Did RA and Zenyatta this year win over new fans to the game? [Archive] - Horse Racing Forum - PaceAdvantage.Com

ghostyapper

11-07-2009, 10:24 PM

As i saw the racing fans hold zenyatta posters, i ask myself did RA and Zenyatta bring some new fans to this great sport.

Whatever fans that individual horses bring to the game will not last as long as the top horses race such few times and avoid each other.

The sport doesn't need superstars they need superstar rivalries.

FastAndFurious

11-07-2009, 10:27 PM

Whatever fans that individual horses bring to the game will not last as long as the top horses race such few times and avoid each other.

The sport doesn't need superstars they need superstar rivalries.
Yapper who do you think did the ducking assmussen or shirrefs?

ghostyapper

11-07-2009, 10:30 PM

Yapper who do you think did the ducking assmussen or shirrefs?

Both. But since rachel was retired for the season on september 5th more of the blame should fall on jackson.

Cadillakin

11-07-2009, 10:35 PM

Both. But since rachel was retired for the season on september 5th more of the blame should fall on jackson.
As I stated on another thread, Zenyatta was not eligible to run in any of the restricted races that Rachel ran in - until the Woodward in early September.

Sort of hard to duck your rival when you're not eligible to run in the races they run in... Ain't it?

FastAndFurious

11-07-2009, 10:36 PM

Both. But since rachel was retired for the season on september 5th more of the blame should fall on jackson.
Yapper whos is RA going to beat next year Big Drama and Kensei or maybe Mine the bird :lol:

lamboguy

11-08-2009, 07:56 AM

ZENYATTA is great, in her career she has had only 14 races. that is in 4 years of racing. she averages a little bit more than 3 races per year. don't you think those people wanted to run more? i would say yes, but i also think that there must have been plenty of days when the Z-lady woke up in her stall and was completely lame and couldn't walk out of her stall. she probably never faced the older boys untlil yesterday because she never had as long a stretch of good training as she put in prior to yesterday's race. the people involved with ZENYATTA deserve alot of credit in keeping her going and watching her get better and better every race she ran. i don't know how many people out here that criticize trainers and their horses know how much of a miracle it is to get a horse to the track. i for one have not been the greatest success at it and i think i do the right thing with them all the time. the ones that i run are horses that i could not sell to someone else, so mine have alot of problems to begin with.

PaceAdvantage

11-08-2009, 07:10 PM

Cadillakin

11-08-2009, 07:45 PM

ZENYATTA is great, in her career she has had only 14 races. that is in 4 years of racing. she averages a little bit more than 3 races per year.
Zenyatta has been a sound horse. Both Smith and Sheriffs have commented on that.. She began her racing career at the end of Nov 07, so she was in training a little over 2 years - not 4

Cadillakin

11-08-2009, 07:46 PM

Fact is they never wanted to leave California...there are only so many Grade 1 races against "tomato can" females that one can enter there....
Fact is Zenyatta shipped to Churchill in May to run in the Ladies Distaff. But Sheriffs was concerned when the track came up sloppy.. and they scratched.

I expect your going to suggest that she really wasn't going to run at Churchill.. that they just flew there for a little vacation.. a ruse, so to speak.

The Ladies Distaff was to be Zenyattas first race after being let down from the previous years campaign. Plans changed when the race came up sloppy. So, she came back and got started in the Milady. Thereafter, she ran 4 more races - for 5 races in 7 months. The plan was always to go to the Breeders Cup for the year end championship races.

And she did...

Stillriledup

11-08-2009, 07:56 PM

They might have brought new fans to the game, but those fans won't stay unless they get hooked on the betting aspect and the chess match that is horse race handicapping. People who hang around in this game are analytical minds who love a challenge and are competitive enough in the betting markets to not get totally destroyed, so they keep coming back to bet, because they've experienced enough to feel they know what they're doing.

depalma113

11-08-2009, 07:58 PM

Fact is Zenyatta shipped to Churchill in May to run in the Ladies Distaff. But Sheriffs was concerned when the track came up sloppy.. and they scratched.

I expect your going to suggest that she really wasn't going to run at Churchill.. that they just flew there for a little vacation.. a ruse, so to speak.

The Ladies Distaff was to be Zenyattas first race after being let down from the previous years campaign. Plans changed when the race came up sloppy. So, she came back and got started in the Milady. Thereafter, she ran 4 more races - for 5 races in 7 months. The plan was always to go to the Breeders Cup for the year end championship races.

And she did...

The track was not sloppy. In fact it was labeled good. Had her connections just watched the weather that morning, they like everyone else new it was going to dry out that day.

They took no chances with her because the track was sealed, not because it was sloppy. Her undefeated record was protected that morning because she would have been at a disadvantage on a sealed track.

depalma113

11-08-2009, 08:00 PM

As i saw the racing fans hold zenyatta posters, i ask myself did RA and Zenyatta bring some new fans to this great sport.

