One person's take on Zenyatta path

[Cleveguy]

I don't think Zenyatta has to win the Pacific Classic to be HOY. Win the Clement Hirsch, and her division in the Breeder's cup, and sandwich one more in between, and how could she be denied, other than the East Coast bias by the media, which I agree exists. BTW, how many horses have ever won two Breeder's Cup races (Tiznow is one of the very few). Second BTW: Rachel Alexandra's sire was an East Coast multiple stakes winner who shipped to Del Mar and was favored in the Pacific Classic and lost. For absolutely nothing but your personal satisfaction, name that horse, the year, and oh yes, the horse who won that race!

[Tairaterces]

I don't think Zenyatta has to win the Pacific Classic to be HOY. Win the Clement Hirsch, and her division in the Breeder's cup, and sandwich one more in between, and how could she be denied, other than the East Coast bias by the media, which I agree exists. BTW, how many horses have ever won two Breeder's Cup races (Tiznow is one of the very few). Second BTW: Rachel Alexandra's sire was an East Coast multiple stakes winner who shipped to Del Mar and was favored in the Pacific Classic and lost. For absolutely nothing but your personal satisfaction, name that horse, the year, and oh yes, the horse who won that race!

Medaglia D'Oro, 2003, Candy Ride!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BTW . . . . I feel a clunker will be run in the Haskell.

[Masterp]

There are east coast bias' for a lot of sports, but Rachel vs. Zenyatta is not one of them. Just turn on the California based TVG or HRTV and you will see a bias. If anything, the East Coast playersand Midwest players are biased towards synthetics...not towards Zenyatta.

I lived in California last year, and Kentucky this year, I have seen the good, the bad, the ugly and the annoying when it comes to "the local players" in both regions and their opinions.

Personally I can't compare the two and frankly don't want to. Based in different parts of the country, run on different surfaces, face different age competition, carry different weight, running vs. different sexes, comparing the two is 100% opinion. The only area I give an edge to is the Rachel connections who have traveled to different tracks and faced boys and girls. They have looked for competition, the Moss' and Sherriffs crew really have not. And that's fine and that's their right. But if I was going to give an award (and let's remember, it's just an award, ultimately neither horse needs it to solidfy their legacy at this point) I lean towards the horse that goes looking for a competitive race. I just wish Zenyatta would have run on Oaks Day at Churchill, that would have been a treat for more than 100,000 fans in attendance.

[Kermit]

Well, Z was there Breeder's Cup day.

[Masterp]

And Zenyatta will likely be there this year and Rachel will not. True.

[LordsTable]

Correct me if I am worng but Z is the champ and historically the champ doesn't seek out challengers, they come to face the champ. That being said, if the powers that be (Moss and Jackson) actually wanted this race to happen, they would work it out. Oaklawn would open for a day to host the race, Santa Rosa has nice dirt track (so does Fresno.) Does it really matter if it is a graded race? I don't think so because in everybody's mind it would be a grade 1. I don't think the purse would matter much either since neither of these guys needs the money. As for the competition, if they run and win, they just beat 2 of the best horses around which would go a long way in the breeding world.

All in all this just proves to the rest of the non-racing world what a joke this "sport" has become. JJ doesn't like the plastics and the JM doesn't want to get screwed again in NY. What I find the most amusing is that Rachel has trained and won on Poly but somehow JJ thinks it will get her hurt now. Can you image Barry Sanders not playing on real grass because his home stadium is fake turf? Or how about Walter Payton not playing on fake turf. If this race doesn't happen it will be one more nail in the coffin for "big" races.

We can go over and over and over all of the "ifs and buts" but until we see what Rachel does in her starts and how Z fares the rest of the year, it is a coin flip at best right now. Consider this, if they both lose 1 or 2 times the rest of the year, Einstein should walk away with HOY.

[Masterp]

Said best in that last paragraph...if Rachel doesn't fair well this week and/or Zenyatta doesn't run the string, then this conversation doesn't have the same steam.

With that said, the Haskell looks like it will be very tough

[LordsTable]

I am not sold on either of them getting a mile and a quarter.

[Fredo]

Well, Z was there Breeder's Cup day.

Attention !!!!!!!!!

2008 has NOTHING to do with 2009

[LordsTable]

Attention !!!!!!!!!

2008 has NOTHING to do with 2009[/quote]


Exactly and routinely beating a weak 3 year old crop does not make her HOY.