Uncle Mo, To Honor and Serve, and the 2011 Triple Crown

It is all a matter of opinion and even though Zenyatta should be Horse Of The Year, she probably won't get it. Just remember five years from now every one will remember Zenyatta but no one will remember Blame. Zenyatta was a horse of a life time and it is a shame some people did not appreciate her.

Zenyatta --should be Horse of The Year based on what she has done for the Good Will of the sport this year, which is the same reason a Triple Crown winner is automatically given the title. 1978, Seattle Slew soundly whipped Affirmed the two times they met, yet Affirmed took HOTY. 1984, John Herny was the much more publicized horse and took HOTY from Slew of Gold even though Slew had a year for the ages and destroyed him when they met. Blame is a good horse but 5 years from now, noone will be talking about him. 2011 looks very exciting indeed. Uncle Mo and Boys of Toscanova are exceptional 2 year olds but at 1 1/4miles my money will be on To Honor and Serve, who is bred to run all day. Look for the rest of the Bernardini's to improve next year as well.

If Blame wins HoY, so be it. I would not have a serious problem with it, just like I wouldn't have a serious problem with Zenyatta winning. Like last year, I feel both horses are worthy of the award. I understand why those that believe Blame should be HoY point to the Classic as the determining race; he beat the mare in that race, ergo he should be HoY. It's logical, and I really can't argue with it. But this logic hasn't always determined HoY. In 1998, Skip Away lost the Classic to an UNDEFEATED(for the year) older male that had also won the Foster and Whitney, Awesome Again. Yet, Skip Away easily won HoY. In 1996, Skip Away defeated Cigar in their only matchup, the Jockey Club Gold Cup, yet Cigar was HoY. In 1986, Precisionist finished ahead of Lady's Secret the two times they faced each other, yet Lady's Secret was named HoY. So, clearly head-to-head matchups are not always the definitive variable in deciding HoY. The 86' HoY vote touches on some key issues. The HoY is not necessarily about the horse that would win a mythical race or the horse that actually won the race of top contenders. Also important are a horse's dominance WITHIN his or her division, and the horse's relative accomplishments as a runner of a particularly age and sex. Thus, in 1986, the fact Lady's Secret was 1 for 4 against males, and 0 and 2 against Precisionist, was not particularly impressive if one uses the same standards as one would use for a top older male horses like Precisionist. However, when one takes into account that Lady's Secret was a female, then that 1 and 4 record, with a win in the gr.1 Whitney, looks a whole lot better. Losing by 5 to Precisionist in the Woodward but finishing 5 lengths clear of Personal Flag might not be a huge deal if we are talking about another male horse, but when we're talking about a female, it becomes a real big deal, a strong accomplishment. And when one combines Lady's Secret's relative accomplishments as a female with her dominance within her own division(9 for 11), then she becomes a fairly clear HoY. How about Favorite Trick in 1997? No one in his or her right mind believed Favorite Trick was anywhere close to as good as 3 year olds like Silver Charm, Touch Gold or Free House let alone older males like Skip Away, Gentlemen, Formal Gold, Will's Way, and Siphon. What made him HoY is that his dominance within his division, 2 year old males, was much stronger than the relative dominance of any 3 year old or older horse. Or, how about Azeri in 2002? Did her win as HoY reflect the belief of voters that she would have beaten Volponi in the Classic or won a mythical 10 furlong race against Left Bank, Street Cry, or Medalgia d' Oro? Probably not. However, Azeri's complete dominance within the female division, and the fact that as a female she wasn't that far behind the top males in terms of talent, made her a clear HoY. So, it is entirely within the historical parameters to come to the conclusion that just because Blame beat Zenyatta in the Classic, their only matchup, he should not necessarily be HoY. Look at it this way, is it more impressive for a 4 year old male horse to win 3 gr.1 races, including the Classic, or for a 6 year old mare to win all 5 of her gr.1 races against females(2 while carrying 129 and 127 lbs) and then run 2nd by a nose in the Classic? I think it's perfectly logical for someone to claim that Zenyatta's accomplishment, including running 2nd in the Classic, are more historically impressive, given the fact SHE IS A FEMALE. Remember, no female not named Zenyatta has ever run first or second in the Classic. When Lady's Secret and Azeri won HoY, they clinched their awards in the Distaff, while Zenyatta stepped to the plate to face the truly best horses in the Classic. Personally, my opinion is the same as last year- split the award and have co-HoY. Regardless of who does win the award, Zenyatta will be remembered as the horse of this generation. Blame is a solid horse and had an excellent 2010, but he is doubtful for the Hall of Fame. Rachel Alexandra and Curlin will both make the Hall, with Curlin arguably going down as the best male horse of the 2000s(definitely the most accomplished) while Rachel will forever be known as having one of the greatest seasons ever by a 3 year old filly in North America, if not the best. But Zenyatta has transcended them all. Just Zenyatta's efforts in the Breeder's Cup alone make her one of the greatest females ever. She won the Ladies Classic with ease in 2008, won the Classic over males in 2009 as a 5 year old on synthetic, and then as a 6 year old came within a head of winning the Classic on dirt in Kentucky. She is the only female to finish in the top 2 of a Classic, doing so twice, and did so even though one was on synthetic and the other on dirt. And then there is the streak! 19 wins to open a career, 13 in gr.1 races(a record for North American females), the record for money won by a female in North America, all while having displayed the ability to carry weight and to run on multiple surfaces. Add on her unique stature and personality, her charisma and popularity, and Zenyatta has entered a realm inhabited by only Ruffian among female thoroughbreds in North America.

