I can't deal with the lows of horse racing. Taking a break.

[Zippy Chippy]

I remember the Belmont in 2004 I promised myself i would never allow myself to get so hyped up over a horse again. I was completely devastated and crushed about that race.. Still am. Fast forward 6 years and I am completely mesmerized by Zenyatta. Even name my puppy after her. I have been waiting for the BC Classic all year and to have it end so devastating like that? There will never be another moment like that again in our lifetime. I just take the losses too horribly. Everytime there is a huge race its always a let down for me. If Zenyatta won i would have never asked for anything again as far as sports moments.

[andymays]

YouTube - Bobby McFerrin - Don't worry Be happy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv-Fk1PwVeU



The highs are so high and the lows are so low. It's the sport we choose. ;)

[Bullet Plane]

She didn't let you down. She ran an incredible race and added to her reputation. Enjoy, heck she lost by the thinnest of margins to the big boys. You won't see many mares like this come along.

[Greyfox]

ABC's World of Sports used to open with

"The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat."

Technically Zenyatta lost the race.
Psychologically she won a lot of respect in that loss from many people.
The old saying:
"Never the cowboy that's never been throwed,
And never the horse that's never been rode," still holds. These fine animals are not machines. If the win were guaranteed, why would anyone bet. Horse racing needs upsets.

Similarly, the Moss family and John Shirreffs gained tremendous respect with the class that they showed in accepting the loss.

In all sports even the greatest get beaten. Rocky Marciano is the only heavy weight fighter that retired undefeated.
Be grateful you got to see a great race and a memorable moment.

[cpitt84]

I really feel for you, OP. I am experiencing the same thing and I really, really believed in Zenyatta. So often,I doubted her ability to get there. And yesterday, I told myself to believe. A huge let down and I am considering a break myself.

[andymays]

I remember the Belmont in 2004 I promised myself i would never allow myself to get so hyped up over a horse again. I was completely devastated and crushed about that race.. Still am. Fast forward 6 years and I am completely mesmerized by Zenyatta. Even name my puppy after her. I have been waiting for the BC Classic all year and to have it end so devastating like that? There will never be another moment like that again in our lifetime. I just take the losses too horribly. Everytime there is a huge race its always a let down for me. If Zenyatta won i would have never asked for anything again as far as sports moments.

Maybe another puppy is in order. Call him Blame.

When they're running around the house you can pretend you're calling the Classic as Trevor Denman.

[Zippy Chippy]

Maybe another puppy is in order. Call him Blame.

When they're running around the house you can pretend you're calling the Classic as Trevor Denman.

Im actually dealing w/ this better than Smarty. I have even watch replays and can't believe she made up all that ground. She is an incredible horse. Just so devastating thinking if she won it would have been one of the greatest races of all time. It still is a great race, but 20-0 would have been even more special.

[cpitt84]

Zippy, i tried to send you a PM but your mailbox is too full! Popular I see :)

[mountainman]

I remember the Belmont in 2004 I promised myself i would never allow myself to get so hyped up over a horse again. I was completely devastated and crushed about that race.. Still am. Fast forward 6 years and I am completely mesmerized by Zenyatta. Even name my puppy after her. I have been waiting for the BC Classic all year and to have it end so devastating like that? There will never be another moment like that again in our lifetime. I just take the losses too horribly. Everytime there is a huge race its always a let down for me. If Zenyatta won i would have never asked for anything again as far as sports moments.

Chin up little buckaroo. Take inspiration from your namesake. He could certainly deal with defeat.

[cpitt84]

This comical video on hitler and zenyatta may help:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1YutMhv1gQ&feature=share

[badcompany]

"I can't deal with the lows of horse racing. Taking a break."
_____________

I'll alert the media.
http://www.nndb.com/people/589/000033490/gielgud-color.jpg

[JBmadera]

I thinking all these folks are just pulling our collective legs, right? Otherwise several z freaks are seriously under medicated.

my all time favorite saying in this game "there's always fresh".

hell, charles town is running, let's get back to 'capping and see if we can pick the winner in the 3rd race.

[trackrat59]

Zippy:

Since when is it dissapointing when your favorite horse runs his/her heart out, gets beat inches at the wire by another monster, is one of two horses that took part in possibly the most exciting finish in a BC Classic, and ran such an incredible race that he/she won over a great nuimber of his/her doubters?

Check out all the Zen threads at various sites. She has numerous more fans today than she had on Friday.

I had a cat named Easy Goer and a bunny named Housebuster. Go hug little Zenyatta and give her a dog biscut for me.

A quote from the Secretariet move; Oh Happy Day!

[WJ47]

This comical video on hitler and zenyatta may help:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1YutMhv1gQ&feature=share

Holy crap! This is one of the funniest things I've ever seen! :) Thanks for posting it.

Zippy,
I know how you feel. Big Brown's humiliation in the Belmont Stakes destroyed my faith in racing. I can still feel the outrage of that day! :mad:

But I don't feel Zenyatta has anything to be ashamed of; I think her performance yesterday really silenced her critics (including me). I'm really impressed with her! :)

[cpitt84]

Holy crap! This is one of the funniest things I've ever seen! :) Thanks for posting it.

Zippy,
I know how you feel. Big Brown's humiliation in the Belmont Stakes destroyed my faith in racing. I can still feel the outrage of that day! :mad:

But I don't feel Zenyatta has anything to be ashamed of; I think her performance yesterday really silenced her critics (including me). I'm really impressed with her! :)

haha, I am glad you enjoyed it!! I really liked it and I truly think Hitler would have been a zenyatta fan...that video makes it so believable. :lol:

[nijinski]

Zenyatta really ran her heart and soul out yesterday and tugged at mine and made me a believer.
She had so much work to do late it just amazed me seeing her up there at the wire.
Yes the loss I'm sure was a terrible disappointment for you Zippy , but for
many she showed courage,will and heart.
I thought she was brilliant , even in defeat.