50 cent beer and 50 cent hot dogs brought more people to the track this year than either of the horses.

Steve R

11-08-2009, 08:27 PM

As i saw the racing fans hold zenyatta posters, i ask myself did RA and Zenyatta bring some new fans to this great sport.
Not a chance in hell. But even if they did, the number would be offset by those who lost interest.

PaceAdvantage

11-09-2009, 01:52 AM

Fact is Zenyatta shipped to Churchill in May to run in the Ladies Distaff. But Sheriffs was concerned when the track came up sloppy.. and they scratched.I know...I've written as much at least twice in the last 24 hours. But thanks for reminding me....

Allow me to revise my statement....

"Fact is, 99% of the time they never wanted to leave California"...happy now?

badcompany

11-09-2009, 02:14 AM

Being in Saratoga and watching Rachel run in the Woodward made this hardcore horseplayer become a fan, again.

Of course having the exacta, cold, didn't hurt.;)

broadreach

11-09-2009, 03:59 AM

To heighten the already immense interest in the two, too bad a club couldn't have come up with like a $1m purse winner-take-all match race(repay costs for loser), and throw in a couple of stalkers to make it a bettable field. Handle would've been enormous.

lamboguy

11-09-2009, 04:21 AM

Why would you speculate such nonsense about her being lame?

Fact is they never wanted to leave California...there are only so many Grade 1 races against "tomato can" females that one can enter there....when they get to the age that zenyatta is and when they campaign so hard all of them have bad days. every single filly that i have ever had that made it that far was lame on one leg occaisionally. maybe synthetic surface is easier on them, that would be new to me. keep in mind that we don't see as many mares at the age of 5 as we see horses and geldings. of course the other thing that i must take into consideration is that ZENYATTA has only had 14 races though her whole career. the horses i had were over 25 and all trained on conventional. if for some reason ZENYATTA does not have bad days i am sure the owners would keep her around for another year to race.

for the people involved with ZENYATTA it will be a sad day when she leaves her stall in santa anita and moves over to a breeding farm. she has been the bigest part of their lives for the past few years.

MNslappy

11-09-2009, 04:56 AM

As i saw the racing fans hold zenyatta posters, i ask myself did RA and Zenyatta bring some new fans to this great sport.

Lots and lots of 10 year old girls, that's for sure! Not sure how much they'll contribute to the handle in the near term, but hey, consider it an investment! But in all seriousness, the "girl power" stuff really could be great for racing. But it's not just going to happen magically, it's going to have to be cultivated and cared for and grown within these young people. We all should be trying to do our part, when the opportunity presents itself, to help nurture that.

This is kinda sort, meh maybe not so much on topic, but someone brought up Eight Belles yesterday and mentioned that 2009 should forever put to rest questions about fillies and mares racing against boys.

It made me pause for a sec. Not only because, the point was poignant, but also because it made me remember the fallen filly....I'm kind of disappointed in myself for virtually forgetting about Eight Belles. Just imagine what kind of year this coulda/woulda/shoulda been with her also in the mix. My god. Or even Rags to Riches too for that matter.

Java Gold@TFT

11-09-2009, 04:59 AM

Fact is Zenyatta shipped to Churchill in May to run in the Ladies Distaff. But Sheriffs was concerned when the track came up sloppy.. and they scratched.

..
Did you notice that Rachel ran on the exact same track on the exact same day that Zenyatta couldn't handle the conditions and scratched? Oh, BTW, she won by 20 on that unsafe track in a G-I Classic for fillies.

The other joke came out this week when Sheriff's said he was willing to go in the Beldame but didn't think Rachel would be there so he didn't even bother. Those tomato cans on synth probably looked better than Icon Project or Music Note who were also pointing toward the Beldame.

Java Gold@TFT

11-09-2009, 05:15 AM

As far as the original question in this thread - there seems to be a horse every year that grabs a following but that's not enough to keep a lot of younger fans coming back when those horses retire. I saw Cigar's final workout before the Pac Classic and there were a minimum of 10,000 people at Saratoga at 6AM. He had a charisma that drew folks in. Look at the attendence figures from Smarty Jones, Big Browns or Funny Cide's Belmonts. There were thousands there that had bever seen a horse race. Look at Alex' Lemonade Stands and all of the Rachel pink bracelets. These horses are out there but they don't last long enough to keep casual fans attention. Rachel was on national TV 3 times this year and Zenyatta twive if you count the limited Lady's Secret coverage and not countiing TVG, etc. How is that type of national exposure supposed to sustain interest in new fans? I am a very big fan and even I would have a tough time naming the last 5 3yo Champions or HOY's without giving it some serious consideration. Those are the horses that can make or break things for a casual fan. On the national stage Zenyatta will go down as a one and your done. Nobody in Ark or Florida saw or cared about anything but the BCC and now she will most likely be retired. Hopefully the sport through the NTRA and contracts with ESPN or ABC can show all of Rachel's races next year. That might help reatin some new fans if they are packaged with other good races.

miesque

11-09-2009, 12:04 PM

DeanT

11-09-2009, 12:15 PM

Well if there were any potential new fans who might be drawn to further interest/involvement in racing, I sure hope they aren't reading racing internet boards because I am pretty sure they would be rather turned off by many virulent posts ripping apart and denegrating the achievements of both. :D

Zenyatta is a tomato can beating mare who if she raced on dirt would lose the second race at Mountaineer tonight.