The only thing this Classic has in common with the 1978 JCGC is that the runner-up was terrific in defeat. Some will point to Seattle Slew (not Exceller) winning the Eclipse for older male of the year as a precedent to justify Zenyatta beating Blame for this year's HoY. This reasoning, however, falls flat. First of all, Seattle Slew broke through the gate, rejected several challenges, and was forced into absolutely ridiculous fractions during the 1978 JCGC, which was 1 1/2 at that time. Zenyatta overcame a very slow break and that's about it. Both came up a little short, but there's no comparing the 2 situations beyond that. But the 1978 JCGC was not the first and only meeting between Seattle Slew and Exceller. Seattle Slew crushed him in the Woodward that year and also defeated triple-crown winner Affirmed in the Marlboro Cup before that. THAT'S why Seattle Slew, and not Exceller, was named champion older male... it wasn't a judgment call based strictly on a single meeting where the runner-up was every bit as good, if not better, than the winner. That, however, is what we're faced with this year. Had Zenyatta and Blame met before the Classic, the decision would likely be made much easier. But this was their only meeting and prior to the Classic, Blame unquestionably ran against and defeated much better competition than Zenyatta, who only raced against an undistinguished group of females. So this is not 1978 all over again. I understand the support for Zenyatta and would not cry foul if she wins HoY. It will, and should, be a very close vote, but I have to side with Blame.

I'm too tired to respond to the HOY debate again. Zen is the Queen and was magnificent in her only defeat. Blame dug in with true courage to hold on to the last bit of ground. Both made the Classic more memorable than any I have ever seen. As to Uncle Mo....he was exciting, exhilerating, and holds so much promise. However, I have to stop myself from getting my hopes too high on a two year old. In 2002, I thought I was looking at the re-incarnation of Seattle Slew, when Vindication won the BC juvenile. I knew then that he would be the next Triple Crown winner! He never made it to the Derby due to injury. I Want Revenge scratched the morning of the Derby. Buddy's Saint, a pinball in his first race back did not go on. Eskendereya..injured before the Derby. Most promising 3 year old last year (aside from LAL) was Take Control, that AP Indy/Azeri progeny who electrified in his debut, but is only recently back in training. "Once burned, twice shy" is a cautious statement that warns me off latching on to one singular horse. (Although I truly want Uncle Mo to go forward and continue to be the best).

Times mean nothing in horse racing ah? Nuff said Dennis T

By the way...Zenyatta carried 3 pounds less than Blame at the Classic. Have a great day

"...But it cannot be denied, that Queen Zenyatta has defeated more Graded Stakes winner this year then Blame. When you count the entire Breeders Cup Classic field Queen Zenyatta just dusted." At least, check the statistics. Zenyatta did not defeat any Grade 1 FEMALE this year. The only Group 1 males (or females) she defeated were those who stood 3rd to last in the Breeders Cup, but she did not win. Blame dusted one more Grade 1 that Zenyatta in the Breeder's since he beat her as well, unless you're referring to last year Breeders' Cup; That does not count to this Horse of the Year. People, be rational. Do not be fanatic.

When does a horse clearly lose a race yet, somehow, not lose? When it's Zenyatta getting beat by Blame. When does a horse clearly win a horse race but, somehow, has not really won. When it's Blame beating Zenyatta. And, they say that we're the ones who are "biased" here on the East Coast. Really? The only bias that I can detect is one of rationality.

@ Dennis T "And BTW, Rachel at her best, would have been destroyed in this years Classic" LOL Rachel is better than 2:02.56 at her best!!

