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FEBURARY 20, 2010

It has taken us this long to just recover from the disaster we saw unfold at the possibly last eclipse awards ceremony we will ever watch.

After proclaiming Zenyatta's performance in the Breeders Cup Classic, one of the greatest races of all time, they then give horse of the year to Rachel Alexandra.

Rachel Alexandra is one of the greatest fillies of all time, HOWEVER, she is not possibly able to be ranked above Zenyatta after ducking her in the Classic. Zenyatta beat the same boys, and better. Rachel Alexandra simply ran better then a weak crop of male horses. In doing so, she captured some impressive titles, but she had every opportunity and OBLIGATION to race in the Breeders Cup Classic against Zenyatta.

In many years past, horses that lost in the Breeders Cup were given awards over horses who had better records and did not run. In giving the Eclipse award to Rachel Alexandra as Horse of the Year, it directly says she is better then Zenyatta.

FOR THE RECORD.....Zenyatta is a better and stronger competitor then Rachel Alexandra ! Zenyatta is undefeated ! Zenyatta closed from last place to first place through the stretch in the Breeders Cup Classic against the boys. This race was one of the TOP 5 RACES of ALL TIME !!! This race could only rank behind Secretariat's Belmont, Affirmed and Alydar's Belmont, and Ferdinand and Alysheba's Classic !

Imagine if they gave Riva Ridge the Horse of the Year over Secretariat. Thats what this was like.

Horse Racing is in such desperate need of a hero, and instead of proclaiming Zenyatta one of the greatest of ALL TIME, they put her second best to a younger filly who dodged the Classic hoping Zenyatta would fire a blank.

Guess what ? Zenyatta did not fire a blank ! She fired one of the GREATEST RACES OF ALL TIME !

The eclipse voters got this one wrong to the detriment of the sport, the owners of Zenyatta, and the Horse herself. Forever, her glory is diminished, when is should have been exhaulted. There is nothing else to be said.

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NOVEMBER 08, 2009

FORGET WHAT WE SAID ABOUT RACHEL. The greatest horse race of all time was run and won by Zenyatta.

After breaking very poorly, and losing contact, yes, we said losing contact, with the field, Zenyatta ran the greatest race of all time.

This stellar field included the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winners, along with a very strong European entry. Mine that Bird, Summer Bird, and Rip van winkle all ran their races to boot ! These superstars ran thier races and they were all beaten by a mare who basically gave the field a handicap of a 20 length headstart.

As the horses rounded the first turn and went into the backstretch, everyone watching the race said, well, thats what happens when you run a mare against the boys, shes done, shes finished.

Any other horse, male or female SHOULD HAVE BEEN finished. This is not some low level claiming race, or a marathon 2 mile race, this is The Breeders Cup Classic ! If your not within 15-20 lengths of the leader you cant catch the classy horses who are already in position turning for home. It justhas not been done, and is not supposed to happen.

As the horses went inot the turn leading into the stretch, Zenyatta appeared from the very back of the pack and was moving up, but still hopelessly back. As the horses moved into the stretch, Zenyatta's action appeared frantic and like a horse sprinting to finish mid pack at best by the wire. Into the stretch, the field began to compact itself, creating additional traffic problems for Zenyatta's run. Mike Smith, my personal favorite from my Belmont Park days, switched to the outside and really ran sideways for 6 steps. This also causes a horse to lose ground. As they flew through the final 8th, Zenyatta literally flew down the stretch to get up on the outside by a length in one of the most incredible and historic finish's in the history of horse racing. This was not just a Breeders Cup moment, this was a Horse Racing History moment.

The crowd at the track, andmost simulcast's literally went nuts. The howls and cheering and screaming and applause lasted for more then 20 minutes after the race was run. I cannot remember a moment so intense in any horse race, other then the victory applause of Secretariat winning the Triple Crown.

Zenyatta has silenced all detractors, and is now a perfect 14 for 14 lifetime, along with the greatest Breeders Cup Classic ever run. She is and must be named Horse of the Year !

