Breeders Cup

[Drvmb1ggl3]

Guys, she didn’t have a bad trip. She got pinched a little on the break and had to angle out a bit to come around a horse or two at the top of the stretch. That’s hardly a bad trip. And she didn’t spot blame 20 lengths. She sat at the back as she normally does. The horses she spotted 16 lengths to all died and came back to her from the 3/4s pole onwards, as normally happens.
The most she gave to Blame was 9 lengths after a 1/4m, which she reeled into 5 for the majority of the backstretch.

------ 1/4—1/2—3/4—1m—1/8—Fin
Bl-Z – 9.25l–4.5l–5l–4.75l–2l–hd

[foundationmare]

And it took her 19 for 19, with a nose loss today, to prove that she really isn’t all that special.

I think it’s a girl thing.

[Drvmb1ggl3]

Hmm, I’m not sure what’s crawled up your butt.
She didn’t have a bad trip. Maybe not a perfect trip, but far from bad. She’s had worse trips in the past. But then, except for one time, she wasn’t racing the caliber of horse she was racing today. Yet she still beat all but one of them today by open lengths. She’s a damn good horse.
She’s not infallible, no need to make excuses for her. It’s ok to lose once in a while. If she had been racing against fields like this the last two years, it’s not inconceivable to think she would have lost the odd race… just like Goldikova has. (Goldi’s still great too, btw, though she gets little love on this board).

[Kinsella]

[QUOTE=kwmred;5206910]
Now it’s time for them to approve embryo transplanting in TBs. Lots of people are going to want a Zenyatta foal. As long as the mares are still live covered there should be no problem.[/QUOTE]
Seriously? If lots of people want one, the bidding just goes up and up if there’s only one available.

[Paragon]

[QUOTE=Drvmb1ggl3;5207099]
Hmm, I’m not sure what’s crawled up your butt.
She didn’t have a bad trip. Maybe not a perfect trip, but far from bad. She’s had worse trips in the past. But then, except for one time, she wasn’t racing the caliber of horse she was racing today. Yet she still beat all but one of them today by open lengths. She’s a damn good horse.
She’s not infallible, no need to make excuses for her. It’s ok to lose once in a while. If she had been racing against fields like this the last two years, it’s not inconceivable to think she would have lost the odd race… just like Goldikova has. (Goldi’s still great too, btw, though she gets little love on this board).[/QUOTE]

Great post.

[Kinsella]

D, I agree re: Goldi. She should be a serious contender for HOTY.

[RedMare01]

The ET thing will never happen (at least probably not in our lifetimes), and I would be shocked if the Mosses ever sold one of her foals. So sort of a moot point.

Caitlin

[ake987]

[QUOTE=haligator;5206902]
Ummmmm, in your way of thinking her life has been risked in a dangerous sport since the beginning.

Accidents happen - it is a part of any horse sport.

There is abuse and stupidity in every horse discipline. Don’t point fingers just at horse racing! That’s a slippery slope for all horse sports if you start down that hill. There are bad apples in every barrel.

The real issue should be humane education across the board for all horseman.

Hallie
Hallie I. McEvoy
Racing Dreams, LLC[/QUOTE]

SO WELL SAID, thank you! I’m an eventer and I used to have a similar position on horse-racing until I bought my guy from the track. Meeting his owners/trainers changed a lot about the way I feel about racing. There are bad people in every discipline, racing just gets the most press, good and bad.

Don’t talk out your butt like horses don’t have accidents in every discipline, the same as human athletes. Zenyatta’s owners did not even race her until she was FOUR! Do some researched before you go preaching. Horse racing has enough bad publicity WITHOUT people commenting who don’t know what they’re talking about. And THIS, coming from an eventer.

[ake987]

[QUOTE=Drvmb1ggl3;5207099]
Hmm, I’m not sure what’s crawled up your butt.
She didn’t have a bad trip. Maybe not a perfect trip, but far from bad. [/QUOTE]

Coming from someone who has VERY LITTLE knowledge on horse racing… I would call her recovery from dead last to second by a nose… unbelievable. I was in awe. Absolutely in awe. That is a horse who loves to run, and puts her heart into it. Just because a horse doesn’t win does not = bad trip!