The fact is, Zenyatta and Blame both lost one race and Blame won the head to head match-up. If it's between those two, you can't give HOY to the one that lost the head to head, can you? It doesn't matter who ran the better race, a win is a win. There is no asterisk in Zenyatta's PP's that say *lost Classic, but ran the best race. It happens all the time and we know it. If two college football teams both had one loss and one beat the other, we all know who would go to the championship game. Even if one dominated the other and lost on a fluke play. That's sports. Obviously, Zenyatta did a heck of a lot for horse racing these last couple of years, but I think the mistake people are making is they're basing HOY on her career instead of her 2010....as they did last year. She won 5 G1s this year against Grade 2 & 3 and allowance type fillies and mares, while Blame beat the best of the best. It's obvious to me that the sentimental factor is playing a huge part in Zenyatta's favor when in actuality, it should be decided on the track...which is was.....Nov 6 at CD.

Blame certainly ain't no Macho Again, Curt V.

GOLDIKOVA SHOULD BE HORSE OF THE YEAR BECAUSE SHE MADE HISTORY AND ZENYATTA DIDN'T. A TRIPLE CROWN WINNER WOULD BE HORSE OF THE YEAR WHETHER IT WON THE BC CLASSIC OR NOT, REGARDLESS OF THE QUALITY OF THAT YEARS 3YOS. FEW HORSES HAVE EVER RAN THREE TIMES IN THE BC NEVER MIND ACTUALLY WIN THREE IN A ROW.

Uncle Mo was quite impressive Saturday and I only hope he will continue to show his talent next year. I want to comment on synthetic tracks and horse of the year voting. Look, first off, I'm a huge fan of Zenyatta. She ran huge Saturday, but fact is she lost. Going into the race any one of three horses would be named horse of the year with a win. Blame won and with it horse of the year. having said that, I don't understand the reasoning behind the talk of synthetic tracks. I really don't even want to bring Rachel into the conversation, but I must to make a point. Obviously, Zenyatta has run mostly on synthetics most of her career. The weak Beyer numbers she received while winning many of those races restricted to females is indicative of the talent in much of those fields. My feeling is that since synthetic tracks aren't standard nationally people consider horses that run well over them specialist, almost penalized for running over them. A horse can't be considered great, unitil they excel on dirt. Example last years HOTY voting. Look, Zenyatta was penalized for racing over Synthetics. She won the Classic, Beyer figure of 112, (higher Blame this year) but since it was synthetic it didn't hold the same significance as this year. The effort, however, was tremendous. All the while, Rachel got a free pass last year for skipping the Classic because it was run over synthetics and the ownership didn't like it. I just hope this thinking will change over time as synthetic tracks aren't going to go away anytime soon. We need to look at Zenyatta's campaign for what it was, a roadmap to racings biggest day, which she made it to for three consecutive years.

so,blame's loss to haynesfield is forgotten.if it's going to be decided by wins and losses let's compare records.Zenyatta for HOTY,no brainer.

so,blame's loss to haynesfield is forgotten.if it's going to be decided by wins and losses let's compare records.Zenyatta for HOTY,no brainer.

No matter what Zenyatta is horse of the Year! What this horse has done for he sport has been truly amazing, respectful and adorable! Last year she should of won the award over Rachel. I hope that the Mosses and Sherriff bring her back for one more year because it's good for the sport, the fans want her back and myself and most of all because she still has a lot, a lot of diesel left in that tank. Maybe she has nothing to prove now but just to see her out there will bring so many smiles to us. I wish the Mosses and Sherriffs the best and thank you for what you have done for the sport with Zenyatta. I love the sport so much and I have never seen a horse of this caliber ever. God Bless Zenyatta and I'm going to miss her deeply. God Bless the Mosses and Sherriffs. Thank you Zenyatta, LOVE YOU ZENYATTA!!!

"And BTW, Rachel at her best, would have been destroyed in this years Classic. " Sorry bub but Rachel at her best is better than 152 and change. What a slow breeders cup classic.

No need to argue over hoy... How do u deny blame? He beat zenyatta, need we say more? We all know that a synthetic specialist will NOT win hoy honors... When was last time we had a turf horse get hoy? American racing was built on dirt and if u want to be honored then u better be ready to beat the best on dirt! Not females in 5 horse fields on poly! No doubt zen is talented, but not beating top males on dirt speaks for itself.... U would think moss would have learned from last year, but tried to fool the country and ran her against weak mares!

I'm no expert, I'm new-ish to the game but my only concern with the mighty Uncle Mo is keeping him healthy. Pletcher had a terrible year with a good deal of injuries and early retirements of some of his best horses. Fingers crossed his new crop of 2 year olds stay sound and knock the socks off the rest of the lot next year. (Yes I am a Pletcher fan).

This horse is running too fast too early.

Every cool mind knew BC was to crown one of three horses this year: Zenyatta, Blame or Quality Road. The rest is either fireworks or fanatism.