Rachel sucks because she hasn't carried a case of Jess Jackson's wine on her back for 10f.

It's much more fun than watching the Woodward or Classic and marveling at both. :)

Seriously, speaking of being 'fans'. How many of us were fans for those two races. I hammered against Rachel in the Woodward and hammered against Z in the Classic. Half way down the lane I was cheering for both of them to win, despite it costing me a pile of dough.

I might be a cold-hearted bettor, but the moment makes one step out of that when you get a chance to watch these two horses. So I think old fans had their fires rekindled by these two mares this year. How could we not?

miesque

11-09-2009, 12:31 PM

Zenyatta is a tomato can beating mare who if she raced on dirt would lose the second race at Mountaineer tonight.

Rachel sucks because she hasn't carried a case of Jess Jackson's wine on her back for 10f.

It's much more fun than watching the Woodward or Classic and marveling at both. :)

Well put, Dean.

At the very least this collection of hostile outbreaks on both gives me some more ammo the next time someone brings up the topic of why there aren't more women, especially younger women at the track or becoming horseplayers. :D

Charli125

11-09-2009, 01:43 PM

Seriously, speaking of being 'fans'. How many of us were fans for those two races. I hammered against Rachel in the Woodward and hammered against Z in the Classic. Half way down the lane I was cheering for both of them to win, despite it costing me a pile of dough.

I bet against both of them as well, and I was cheering for both of them to win. Fortunately I bet against Z with Quality Road, so I got my money back on that race!

My fiance, who has never been to a race other than a Kentucky Derby party at EMD, is now a huge fan after seeing Z win. She loved everything from the pre-race personality to the late running style at the end.

Now, she's not ever going to be a bettor really, but she has already told her friends how much fun it was, and they all want me to take them to the track next time I go. Not to mention that my annual Triple Crown parties are now around 60+ people depending on the race instead of about 15 when they started.

That equals more people through the gates, more bettors(albeit small), more buzz, etc. So, to answer the question, yes, RA and Z did bring new fans to the game. We can only hope there are more compelling stories and horses in the future.

LottaKash

11-09-2009, 02:31 PM

Sometimes I wonder how racing can "get" and "keep" new fans, at least as far as the latest and greatest horses are concerned, when the "best" of the modern-day horses, keep retiring prematurely, and then head off to the woodshed for a "roll in the hay"....How can that possibley exude any excitement for the "next year", unless of course, one wonders how their "progeny" may have turned out ?...And, what "new fan" would wonder about that ?

I remember many a great horse, at least sticking around for awhile, and getting their fans to come out "again" & "again" to watch the greatness of it all...Nowadays, they just keep leaving as fast as they came in....

So in that regard, too bad for racing.....

best,

bane

11-09-2009, 02:41 PM

I got a custom debit card with RA on it, nuff said :lol:

PaceAdvantage

11-09-2009, 04:53 PM

hazzardm

11-09-2009, 04:55 PM

How is it much different than the fans of any other sport on any other message board?

In fact, I would argue that this type of back and forth debate (which you label virulent, ripping and denigrating) helps maintain and solidify interest in both the sport and your individual rooting interest.

100% correct

DeanT

11-09-2009, 05:04 PM

I am sure a fan or two of Rachel or Zenyatta could write an article like this dude did against one of them. Them anti-Steelers fans are nasty :)

http://deadspin.com/5354828/why-your-team-sucks-pittsburgh-steelers

Worst of all is the notion that the Steelers somehow reflect the populace of their city by playing hard-nosed, blue collar football. THEY BROUGHT THEIR LUNCH PAILS TODAY, GANG! THEY'RE SO PITTSBURGHISH! This is the biggest steaming load of eviscerated sh** I've ever heard. Nearly all the steel mills in that town are gone. Find me a Steelers fan who's an actual f**** steelworker, and I'll put a unicorn in your driveway. That town was repurposed ages ago as a center for tech, banking, and ketchup distribution. It is not a tough town. It's as yuppified as ****ing Portland (Oregon or Maine, take your pick), only it's stuck in the center of Pennsyltucky and everyone there is fat and smells like sticky buns.