[Drvmb1ggl3]

[QUOTE=ake987;5207129]
Coming from someone who has VERY LITTLE knowledge on horse racing… I would call her recovery from dead last to second by a nose… unbelievable. I was in awe. Absolutely in awe. [/QUOTE]

Have you never watched any of her races before? She was almost the same distance off the lead this year at the points of call as she was in last year’s Classic. She often spots the field a 10-15L lead in her races, that’s her running style. It’s one of the main reasons she is so exciting to watch.

[foundationmare]

Halligator,

Touche’! You are, of course, precisely right. Thank you for your input, which is far more insightful and mature than others who have posted here.

Thank you!

[dodedo]

Please no AI or Emb transfers!

[QUOTE=kwmred;5206910]
Now it’s time for them to approve embryo transplanting in TBs. Lots of people are going to want a Zenyatta foal. As long as the mares are still live covered there should be no problem.[/QUOTE]

I hope not! Afraid that will just create more horses that end up in bad situations when they are cast aside because they do not turn out as “planned”. There are WAYYY too many race horses now that end up in trouble. I own one now that would long ago have been on a truck to H#!! if I didn’t own him…
I for one wish they would start them later when they are more mature. JMHO though.

[Frog]

Zenyatta’s career

It just occurred to me how likely it is that Zenyatta will be the only horse to win the Breeder’s Cup Distaff, the Breeder’s Cup Classic, and finish second in the Breeder’s Cup Classic over her career, and never take home HOTY. But when you look at the rest of her stats, the HOTY campaign is just not there from year to year.

[MelanieC]

I think this race answered a lot of the criticisms floating around out there and showed that last year’s win was not a fluke. I feel terrible for Mike Smith though – he is really beating himself up:

“I really felt I had the best horse today,” he said. “If I have to blame anyone, it would be me. I wish I had been in the race a little earlier. I think she ranks up there with the greatest of all time. And to come up a nose short…”

Smith said though Zenyatta had raced on the dirt previously, she seemed to be particularly bothered by the dirt being kicked back in her face.

“It just took her a while to get used to it,” he said. “Like I said, maybe I should have done a few things differently. I wish I (voice breaking)…if I had to do it all over again, I would have, you know. It hurts more than you…than I can explain, just because it was my fault. She should have won, and it hurts.”

(from The Blood Horse)

If she is still on form next year I hope they bring her back, plot an ambitious campaign for her, and see how it goes. She’ll probably lose some but I bet it’ll be really interesting. There’s only so many foals she can have anyway, and if she’s fit and healthy, why not one more year?

[ake987]

[QUOTE=Drvmb1ggl3;5207145]
Have you never watched any of her races before? She was almost the same distance off the lead this year at the points of call as she was in last year’s Classic. She often spots the field a 10-15L lead in her races, that’s her running style. It’s one of the main reasons she is so exciting to watch.[/QUOTE]

No, I’m SO sad to say this was the first race of hers that I have seen! What a show. She has my card, I’m mesmerized! These animals are such outstanding athletes and she clearly loves her job.

[Flypony]

She will run again.

[MunchkinsMom]

@BabyGoose;5206778

Me too. About halfway down the stretch for the first time I thought for sure I saw her bobble a little. Then the camera left her and I was scared to death waiting to hear the announcer say she was being pulled up or something.

That’s how I felt also at the beginning of the race. What a jumble of emotions watching it! She is an amazing horse.

[Rubyfree]

[QUOTE=Drvmb1ggl3;5206718]
From a betting standpoint I’ve gone against her… the prices on Quality Road and Blame, it would be criminal to pass them up, not to mention a little flutter on Espoir City.
However, I won’t complain if she makes me poorer.[/QUOTE]

I’m a little richer and a little sadder tonight.

A nostril can’t take that charisma from a horse. Thanks for the ride, Z.

[adamsmom]

[QUOTE=foundationmare;5207082]
And it took her 19 for 19, with a nose loss today, to prove that she really isn’t all that special.

I think it’s a girl thing.[/QUOTE]

You’re kidding, right?
She isn’t all that special?
She’s SUPREMELY special!!!

[adamsmom]

[QUOTE=dodedo;5207245]
I hope not! Afraid that will just create more horses that end up in bad situations when they are cast aside because they do not turn out as “planned”. There are WAYYY too many race horses now that end up in trouble. I own one now that would long ago have been on a truck to H#!! if I didn’t own him…
I for one wish they would start them later when they are more mature. JMHO though.[/QUOTE]

Embryo transfer will kill the TB industry, just as over-breeding almost has done.