Oh the hypocrisy Z doesnt win the HOTY because she raced on her favorite surface when beating the boys in the BC Classic last year and the boys back east dont vote for her even though she won racing's championship. And now Blame is automatically getting the vote because he's won the BC Classic over his favorite surface even though it was clear that he wasnt the best horse running that day. From a handicapping standpoint, if they ran the BC Classic again today and everything was the same (post positions and the field) and both runners were had equal odds, who would you bet? She's at least for the time being made the sport relevant again, the general public had not even heard of Blame before Saturday. They watched for Z, they were there for Z, hell, I didnt even bet the race, because I didnt want to root against Z (she was overbet because of her popularity). Z should win the HOTY, not because she was shafted last year, but because she's done more for the sport than any other animal of our generation. And BTW, Rachel at her best, would have been destroyed in this years Classic.

This comment is strictly reserved for "Curt V." ... posters like yourself make it easy to stay away from the blogs... you are a hopeless observer.

laughable that you still argue for a horse ( Rachel Alexander) that did not even enter the Breeders Cup last year

Zenyatta should be Horse of the Year, not only she deserves it for what she has done for this sport but for another situation that is happening right now that should let everybody appreciate what Zenyatta has done even more.. read on... After the classic had been ran, the owner of Blame assumed his horse should be named horse of the year so he started his campaign immediately and then threw in the bomb: BLAME WILL BE RETIRED after winning the classic. Now, is that significant or not? Blame is running on his prime, he is a four year old that people would like to see at least for another year. So he had a good year, so what, he got beat by Haynesfield and where was Haynesfield on the Classic? as a matter of fact where was everybody else on the classic? 3.5 lengths back of Zenyatta that's where, and Blame was very lucky not to loose. Zenyatta is 6 years old. Blame is going away, Zenyatta has been there for 3 seasons, beaten once, barely. Just try doing that and see if you come even close, no I don't think we will see anybody do anything close to that anytime soon, not the way things are right now in horse racing and if there some fairness in horse racing, Zenyatta will be named Horse of the Year because she deserves it, plain and simple.

if you don't bet pletcher ....you leave on a stretcher...uncle mo a triple play?

ZENYATTA, BLAME and RACHEL all good horses............................I said last year and will say it again .....RA beat a truly weak group of male horses. Macho Uno a nice horse, but on nobodys list of outstanding horses. Will anyone put MINE THAT BIRD in the upper echelon of horses? ZENYATTA in winning last years Classic beat legitimate older G-I horses from all over the world. ZENYATTA added excitment to horseracing. People tuned in to see could she win again.People were interested in horseracing......most certainly interested in ZENYATTA. She has been great for a dying sport. As the movies does in Hollywood............................they should award ZENYATTA a special eclipse award as best horse for overall body of work in enhancing and promoting the sport of kings. HOY.....................Guess the way people think, it will go to BLAME. I think Andy Beyers latest column was by far one of his best in his praise of ZENYATTA.

Mike, I have great respect for you and also for Steve Crist, who I know shares your view. Nevertheless, when it comes to the horse of the year discussion, I believe you are both wearing blinkers. First, let me say that I am a big fan of Blame - I have been since I watched his race in the Clark Handicap last year, and I've been picking him to win the Classic for the last six months. In an ordinary year, Blame would deserve HOTY. But I would posit that this is not an ordinary year. Zenyatta brought more interest to our bedraggled sport than any horse since Secretariat, and that includes Cigar and John Henry. The ratings for the Classic tripled this year when compared to last year. Tripled! And people weren't tuning in to watch Blame, Quality Road or Lookin at Lucky. I think it's foolish and short sighted to not take that into account when deciding who should be HOTY. Had Zenyatta bombed in the Classic like Quality Road did, there would be no argument, but when you consider how close the race was, and how much she meant to the sport this year, I think an exception has to be made to letting the results on the track be the sole determining factor. Does that make the vote a "popularity contest?" Maybe to a degree, but if some of those new found fans decide to visit a race track occasionally, won't it have been worth it? We haven't seen a horse this popular among the American public in nearly 40 years. I would say that makes this year's situation unique, and worthy of special treatment.

It says here that Uncle Mo won't hit the board in the Derby. Not in the hands of Pletcher. He is only giving him two preps prior to the Derby. That is a recipe for disaster. That's the knock on Todd he keeps his varsity in the barn and not on the track. His numbers are gaudy on account he has a large stable and quality horses. His best of the best run poorly in big races.

Zenyatta should be without a doubt horse of the year! She has done more for this sport than any other horse in recent years. Forget the few horses over the past several years which brought attention to the triple crown races. The triple crown has been around since dirt and is great entertainment and defines horse racing. Zenyatta started to raise attention and did so for 19 times, not twice like the recent derby and preakness winners. She brought people to the racetrack, both men and women , boys and girls. Most of triple crown threats were never heard from again because they were either retired, or running last in some race, ie, mine that bird, etc. Forget the talk about a weak field in last years classic, forget Zenyata wont run on dirt. She has a 19-1 record that will never be matched. She is the best! and the Best Entertainer all in One. NO horse will come close to zenyatts record in anyones lifetime except perhaps the newborn babies born today! NO race horse wil be given an opprotunity to run till 6. WE need more owners such as the owners of Zenyata, they have enough money and realize what an entertainment value and rarity Zenyata was for all to see! I will never forget thedays at Delmar and Zenyata, made me tear up and wish my Dad had seen her run. God Bless Dad! IN closing, this is why and truly important points on HOY Zenyata! NO HORSE WILL COME CLOSE TO HER RECORD IN THE FUTURE AT LEAST FOR 50 YEARS!

This is about other horses, let's leave the Queen out of this conversation. Ok, I am a Mo fan. I want mo'e Mo! I saw his past performance and did a double take. There was no question who I tossed money on. I was not disappointed. It's great to see such a dominant horse. No come from behind specialist who can get compromised, he's up where the game is. I haven't really seen what To Honor and Serve can do, but will go back and find some replays to check out his style. No as for the Triple Crown: The Derby is a crap shoot and that's why we haven't seen a good horse even come close to winning the Triple in decades. The oversized field with horses that don't really belong is the issue. The traffic is as hideous as an LA freeway at 6pm on a weekday during a rainstorm. That race really needs to shave back to the top 12 or 13 winners and that's it. Someone earns a buck more a day before the closing of the entries and you get knocked out, too bad. With a smaller field we might get a decent horse race and a shot at finding a champion. With interest in horse racing waning anyway, a Triple Crown win or even a possibility of one would go a long way to revitalizing the sport with the public. Look what that one mare did for the handle and ratings at the Breeder's Cup. Now what do I like about Uncle Mo? He breaks well. If he can get ahead of the traffic he has a shot in the Derby. My prayer now? That Uncle Mo is one of those old fashioned horses that can run young, run hard, run often and bounce back on legs of iron begging for more.

I don't think Uncle Mo will get the mile and a quarter. This is the main reason why Juvenile winners almost never win the Derby.

Some of you people kill me. If this, if that, if only. There's no if in the '09 HOY..You people can't stand the truth. The female Rocketship, Rachel Alexandra, in 2009, took a backseat to nobody. She did it 3 X's, what the big girl couldn't do once. Beat males on DIRT. She didn't have to beat Zenyatta. That was a foregone conclusion. She took the bull by the horns. She went out & destroyed the same Summer Bird, by a widening 6 lengths on HIS surface. Z beat him by 2 on HER surface. The same Summer Bird. Get off it people. This years Classic was one of the slowest of all times. How 'bout winning w/authority, like the female Rocketship.. Oh yeah I know..she beat MTB by a length & she beat Macho by a length. Then again, a length is a big deal, but only when it's Z on the losing end of one. & BTW: What's all the big deal about Blame anyway ? If he wasn't that good, how come she didn't blow by him ? I'll tell you why...It's a big accomplishment, when any female beats males on DIRT. Especially 3 X's in 3 months on 3 different tracks...How do I know ? I saw a little 3 year old filly, named Rachel Alexandra, do it on the track..........

Nobody is owed a title from last year. Zenyatta lost the Horse of the Year because she ran only one tough race, and she will lose it this year because she ran only one tough race.

It wouldn't have mattered if Zenyatta would have won over Blame this year or not. People need to remember that not only did Zenyatta lose by only 3 inches, Blame only won by 3 inches. Jess Jackson chickened out and didn't send Rachel to meet with Zenyata anywhere and used the excuse that he didn't like the way Curlin ran over synthetics so he wouldn't run Rachel over synthetics. They could have met on the dirt, since Zenyatta has run and won on dirt, but I think Jackson knew what the outcome would be. Zenyatta would win and Rachel's cache would be gone. For everything Zenyatta has done for the sport, she should be horse of the year. Last year it was said she beat a "soft" field in the B.C. Classic.......that's an insult to all others entered. If she would have won this year, they probably would have said the same thing. There's no winning the debate! Apparently some people don't like the horse -or- maybe it's the connections they have a problem with!

