Has this been posted? Sports Illustrated ranked the Classic among the best sports games/events of the year:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/mul...ontent.36.html
Has this been posted? Sports Illustrated ranked the Classic among the best sports games/events of the year:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/mul...ontent.36.html
Damn! When we come after a mixed martial arts cage fight between Leonard Garcia and Chan Sung Jung ... We're REALLY struggling.Originally Posted by Commentator
I just looked through them all and # 1 was Canada beating the US in hockey ... Maybe they're not in order. I would have figured the Saints winning the Super Bowl was 1st and I didn't see it in the 1st 38 events. So they mustn't be in order.
Last edited by The Tin Man; 12-22-2010 at 03:58 PM.
Live life, don't just exist it!
I hope they mentioned that Zenyatta was past Blame on the gallop out and would have won if she knew where the Churchill wire was.....
A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on
the support of Paul.
~George Bernard Shaw
The Obama admin mantra -
The 1st 4 years - "It's Bush's fault."
The next 4 years - "I don't know nuthin'."
~Bal 2013
"The budget should be balanced..... public debt should be reduced....... and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance."
~Cicero - 55 BC
Huh? How can that be. No one broke down in it.
Sorry, I have a thing for SI.
Finally words of wisdom from BF!! ;-)
Live life, don't just exist it!
Nah, they were probably able to appreciate the epic battle for itself, and both horse's efforts without resorting to pissing matches and irrelevant points about gallop outs OR Gr. 1 races from nine months prior that neither horse was entered in, but that the last place eased horse in the Classic had won.
What's interesting is that Blame is barely mentioned at all.
Yeah I particularly liked the imagery of Ben Affleck asking her out on a date. Wait...have they solved the stallion issue?
There is no place you can go, live or electronic, where so many people are more obsessed with the completely meaningless act of the "gallop out" than a small town known as TBC.Nah, they were probably able to appreciate the epic battle for itself, and both horse's efforts without resorting to pissing matches and irrelevant points about gallop outs OR Gr. 1 races from nine months prior that neither horse was entered in, but that the last place eased horse in the Classic had won.
I don't get it. I've never gotten it. But it seems to show up in spades, especially in the Spring as the TC prep races begin. The amount of people who determine a young horses capabilities of getting a further distance by their gallop out is astounding...... and stupid.
Men write many fine and plausible arguments in support of Monarchy, but the fact remains that where every man has a voice, brutal laws are impossible. -- Mark Twain
I agree with you. For determining a three year old horse's ability to succeed at a greater distance it is silly.
Now, what three year old gallop outs have to do with a mare who is proven at 10 furlongs and an older horse who proved himself at that distance in this race...remains up in the air...but thanks for sharing...
And it may even be silly in the context that we have been discussing it here...but it remains a fact that Zenyatta after the wire did pass Blame...for whatever that is worth...and as I suggested it ain't worth much but it does stand as evidence against those who suggested -- it did not happen...
"...and God took a handful of Southerly wind, blew his breath over it, and created the horse." - Bedouin Legend
PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL HORSE RESCUE OR OLD FRIENDS KY OR NY - AND GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE.
I've been away from horse racing for awhile since the BCC and really couldn't care less about talking Kentucky Derby contenders. I knew this would happen once Zenyatta retired. I get bored very, very easily if nothing stimulates my mind in a way to something I've never really seen before. The sport becomes "repetition" to me. Nowadays, I'd rather play online poker on my phone. Even crunching "numbers" don't inspire me all the time. They are just "numbers." Like obligations. Do you actually FEEL anything from them?
But I just read Abigail Anderson's response to Steve Haskin a few minutes ago. WOW! Best comment I have ever read. I am going to save that. Everything from her lineage until now. Any historian or Zen fanatic (or cynic) should read it. Abigail said so much more than any of us always wanted to say. It's Christmas week and could have Goldikova or some Derby Dozen list more in our mind, and we are still addicted to drinking the Zenyatta Kool-Aid. She still crosses our mind more than any of them including Blame. Zen is my "Mona Lisa." My "nirvana." Once you reach the summit of Mt Everest, you have to go back down. My horse racing experiences sorta "peaked" with Zenyatta. Any Triple Crown attempt will now feel like child's play. Every single year, we will have our "Justin Bieber" in the spring. Many of those 3YOs will just come and go. Even if many other faster or bigger horses come along, would any of them ever stir the emotions like Zen did? Would they lack the patience of Zen if you met them? Would they put 19-0 on the line in the BC Classic with a very generous team open to old and new fans alike? Doubt it. Imagine if Zen actually traveled more? She is already popuar in Japan! I love reading the responses in Haskin's blog. These are people who saw and met other great horses. These folks aren't part of the under-30 crowd who think they know better than anyone else. I hope her cynics will finally get it and catch up to what her fans feel about all this time even if she isn't YOUR favorite. If not, oh well. You missed out on the fun at witnessing Haley's Comet. Many observers know she is special and how she pays to homage to the many greats before her. Zenyatta is the greatest horse I ever saw with my own two eyes. I said, "horse". Not racehorse. And if she isn't the "greatest" to some, she is still one of the most amazing. Back then, I used to think Secretariat was the greatest American racehorse ever. Now I believe Citation is greater, but believe Sec is one of the most talented. I remember Penny was asked why Sec is still remembered the way he is. She said, "I don't know. Maybe it's his charisma. Maybe it's his sex appeal." When you think of Marilyn Monroe or Elvis Presley, do you believe they were the most "talented" in their profession? Maybe not, but they were so ICONIC. Zen and Sec will be remembered the same way. They have "IT" that very few can put it ALL together.