My personal congratulations to the connections and the horse, who certainly had their nay sayers complaining this was a grandstading event that she could not possibly win. Wow, was everyone else(and us) wrong !

Rachel Alexandra in any other year is Horse of the Year. However with Zenyatta's race in the Classic, perhaps the greatest race of all time, she has to be recognized as one of the immortals.

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OCTOBER 29, 2009

Rachel Alexandra has followed up her victory in the Haskel with a smashing victory in the Woodward. This accomplishment is truly one of a kind. While you may occassionaly see a filly run big against the boys in one race as an older, seasoned mare, Rachel has done much more. She has won against the top boys of her age, and now in the Woodward, against the top older male horses. I dont ever remember a 3 yr old filly in America ever winning against the top older males. Kudos to trainer Asmussen, and Benedict for coming together on this amazing filly.

With her perfect season defeating everyone she ran against across the sex and age gap, all Rachel has to do is run on Breeders Cup day to walk away with Horse of the Year honors. We have seen this in the past with notable B.Cup losers getting HOY honors in their divisions for showing up on the big day.

A case will probably be made for Zenyatta, and for Summer Bird for their many accomplishments this year. Zenyatta being undefeated against the top girls she has faced. Summer Bird for The Belmont, Travers, and Jockey Club Gold cup.

Kentucky Derby winner Mine that Bird's cinderella run this year was overshadowed and diminshed by many in the press who called his Derby win a "Freak event". Let me tell you, Mine that Bird is a fantastic horse, who ran his eyeballs out in finishing 2nd in the Preakness to Rachel Alexandra with the overwhelming handicap of a different jockey(Mike Smith). Mine that Bird almost defeated Rachel Alexandra in their only meeting, and it was over a speed favoring Pimlico at a shorter distance then the Derby. As everyone in Kentucky will tell you, a Derby winner is immortal, and will never be forgotten.

The Turf and Sprint and Juvinile divisions really dont have any standouts to make a serious claim for HOY. Thus, Rachel Alexandra has earned her title, through her victories in so many top races this year. Nothing that happens in the Breeders Cup Classic can take away her accomplishments, and she is already Horse of the Year to this writer. In fact, she does have a chance to become an all time immortal with a win in the Classic. If she could do that, no one else will ever equal her.

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AUGUST 02, 2009 - Monmouth Park

In what can only be called an incredible accomplishment, the filly Rachel Alexandra silenced all detractors (including us !). The 09 Haskell field included such illuminary's as, Belmont Stakes Winner Summer Bird. Also in the race was incredible 7 furlong sprinter, Munnings. Neither had any chance.

With Benedict Borel riding, Rachel showed incredible ability as she inhaled the horses on the turn, and blew out the field pulling away by 5 lengths in a very decent time of 1:47 1/5 over a sloppy track. Since she is so good, it is apparent that the connections blew a big opportunity to win the Triple Crown with the first ever filly in history. That story would have brought horse racing back into the mainstream, but we will have to wait until next year for any meaningful press coverage in the mainstream.

Rachel's win combined with Mine that Birds horrible race in the West Virginia Derby has solidifed Rachel as 3 yr old, and probably horse of the year.

Monmouth Park deserves cudos for putting together an incredible day of stakes races and an unprecendented Haskell purse of $1,250,000.

With the lack of any true older champion racing right now, Rachel Alexandra will most likely be named Horse of the Year for her smashing victories in the Mother Goose, Preakness, and Haskell.

Zenyatta may be waiting in the wings to offer us a battle of the girls, but Rachel is just too powerful, and has done too much to be upstaged by Zenyatta. It would appear they may not even race against each other if Rachel's connections opt for the Breeders Cup Classic.

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HORSE RACING WILL NEVER DIE ! - "MC"

TO VIEW OUR PREVIOUS SUPERSTORY, (TRIPLE CROWN RECAP) *6/10/09 - SUMMER BIRD WINS BELMONT STAKES* *PRESS HERE*