First the Female division will always be consider the weaker division, so trying to compare apple and oranges, will never work. If there is a dominant male, the older male will always when HOY honors. I would not call Blame record and margin of victory DOMINANT! But it cannot be denied, that Queen Zenyatta has defeated more Graded Stakes winner this year then Blame. When you count the entire Breeders Cup Classic field Queen Zenyatta just dusted. Zenyatta carried more weight then Blame this year with 129 and 127, 5 Grade 1 stakes, at 5 different race tracks, never losing until the Breeders Cup Classic as defending champion and HEAVY FAVORITE. She did not lose the race. It was a winning effort. Zenyatta has never race below Grade 1 status this year. Oh! Zenyatta defeated Zardana who defeated Rachel last year HOY and St. Trinians who faced males in the Santa Anita Handicap THIS YEAR. Zenyatta gave each 8 and 11 pounds on her way to victory. Zenyatta has beat every top male and female (excluding Rachel and we know how that would have turn out at a 1 1/8 and beyond) in the United States the last two year, accept Blame by a head on his favorite track. Blame on the other hand has raced below Grade 1 status this year, and then caught Quality Road by a head, while receiving 5 pounds in the Whitney while toting only 121 and Blame also won the SFoster while toting 120 only. These are not top weight assignments for older males this year or any HOY candidate looking back on prior HOY candidates. Blame has never been asked to give weight to his own generation or any horse EVER! Blame was dusted by Haynesfield in the JCGC, when carrying 126 for his first time by 4 lengths, carrying equal weight. (This is the race that will hurt Blame HOY honors, the lost by 4 lengths ), Why ? Blame only major stakes win away from Churchill Downs was when he receive 5 pounds at Saratoga. Excluding the 5 pound advantage victory at Saratoga, Blame major wins came on a single track this year and last year. Churchill Downs ONLY! Clark G2 (2009) SFoster G1 (2010) Breeders Cup G1 (2010) Are you really looking at these stakes listed above for Blame ? Now look at Queen Zenyatta record as defending Breeders Cup champion. It all grade 1 with victories in all of them. It simply does not compute. We all discussed this stat against Zenyatta Last year as Rachel won the HOY Never contesting the Breeders Cup. QUEEN ZENYATTA WINS THE HOY HONOR EASILY! Because winning in your own sand box (Blame) cannot be consider a measurement of dominance if the voters are fair and consistent as THEY VOTED last year. Blame record and winning margin and dominance is nowhere near Rachel dominance last year.

So you mean no matter what ZENYATA does not deserve the HOY. Wow i have been watching horse races over 60+ years and still i have not seen a horse with such a will to win likeZenyata. How many people you saw with a Blame drawing or picture going crazy of exciment just been able to see her. To lose by half a head after being over 20 lengths back she no longer qualifies to be HOY is totally unbelivable. Luis E Astacio

Zenyatta is awesome but she is owed nothing for last year Blame Mike Smith no punned intended if he would have not missed timed his jump in the Preakness on Mine that Bird and beat Rachel she would have won HOY last year. We all watched Blame ( 2010 HOY ) win the Classic this year. 2 words for you Mike Smith need i say more !

these zenyatta fans are completely void of any sense of perspective,blame is not the greatest horse in the world not even close,spectacular bid,secretariat and many others were much better,even so he won and is by far the best horse this year in america,yes zen is the most popular horse in a long time and she is a great embassator for the sport but the horse of the year is not a popularity contest,she was tons better than rachel alexandra last year and a bad decision was made,lets not repeat that mistake,the fact is if they went around one more time she would still not pass blame,and anyone who blames mike smith is just plain wrong,she ran to her pace figures,he actualy tried to have her closer by getting into her earlier than usual,he also saved as much ground as posible and she was never impeded,a perfect ride,did anywone seriously think she could be closer to that pace ?,her final time was actualy slower than usual due to the fact she was struggling to keep up early,at the 1 and an eight mile pole it looked like she woul win by 2 lenghts,then she just was not able to pass the winner,even after the wire she never got by,she ran her best race ever and it simply was not good enough,horse of the year should be about what the horse did on the track this year not last year or the year before,and this year zen beat nobody,unlike blame and goldikova who not only took on the best often but actualy beat them,with out excuses.

Hope I am wrong, but the chances of Uncle Mo being around for the triple crown is almost nill. Horses that run as fast as he did dont usually last, being by Indian Charlie the odds are even more staked against him.

The FACT is, Zenyatta NEVER passed Blame...not even after the wire. Blame danced the toughest dances on the biggest stages and won. Zenyatta's main argument, her record, is built upon facing very weak competition in localized restricted company. The Z camp were given a very harsh lesson last year in regards to how quality of campaign/competition and "body of work" factors into Eclipse Award voting yet, chose to ignore those very factors again this year. It is their loss. The Eclipse Awards process is at a cross roads: It can retain its integrity by awarding HOTY to the equine athlete that has accomplished the most while competing at THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF THE SPORT or, it can become 'American Idle'.

Uncle Mo may turn out to be a freak and outrun his pedigree. It will be fun to watch the adventure that is the Derby Trail. The whole HOTY debate is already reminding me of a political campaign and like most Americans, I am sick of politics and "bashing" the opponent. One thing that was interesting about the Classic was that the true 1 1/4 horses Blame, Zenyatta and Fly Down showed their stamina and the more brilliant mile to 1 1/8 horses trying to squeeze a little more distance didn't hit the board. It is sad that the commercial American breeding practices have led to a huge decline in horses that can get a classic distance. It will be interesting to see who emerges for the 2011 Derby. I only hope the track comes up dry and fast and we don't get flukes in the slop like in 2009 and 2010.

Great article Mike, it is nice for a national horsewriter to finally acknowledge the fact that Blame put together a better year than Zenyatta. It is understandable that everyone is in love with Zenyatta, she is a great mare, but for anyone to logically argue she put together a better HOTY resume this year is just outrageous.

Zenyatta put together a great campaign over the last several years and not discounting Blame's great season however, don't we all agree that Zenyatta is owed the title after last year? Giving the title to Rachel was a disgrace to horse racing after the season Zenyatta put together. She is arguably one of histories greatest females and is one of the all time greats despite sex. Yes maybe her season in 2010 wasn't as tough as it could have been however she tried to continue her perfection and how can you discount that? She didn't have to run in the classic and she didn't have to come back and run again this year at all. She gave it a huge effort and ran a hell of a race. She deserves this from all of us.

My friend has already named To Honor and Serve as his Derby horse. I backed Boys in the B.C, but He couldnt even touch Mo. If they ran that race ten times, it would probably be the same result. Uncle Mo is scary good. I'm like you Mike. Breeders cup is over, and I've already got Derby fever.

PS Mike....Great article. Enjoy reading your articles and seeing you and Carothers on Blinkers Off Friday mornings. Keep up the good work.

Maybe the Foster, Whitney, BC Classic win of Blame are greater races compared to races won by Zenyatta, but Blame was not expected to win those races and rather a long shot but somehow got the wins and not even convincingly! Lets get the honor of declaring the Horse of the Year in the racetrack by running them in a match race at 1 1/4 and whoever wins it will be Horse of the Year 2010!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for bringing up the 3 year old for next year, taking the light from the HOY debate is very much needed. I like To Honor and Serve, but as of right now I don't think he would have won the BC Juvenile because he needs a little bit more time. As you noted he is in good hands and I think they made the right decision and bypass the BC race and let him mature a little bit more before taking on Uncle Mo, who ran LIGHTS OUT. But as of next year, I like To Honor and Serve chances to be a top derby prospect. He has everything going in his direction. Uncle Mo on the other hand has a pedigree question, and time and time again we see the 2 year old champs not perform up to par as a 3 year old but we will see. Lookin' at lucky was the best 2 year old last year and now this year is taking the 3 year old championship so who knows?

First, this year's two-year old crop looks great compared to recent years. Let's hope that all avoid injuries and training setbacks and make the 2011 Derby trail exciting. Triple Crown ahead? Second, am I the only person that went to see Blame win? I wasn't rooting against Zenyatta. I was backing horse that totally got my attention running second in 2009 Super Derby. Blame ran am excellent campaign and did it against the best competition. Third, Zenyatta does deserve a special place in history. However, it is not as 2010 Horse of the Year. When (or if) she ever retires, the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame can waive five year waiting period and declare her HOF member by acclimation. Lastly, Blame is 2010 Horse of the Year.

Mike, I think you are a fair minded guy, but with all due respect: I believe you take such a narrow view of the Breeders' Cup Classic race on Saturday. Zenyatta was much the best. Blame won fair and square, but had a dream trip with a clear path to the finish line over his home track. Zenyatta covered far more ground, dealt with far more traffic issues, and finished second by a nose. Sometimes, the best horse who has the best performance does not win the race. You, of all people, should realize that. It seems to me like your view of that race would be tantamount to someone who watched the 1978 Jockey Club Gold Cup and would claim that Exceller's performance was better than Seattle Slews because Exceller won the race. Zenyatta put horse racing back on the map. She made horse racing relevant again. I disagree with you about last year's award. (I think both fillies should have shared the award). But to deny Zenyatta Hose of the Year this year, for all the she has accomplished, and for turning in the best performance Saturday, would be a travesty. Seriously, if Zenaytta were based on the East Coast, and won the Apple Blossom, Ruffian, Personal Ensign, and Beldame, and performed exactly as she did Saturday, there would be virtual unanimity at the DRF that she would deserve Horse of the Year. It would not even be a close call.