As for HotY? You know they could give it to Blame and I have no qualms with it. If it helps boost his breeding fee. I like him and at least he showed up in the BCC and won. Blame is deserving. He is not a legend to me like Zen is and see him more like Awesome Again who knocked out HoF talent like Skip Away and Silver Charm in the greatest BCC field ever. The HotY title will always create quarrels no matter who is picked. Stupid politics. It has been a joke to me since Favorite Trick won it in 1997. The "better" horse doesn't always win. Rachel won it last year and hardly anyone talks about her now like Zen. I say 7 out of 10x, Zenyatta would beat Blame at various tracks and surfaces and beat or scare RA's connections even more had they faced. Zenyatta is better and will likely be more remembered more than Curlin, Rachel, and Blame. Zen is the most watched horse on YouTube. Over 100K views in many of her vids. Curlin faded in his last race with a "surface excuse" that Zen didn't need because she only lost by like 6 inches. RA never ran in any BC race and would have a hard time hitting the board in the 2009 or 2010 BCC. And Blame got dusted in NY to a horse who would finish 2nd to last in the BCC, but I know they won't hold that against him like they do with Zen in the BCC and her weaker campaign thanks to JS. Quality Road proved to me he was one of the MOST OVERRATED horses of the year thanks to his Beyers and I was wise enough to throw him out of my exotics to save money. I never like to bank on Pletcher or JV for a big race. Zen's lone loss reminds me of Native Dancer in the Ky Derby than Seattle Slew in the JC Gold Cup. All were still noble in defeat. More "luck" to the actual winner than skill. But hey, HotY is all about the work within that year. I say you can reward Blame for this "year." Zenyatta already rewarded us that we all can cherish for a "lifetime."
Read on the Zenyatta FB that Zenyatta was out rolling in the snow, being a horse at Christmas time. :-)
Attack me for being happy, if you will.
Mary MMM
I'm happy too Mar. Thanks for posting. Our girl makes us happy. So sue us!. LOL
Well, I am clearly dumb as a box of rocks because while all my California friends were drooling over and singing the praises of Indian Charlie, I became a bigger fan of Real Quiet after the Santa Anita Derby. Absolutely loved his gallop out.
Maybe it has to do WHAT to look for in the gallop out and not just the gallop out alone.
But this should make you happy. My least favorite expression in all of racing is the ever popular jockey proclaiming, "If we'd gone around again, XXX wouldn't have caught us." Sure, okay, whatever. ;-)
VN, the gallop out matters if you are looking to see how well a horse might be doing in general, and if they want to go longer.
It is all a matter of how you use the info, it only applies to the next race (if any), not the one just run. Clearly.
Another vote for Zenyatta:
http://www.drf.com/news/zenyatta-vs-...ote-horse-year
The key to this decision is the gravitas of each horse. Zenyatta isn’t a historically important racehorse because of Blame. Zenyatta is historically important despite the fact that Blame edged her in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Due to her remarkable consistency, Zenyatta doesn’t need any help from any rival to be remembered as being significant decades from now. Blame, on the other hand, would not stand alone very well. His historic significance is owed mostly to Zenyatta. If Zenyatta had never been born, Blame would rank as a very ordinary, unmemorable Horse of the Year.
Zenyatta deserves to be Horse of the Year in 2010, and she will have my vote.
YES!
May they run with the wind
Official Associate Backstretch Boys Stables Member Enrolled 11/5/2008 PostTimeMike presiding.
Trust me on this one: NOBODY is a bigger or longer fan of Zenyatta than me. I was at the Shirreffs' barn the day after Z arrived in May "06 and continued to watch her develop for 18 months before she ever ran a race. It has been a privilege to be around such greatness and I have never taken it for granted. However for me, HOY comes down to two possibilities this year.....popularity or on the track accomplishments. Obviously Z has done more for racing this past year then any other horse by far. Is that the criteria for being voted for HOY? How about winning the most important races? It's Blame hands down. So what's it going to be? A popularity contest or actual racing? For me, well I got tired of popularity contests back in high school. So I guess you know who I would vote for. I'm still the biggest Z fan around though.
yeah, right.Trust me on this one: NOBODY is a bigger or longer fan of Zenyatta than me. I was at the Shirreffs' barn the day after Z arrived in May "06 and continued to watch her develop for 18 months before she ever ran a race. It has been a privilege to be around such greatness and I have never taken it for granted. However for me, HOY comes down to two possibilities this year.....popularity or on the track accomplishments. Obviously Z has done more for racing this past year then any other horse by far. Is that the criteria for being voted for HOY? How about winning the most important races? It's Blame hands down. So what's it going to be? A popularity contest or actual racing? For me, well I got tired of popularity contests back in high school. So I guess you know who I would vote for. I'm still the biggest Z fan around though.
"I can't POSSIBLY be a racist, my house maid is black!"Trust me on this one: NOBODY is a bigger or longer fan of Zenyatta than me. I was at the Shirreffs' barn the day after Z arrived in May "06 and continued to watch her develop for 18 months before she ever ran a race. It has been a privilege to be around such greatness and I have never taken it for granted. However for me, HOY comes down to two possibilities this year.....popularity or on the track accomplishments. Obviously Z has done more for racing this past year then any other horse by far. Is that the criteria for being voted for HOY? How about winning the most important races? It's Blame hands down. So what's it going to be? A popularity contest or actual racing? For me, well I got tired of popularity contests back in high school. So I guess you know who I would vote for. I'm still the biggest Z fan around though.
Mary MMM
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks