Will any horse ever be a household name again?

[Zippy Chippy]

I'm sure in the 70s if you asked most people they would know who Secretariat is. I know horse racing isn't popular unless you follow it. Over the past 2 weeks probably 100 people have asked me my puppy's name (at the park, friends, relatives) . When I say "zenyatta" everyone asks me what it means. Not 1 person has heard of her, and I'm pretty sure if no one has heard of zenyatta, then there is little chance they've heard of any current horses. Shows what bad shape the sport is in.

[MNslappy]

what's worse is, if you had named your puppy Barbaro, everyone would've known that name..

[bane]

Barbaro is a house hold name, and the next Triple Crown Winner will be.

Smarty Jones was very close.

[W2G]

Zenyatta never had a chance at household name status. The path to that achievement starts in the Kentucky Derby. There is no other way. It has become the singular horse racing blip on the mainstream radar, and if anything is growing in popularity.

[FrankieFigs]

Zenyatta never had a chance at household name status. The path to that achievement starts in the Kentucky Derby. There is no other way. It has become the singular horse racing blip on the mainstream radar, and if anything is growing in popularity.

I agree 100%. Most people I know that don't follow horse racing always ask about the Derby and know who won on Monday. Some will ask about the Preakness IF the Derby winner runs; only a few care about the Belmont.

[FenceBored]

I'm sure in the 70s if you asked most people they would know who Secretariat is. I know horse racing isn't popular unless you follow it. Over the past 2 weeks probably 100 people have asked me my puppy's name (at the park, friends, relatives) . When I say "zenyatta" everyone asks me what it means. Not 1 person has heard of her, and I'm pretty sure if no one has heard of zenyatta, then there is little chance they've heard of any current horses. Shows what bad shape the sport is in.

Hey, how do you think Sting, Andy, and Stewart feel about people not knowing the word Zenyatta?

[bane]

...Cigar ..
Maybe it is jut me but I remember him being a household name (granted I was 11), they had a retirement cermony at MSG for him.

[Hedevar]

I'm sure in the 70s if you asked most people they would know who Secretariat is. I know horse racing isn't popular unless you follow it. Over the past 2 weeks probably 100 people have asked me my puppy's name (at the park, friends, relatives) . When I say "zenyatta" everyone asks me what it means. Not 1 person has heard of her, and I'm pretty sure if no one has heard of zenyatta, then there is little chance they've heard of any current horses. Shows what bad shape the sport is in.

Police fans recognize the name.

[Relwob Owner]

I'm sure in the 70s if you asked most people they would know who Secretariat is. I know horse racing isn't popular unless you follow it. Over the past 2 weeks probably 100 people have asked me my puppy's name (at the park, friends, relatives) . When I say "zenyatta" everyone asks me what it means. Not 1 person has heard of her, and I'm pretty sure if no one has heard of zenyatta, then there is little chance they've heard of any current horses. Shows what bad shape the sport is in.


I dont think so....here is why in my opinion:

1. With the inflation of the breeding market, horses are often retired early and sent to the breeding shed, not giving fans a chance to catch on and follow them.

2. Good horses are run so infrequently(Quality Road?) and owners seem to be so afraid of getting beat(I think we all know who I am referring to here) that you rarely see the best face each other, except sometimes in the Breeders Cup once a year.

3. With the rise of the internet in the last 20 or so years, and with so many new forms of entertainment/media, people have so many other options and horse racing has tumbled down the list of things to do.....add this to the fact that the powers that be made few moves to effectively market, keep up with things and improve the product, and racing simply hasnt been able to keep up.

4. When people do get into it, they see the lack of enforcement of rules that do exist regarding trainers and in the sport overall, that many people with a sense of integrity are quickly driven away from racing in disgust.


Not a pretty picture but an accurate one from where I sit.....it is too bad because despite its flaws, it is still the best and most exciting game in the world, in my opinion.

[tzipi]

Not really anymore. Problem is this sport retires 95% of the superstars after a couple montrhs of top racing. So even if people know a name of a horse who's in the media,it only last for a flash because the horse retires very early.