The Horse of the Century: Zenyatta

**Jiggy Fly** · 11-08-09, 03:57 AM

I didn't have money on the race but I was pulling for her. I really doubted her going into the final stretch but then she kicked it in gear. This horse is unbelievable!!! Would love to see her in a matchup against Rachel Alexandra.

**madmaxx** · 11-08-09, 06:33 AM

Hah, Rachel had her chance and look who she has beaten...her big win came against Mine that Bird who was really a factor today

.... While I think Rachel is great, this put that discussion to rest. Zenyatta (who is a mare NOT a filly ESPN) has won back east on dirt, has beaten the best BC Classic field I've seen probably ever...Gio Ponti is an amazing horse and would have won on any other day with the race he ran.....yet Rachel won't even come to SoCal.

And if Rachel came down here and bitched out, and entered the Ladies Classic, Life is Sweet (Zenyatta's stablemate) would have crushed her too.

**BarkingToad** · 11-08-09, 08:25 AM

You're preaching to the choir over here, maxx. Zenyatta has smarts and heart. It's a joke there would even be a Horse of the Year debate, then again Favorite trick won it as a 2 year old. I would argue that Zenyatta is the best ever. With Quality Road's antics plus a speed horse being scratched, things didn't shape up well for our girl, but her greatness showed. I used to never by into the hype of girls being better than the boys, but Rags to Riches win over Curlin started to change my thinking. Even poor old 8 Belles may have been a great one.

I agree that Zenyatta may be better on dirt than synthetic with her running style. She also carried 129 lbs in a grade 1 win earlier this year. I wanna see Big Brown and her have a baby together. If Big Brown didn't hurt his foot, could you imagine back to back BC winners having kids. I'm just waiting for someone to tell how dumb I am for saying Zenyatta is best ever. Although I never saw Secretariat run other than in clips, and yes his Belmont was impressive (at 1/10 odds), go to secretariat.com and look at his racing form. He lost to Onion, lost by 4 lenghts to Angle Light, and by 4 1/2 lenghths to Prove Out (and Prove OUt was carrying 7 more pounds!!)

It's easy for a real good horse to look good when things are going their way, Ghostzapper a few years ago, Secretariat in the Belmont, but an all time great comes through in the face of adversity. I could see an argument between Man O War and Zenyatta as the greatest. But Zenyatta best ever? Oh Yeah, in an upset!

**whatsgood5** · 11-08-09, 08:38 AM

No arguements here. I'd actually like to see if any CAN argue against that.

**Dark Horse** · 11-08-09, 09:32 PM

Horse of the century? I couldn't think of a single argument in favor of that.

Secretariat was the horse of the 20th century, arguably. As to this century, the horse would have to win the Triple Crown, before even being considered.

**BarkingToad** · 11-08-09, 11:29 PM

So you're saying it's what you do as a 3 year old and beating other 3 year olds that make you great? So if Real Quiet beat Victory Gallop I guess you're saying he'd be the best ever???? Even though Secretariat only faced 4 horses in the Belmont and 5 in the Preakness? Your saying Man O War couldn't be considered either since he didn't win the triple crown.

**Dark Horse** · 11-09-09, 01:00 AM

Do you really want to get into a pointless argument about a pointless statement?

If you want to believe that Zenyatta is the horse of the century, be my guest.

**BarkingToad** · 11-09-09, 06:52 AM

I'm just asking you who's better, that's all. You only made mention they should be able to beat other 3 year olds.

**13th Inning** · 11-09-09, 11:03 AM

If a horse is horse of the century, there should be no debate that that horse is also Horse of the Year, right?

This is not the case - there is a LOT of debate about who will win Horse of the Year. If Zenyatta was horse of the century, it would be cut-and-dry and nobody else would even be in the discussion.

**Dark Horse** · 11-10-09, 01:02 AM

Originally posted by BarkingToad

I'm just asking you who's better, that's all. You only made mention they should be able to beat other 3 year olds.

It doesn't matter what I think. Public perception decides this. A Triple Crown winner is going to be in a category by himself. The media will be all over that horse. And the public loves those stories. Most people know little or nothing about horse racing. It's about the story.

Zenyatta is a good horse. And it's a good story as well. But to proclaim her horse of the century just one or two days after her biggest win is, well, overly emotional. I welcome the influence of emotion in sports betting, but I want nothing to do with it.

**madmaxx** · 11-16-09, 04:37 AM

Heh, find me a horse other than Barbaro than can beat her...problem is you can't

**BarkingToad** · 12-01-09, 09:31 PM

I'm getting sick of hearing about Tiger Woods and how the greatest golfer ever got beat up by his wife (would a real athlete let that happen), so I wanted to talk about a real athlete, the great Zenyatta.

While Maxx and I contend Zenyatta is the horse of the century, there are those foolish enough to think she's not even horse of the year even though she dominated a 13 horse field to win over $2.5 million that included a Kentucky derby winner, Belmont stakes winner, and a couple of European champions, not to mention scaring off a horse that threw a hissy fit than face Zenyatta and messed up her pace scenario. Let me help you dispel that nonsense.

When trying to decide whether ZENYATTA or RACHEL ALEXANDRA should be Horse of the Year, consider these three facts that seem to have been lost in all the emotion:
First, Rachel Alexandra won an allowance at Keeneland on Polytrack when she was trained by Hal Wiggins. Her jockey described the way she handled the synthetic surface as "awesome." It was her current owner that decided that she would not run on "plastic" for reasons that had nothing to do with Rachel's ability to run on it.

Second, trainer John Shirreffs shipped Zenyatta to Churchill Downs the first week in May to run in the Louisville Distaff Handicap this year on the Kentucky Oaks undercard. A very wet main track caused him to scratch his undefeated mare, but she did leave the comforts of home in Southern California.
Third, the reason that the Zenyatta camp was so reluctant to come to New York to face Rachel was Giacomo's experience in the detention barn before the 2005 Belmont Stakes. Shirreffs has said that he would not ship Zenyatta, or any other horse, to New York because of it.

Need I mention again no one has ever beaten Zenyatta. Peace, love, and Zenyatta.

**allday1113** · 12-07-09, 01:30 PM

Zenyatta had a heck of a year, but did people watch the Kentucky Oaks? For crying out loud, she ran an opening half in 46 and 3 in the Preakness and still won? Unheard of.

**RPP** · 12-27-09, 02:28 AM

This is the most idiotic thing I've ever heard. She isn't even in the top 25.

**BarkingToad** · 12-28-09, 06:49 AM

**Dark Horse** · 01-19-10, 01:06 AM

Horse of the year announced today: Rachel Alexandra.

But there's still 90 years left in the century for Zenyatta to set things straight.

**BarkingToad** · 01-19-10, 06:36 AM

Originally posted by Dark Horse

Horse of the year announced today: Rachel Alexandra.

But there's still 90 years left in the century for Zenyatta to set things straight.

Zenyatta already set things straight, this voting is a joke. NO WONDER ONLY 2% OF HORSEPLAYERS SHOW A PROFIT IN A SINGLE YEAR.

**13th Inning** · 01-19-10, 09:00 AM

Originally posted by BarkingToad

NO WONDER ONLY 2% OF HORSEPLAYERS SHOW A PROFIT IN A SINGLE YEAR.

The voting is done by the press, not the fans.