I'm a relatively new racing fan. And I want that made clear. But Zenyatta really captured my attention this year. So much so that I watched her races on my basement computer on NTRA live streams. Which is a sad commentary on racing in America. But a great statement about the excitement Zenyatta injected. Just witness the impact she had on the Breeder's Cup TV ratings. Did Blame accomplish more on the track? Debatable. But other intangibles must go into any MVP-type vote. Example: Andre Dawson won an MVP for a last place Cubs team. So winning isn't everything. And of course with Zenyatta, she did win. All but one. And only by inches. Voting Blame as HOY is insider baseball and will not help this sport, which sorely needs helping. I'll keep watching, because I'm hooked. But here's hoping other influential opinion makers take a more global look at this vote and what it means.

Great article, very well put together. Uncle Mo is something special, whether it's triple crown special or not it doesn't matter to me. In my opinnion, he could be the next Quality Road. whether he can run a mile and a quarter will not discredit his obvious talents. The same can be said for Lookin at Luck who unfortunately probably can't run that far against a quality field, but he won the preakness at 9.5 furlongs. Quality road was one of the best horses I have seen running 6 to 9 furlongs and you can make a heck of a career in doing so. I'm so happy to see that we can start thinking about the triple crown now, but I have a good feeling that we have not even seen the best superstar of next year hit the track yet.

I think Quality Road should have been entered in the Dirt Mile. And Rachel Alexandra should have been kept in training to be pointed for the same race. And Zenyatta should have been voted HOY for last year and is deserving again this year.

Is winning races the only thing that decides HOY? There is a drf article about breeders cup tv ratings "through the roof." I am pretty sure they tuned in to see Z. Only a head short and this would have been a no brainer.

Mike, Nice article. I'm glad you got it right last year, & you're right on target this year. Quite frankly, I don't see how Z gets a single vote this year, & she certainly should not have gotten one single vote last year. If she thought chasing Blame was a big deal w/his 111 Beyer Fig, she would have needed a telescope to catch the female Rocketship, Rachel & her 116's last YEAR. Look this horse didn't beat one {1} single Grade 1 winning female horse all year. When she got off the Attic Insulation, she got beat. Isn't that exactly what the writers were saying all the time ? Jerry aint no fool. He didn't want no parts of Rachel last year on DIRT. Where was she in the '09 Woodward. Jerry knew she was a Plastic specialist. That's why he stayed in Cali. He aint fooling me. He aint fooling the writers. Last time I looked Zenyatta hasn't won a single race vs. males on Dirt. Rachel did it 3 X's in 3 months. & you know what ? Blame aint reminding anybody of anyone's great horses either...Feel free to fill in the blank w/any horse you want.........They throw around ducking in order to suit their tastes. Jerry's been ducking horses for 4 years now......If they want to disparage Rachel, then I can disparage her coffeecake campaign{s}..........

I was totally impressed by the way Mo raced and won that cup race. I kept saying WOW and more WOWS. What a wonderful horse! However, looking at the pedigree, Indian Charlie, I wonder about him getting the 1 1/4 mile classic distance- ie: Derby, Travers, Woodward, Breeders,... Divot80

Hi Mike, Long way to go til the first Sat in May and TP is already talking about only two preps for Uncle Mo. And maybe that is the problem in all the HOY discussion. Last year Z ran to the BC with a well proportioned season that was discounted because she stayed on her favorite tracks and lost HOY to a young filly who beat weak 3 yos in restricted races except when she beat weak older horses and then packed it in for the yr by Labor Day. This yr (apparently) Z will lose to a horse that ran 5 times (to her 6) and won 3 Gr-1 (to her 5 albeit restricted) races (on his favorite tracks) as he is now 6 for 7 at CD and SAR. And yes I saw the race Sat (and cashed). But she made it to BC Day three straight years.

Hey Mike. Enjoy your stuff every Friday on Blinkers Off. Thanks for writing that 2nd paragraph as it needed to be said, especially considering some of the ridiculous columns I've read about the HOY vote both pre and post Cup. I would think that line of thinking is just plain common sense, but this is horse racing after all. Common sense is sometimes lacking. Glad to see you give To Honor and Serve some publicity. I know he didn't face much, but he looks like a runner and a half. Beautiful stride on him. Between him, the freak known as Uncle Mo, and Boys at Tosconova, we may be in for a real treat in 2011 provided they all stay healthy. Good luck at the windows and happy holidays to you and yours.

I hope you're right and I hope the 2011 3 year-old season is great! I just remember getting really excited about Eskendraya vs. Lookin at Lucky and horses like Buddy's Saint and Winslow Homer early this year, too. :|