Davidowitz on Zenyatta

[gm10]

Great piece imo.

At the very least, I know this much: I saw a true champion in action today, a champion who went down fighting by the slimmest of margins. Sometimes, as all of who follow athletic competition must know, a true championship performance is more than most ever have to give, more than we have a right to see.

BRAVO to Blame for his winning performance which elevates him to the championship platform. Bravo to Zenyatta for her extraordinary career filled with so many indelible memories. Bravo for one of the great races in Breeders' Cup history.


http://www.gradeoneracing.com/davidowitz.htm?read=74

[tucker6]

from the article (in bold):

Mighty Casey did not strike out here; but the long hard drive from so far back for more than a full half mile in her final race, left the great mare empty, spent, completely without any last gasp answer to end her career undefeated. After the wire, Blame (http://www.gradeoneracing.com/ajaxcontrol.htm?action=horseReport&headline=GradeOneRacing%20Report%20for:%20Blame&horse=Blame&more=true) still had the edge, a sure sign that Zenyatta (http://www.gradeoneracing.com/ajaxcontrol.htm?action=horseReport&headline=GradeOneRacing%20Report%20for:%20Zenyatta&horse=Zenyatta&more=true) had done all she could do and those who wanted her to win would have to be satisfied with the exceptional quality of her attempt.

I give him credit. This is a fair assessment from Davidovitz, a true Zenyatta supporter. Blame was never headed in the race or afterwards, and Zenyatta had nothing left to give. He was the better horse yesterday.

So ends a truly great career for the most talented older race mare I have ever seen. So probably also goes Zenyatta (http://www.gradeoneracing.com/ajaxcontrol.htm?action=horseReport&headline=GradeOneRacing%20Report%20for:%20Zenyatta&horse=Zenyatta&more=true)'s claim on the 2010 Horse of the Year Award, although there are many who saw her perform and many who saw her lose this race who will feel justified to vote otherwise.

Agree here as well. Blame has done more this year than Zenyatta, and beat her heads-up. Can't ask for more than that from a horse. He should be the 2010 HOY.

[Jasonm921]

At approximately 6:30 pm on November 6, 2010, I held 60 dollars worth of tickets in my hand, none of which had Zenyatta's number on it. That explains the contempt I had for this mare. By 6:50 pm on November 6, 2010 I was a loyal fan.

Forget the HOY title. She did something in this race that she needed to do. Win over the skeptics. I think she earned a lot of respect from this race. I had friends over who were all skeptics. By the time they came down to the finish line, in almost eerily similar fashion as Personal Ensign chasing Winning Colors, we all looked at each other with the look of astonishment...and in the end, for myself a little bit of remorse. I wish I would have enjoyed her career more. I never really knew what she really was because her connections would never allow us to see what she really was.

[depalma113]

I have the video, she was ahead of him, be it briefly, after the wire.

Unfortunately for her, the race is a mile and a quarter and not an inch longer.

[DeanT]

At approximately 6:30 pm on November 6, 2010, I held 60 dollars worth of tickets in my hand, none of which had Zenyatta's number on it. That explains the contempt I had for this mare. By 6:50 pm on November 6, 2010 I was a loyal fan.

Forget the HOY title. She did something in this race that she needed to do. Win over the skeptics. I think she earned a lot of respect from this race. I had friends over who were all skeptics. By the time they came down to the finish line, in almost eerily similar fashion as Personal Ensign chasing Winning Colors, we all looked at each other with the look of astonishment...and in the end, for myself a little bit of remorse. I wish I would have enjoyed her career more. I never really knew what she really was because her connections would never allow us to see what she really was.

That was me last year after the BC.

I went through each and every one of her races last year after the BC. I looked at each chart with her quarters. I looked at her ground loss. I dissected everything I could about her at that time on video and on paper. I did look at her differently; and I am so glad I did. I have enjoyed her from that moment forward.

[ArlJim78]

At approximately 6:30 pm on November 6, 2010, I held 60 dollars worth of tickets in my hand, none of which had Zenyatta's number on it. That explains the contempt I had for this mare. By 6:50 pm on November 6, 2010 I was a loyal fan.

