[Happy Endings]

I think the filly will become the fourth consecutive HotY who to be both a) a female and b) a loser of America's richest race (Rachel only qualifies as a loser by failing to show up; Curlin and Havre De Grace ran fourth, while Zenyatta got up for the place).

That said, one alternative answer to your question would be that Acclamation had more wins, as many G1 wins, and actually beat males. But I think that there is a separate thread on that topic.

So, I guess the Woodward doesn't count?

[dustino140]

I don't disagree with the premise here. For about half of the categories - HOY, Older Male, 3yo Colt, Female Sprinter, Female Turf Horse - tonight will be a kind reminder that mediocrity ruled in 2011.

Every year can't be a standout, though.

[Horse's Rear]

So, I guess the Woodward doesn't count?

Sorry, the Woodward does count for something, though I don't think anyone would think it counts for much. Not counting their losing efforts in the Woodward that day, the horses behind her put together a cumulative record of 7 wins from 36 stakes starts, with 2 G1s, 2G2s, and 3 ungraded stakes. The graded winners in that field were Giant Oak (1 for 6, G1 Donn), Mission Impazible (1 for 7, G2 New Orleans Hcp) and Flat Out (2 for 7, G1 JCGC and G2 Suburban). Flat Out is clearly the most impressive of those, but none are serious contenders for the award.

As I said, I still expect her to win, though I doubt many think she is the best horse in training; and I think some would even argue that she was not the best in her division.

[Happy Endings]

Sorry, the Woodward does count for something, though I don't think anyone would think it counts for much. Not counting their losing efforts in the Woodward that day, the horses behind her put together a cumulative record of 7 wins from 36 stakes starts, with 2 G1s, 2G2s, and 3 ungraded stakes. The graded winners in that field were Giant Oak (1 for 6, G1 Donn), Mission Impazible (1 for 7, G2 New Orleans Hcp) and Flat Out (2 for 7, G1 JCGC and G2 Suburban). Flat Out is clearly the most impressive of those, but none are serious contenders for the award.

As I said, I still expect her to win, though I doubt many think she is the best horse in training; and I think some would even argue that she was not the best in her division.

Well, none of the horses who ran in the BCC were serious contenders for the award, so I suppose if she had won that you would have said the same thing. What horses did Acclamation beat that were serious contenders for the award? Don't bother. I know the answer to that one...none. You said "at least he beat the boys." Well, so did HDG.

And she won HOY by a landslide, so I guess a lot of people don't agree with you. Obviously the vast majority of the voters thought she was the best horse in training.

[Flanders]

1999 was the worst one I remember and I liked Charismatic, just didn't think he deserved HOTY off a win in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness.

[sweettalk]

the point was what horse, in 2011, of all the horses that ran, ran the best? not who was most like last year's winner, or the winner in 97. someone did, in fact, deserve it. and she won it.

[Flanders]

the point was what horse, in 2011, of all the horses that ran, ran the best? not who was most like last year's winner, or the winner in 97. someone did, in fact, deserve it. and she won it.

I agree completely. The OP said, at some point during the thread, that they didn't remember a year when the crop was so mediocre. That is why I pointed out 99 when Charismatic won.
I don't think Havre De Grace was mediocre and there were other horses who ran this year that aren't either. Each year we get a thread like this or many, that say blah, blah, blah worst crop ever. Its just some years we get awesome horses in all divisions, this wasn't one of those years. However, Havre de Grace deserved the title more than any of the others and I believe she earned it on the track.

[halo]

She had a wonderful campaign. Won 5 graded stakes, at 4 different tracks, on the dirt, including a Grade 1 against the boys, ran second by a nose in arguably the most exciting race of the year against another champion. I don't know what else a horse would have to do to win. She is a very deserving champion.