Forget the HOY title. She did something in this race that she needed to do. Win over the skeptics. I think she earned a lot of respect from this race. I had friends over who were all skeptics. By the time they came down to the finish line, in almost eerily similar fashion as Personal Ensign chasing Winning Colors, we all looked at each other with the look of astonishment...and in the end, for myself a little bit of remorse. I wish I would have enjoyed her career more. I never really knew what she really was because her connections would never allow us to see what she really was.blame yourself for this, not the connections.

[Niko]

At approximately 6:30 pm on November 6, 2010, I held 60 dollars worth of tickets in my hand, none of which had Zenyatta's number on it. That explains the contempt I had for this mare. By 6:50 pm on November 6, 2010 I was a loyal fan.

Forget the HOY title. She did something in this race that she needed to do. Win over the skeptics. I think she earned a lot of respect from this race. I had friends over who were all skeptics. By the time they came down to the finish line, in almost eerily similar fashion as Personal Ensign chasing Winning Colors, we all looked at each other with the look of astonishment...and in the end, for myself a little bit of remorse. I wish I would have enjoyed her career more. I never really knew what she really was because her connections would never allow us to see what she really was.

I'm with you on this one-hats off to Zen. A great effort on a track that didn't necessarily favor her running style. She always has had tremendous ability on her best day but I don't think her connections did her any favor in not seeking to go after the best.

To me-to be the best you have to face the best more than 1-2X a year. But then again I believe she wouldn't have been 19-19 if she did-but who knows. And only 19 races as a 6 year old? I just wish they had pitted her against higher class fields a few more times venturing out of California.

It's kinda like Boise State--great team but you don't have to play your best every week to win against a soft schedule--you only have to get up for a couple big wins.

I still think she deserves HOY though-she did race in all grade 1 races this year and almost had a perfect record with a narrow loss.

[Jasonm921]

blame yourself for this, not the connections.

The connections padded her record. She has been around for 3+ years and no one outside of this sport knew about her until 60 Minutes last week. That is her connections fault. She was a non factor to the rest of the country, outside of California...that is her connections fault. They were more concerned with 20-0 than anything else.

[RXB]

from the article (in bold):

Mighty Casey did not strike out here; but the long hard drive from so far back for more than a full half mile in her final race, left the great mare empty, spent, completely without any last gasp answer to end her career undefeated. After the wire, Blame (http://www.gradeoneracing.com/ajaxcontrol.htm?action=horseReport&headline=GradeOneRacing%20Report%20for:%20Blame&horse=Blame&more=true) still had the edge, a sure sign that Zenyatta (http://www.gradeoneracing.com/ajaxcontrol.htm?action=horseReport&headline=GradeOneRacing%20Report%20for:%20Zenyatta&horse=Zenyatta&more=true) had done all she could do and those who wanted her to win would have to be satisfied with the exceptional quality of her attempt.

I give him credit. This is a fair assessment from Davidovitz, a true Zenyatta supporter. Blame was never headed in the race or afterwards, and Zenyatta had nothing left to give. He was the better horse yesterday.

So ends a truly great career for the most talented older race mare I have ever seen. So probably also goes Zenyatta (http://www.gradeoneracing.com/ajaxcontrol.htm?action=horseReport&headline=GradeOneRacing%20Report%20for:%20Zenyatta&horse=Zenyatta&more=true)'s claim on the 2010 Horse of the Year Award, although there are many who saw her perform and many who saw her lose this race who will feel justified to vote otherwise.

Agree here as well. Blame has done more this year than Zenyatta, and beat her heads-up. Can't ask for more than that from a horse. He should be the 2010 HOY.

He also calls her a "100 percent, 24-carat thoroughbred." Are you willing to admit now that she's better than you gave her credit for being? Because you had pretty much nothing positive to say about her leading up to the race.

[Jasonm921]

Below is my post from the beginning of the year...challenge your athletes..don't let them be held up without ridicule. Ali is considered the best because he got back up from that Frazier left hook and won the next two fights. Let the athlete be an athlete. That is why it is called competitive sport...not exhibition. She showed she is great yesterday but her connections blocked her from exposure that she deserved for the past 30 months or so.

"Let her run. If she loses ...so what. I am to this day more impressed with cigars 1996 classic run when he didn't have it anymore and had to fight his heart out than with his easy 1995 win. Let an athlete be an athlete."

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Last edited by Jasonm921 : 01-08-2010 at 08:51 AM.