[Shelby]

I was sad, too, but I decided that I needed to step back and look at this a little less emotionally. Blame barely beat Zen. Heck, do the race again next month and it would be Zen that barely beats Blame. No one is perfect and it's some of the imperfections that make us more endearing! I truly hope that they don't retire her simply because Zenyatta still loves to race. You can see it every time she gets on the track.

I do hope that Mike S. isn't feeling as down as I saw yesterday. He's an amazing jockey. No need to feel bad at all about that race! He has a special bond with Zenyatta, but there will be more great horses to ride and, he might still get more with Zen!

I'd much rather watch a race with this ending than the one like Eight Belles.....

[cpitt84]

I was sad, too, but I decided that I needed to step back and look at this a little less emotionally. Blame barely beat Zen. Heck, do the race again next month and it would be Zen that barely beats Blame. No one is perfect and it's some of the imperfections that make us more endearing! I truly hope that they don't retire her simply because Zenyatta still loves to race. You can see it every time she gets on the track.

I do hope that Mike S. isn't feeling as down as I saw yesterday. He's an amazing jockey. No need to feel bad at all about that race! He has a special bond with Zenyatta, but there will be more great horses to ride and, he might still get more with Zen!

I'd much rather watch a race with this ending than the one like Eight Belles.....

It sounds like they probably win retire her although i agree--I dont think shes ready to quit. But, her trainer will know more than anybody.

Hoping for a Zen comeback in 2011~

[pandy]

Zippy, that's nothing to get down about. Ruffian was my favorite horse, I idolized her, and the day she broke down I cried my eyes out, I was heartbroken.

Zenyatta is alive, healthy, greatly respected and admired by millions of adoring fans, and destined for a long lifetime of great sex with the best looking studs on earth. She has it made. Don't feel sorry for Zenyatta, she is the QUEEN of racing and will go down in history as the greatest mare of all time.

[JustRalph]

I am getting tired of hearing about Mike Smith being so down.

He needs to pull those knickers up and take a week off and fly some place warm and relax. I am taking a wild guess, but I think he has made about half a million riding this horse the last few years. He should go find him a better version of Chantel (one with a little more meat on her bones :lol: ) and party like it's the princely proverbial 1999......... and when he gets back, call Jerry Moss and find out when he is going to the next sale !!

In the immoral words of Robert Cray.........

But it ain't nothin' but a woman Nothin' but a woman, no, no Don't need nothin' but a woman Any time I'm feelin' low (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNz_t-wE5VQ&p=07E50727C123FC4D)

There are tremendous highs and lows when you are at the top of any game. Whether it's business, sports or any other endeavor with tremendous risk and reward. True champs are measured on how they respond to losing or failure. No matter what you are doing.........character counts and being able to celebrate in good and bad times helps. This counts for horse racing fans too. So you ZEE fans need to celebrate what she has done.......and look forward to the future.........hell, in about three years you might be cheering for a little ZEE to be running............ you don't get that in any other sport.

[JustRalph]

Zenyatta is alive, healthy, greatly respected and admired by millions of adoring fans, and destined for a long lifetime of great sex with the best looking studs on earth.

You gotta be kidding right? Great sex ? :lol:

She is gonna be like the back forty........ Plowed once a year, maybe twice if needed............ :lol:

I apologize.....to the ladies .. in advance............

[cpitt84]

.........hell, in about three years you might be cheering for a little ZEE to be running............ you don't get that in any other sport.

Isn't it very rare for a great female race horse to produce winning foals?

[WJ47]

Isn't it very rare for a great female race horse to produce winning foals?

I can't recall too many great race mares producing champion foals. I know Toussaud had really awesome foals and Dance Smartly produced two Queen's Plate winners.

[cpitt84]

I can't recall too many great race mares producing champion foals. I know Toussaud had really awesome foals and Dance Smartly produced two Queen's Plate winners.

"In the best-case scenario, Zenyatta, who's 6 years old, will have a retirement similar to 1986 Horse of the Year Lady's Secret, who was sired by Secretariat. Lady's Secret was bred 15 times and gave birth to 12 foals, eight of which sold for a combined $4.3 million.

On the other hand, Zenyatta could turn out to be Genuine Risk, the 1980 Kentucky Derby winner. From 1983 to 2000, Genuine Risk had two foals born dead and numerous other unsuccessful pregnancies and attempts to breed. Her two progeny, Genuine Reward and Count Our Blessing, never started a race.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703856504575600643465152342.html

It seems Lady's Secret was a terrific broodmare but it certainly is the exception.

I want to see Zen run and not have foals! But thats just me.

[FenceBored]

Isn't it very rare for a great female race horse to produce winning foals?

Two words for you: Urban Sea (http://www.pedigreequery.com/progeny/urban+sea)

[JustRalph]

Isn't it very rare for a great female race horse to produce winning foals?

not anymore rare than any other mare. If you look at the numbers, if my memory serves me right............a very small percentage are winners.

I don't think there is any reason to think that she won't have some good ones. Tie her up with the right sire......who knows.....

Breed her with Zippy Chippy and see how far back they can come from.......

[Cubbymac26]

This thread is a joke....ur calling the most exiting highly profiled race in racing in who knows how long a low point in racing?!??,

Awwwww the big z lost she ran the race of her life got beat by a gorilla in his backyard and ur quitting the game cuz of this...go ahead

I guess u don't realize the only shot of every seeing her race again was if she lost

I blasted the big z to place now before the race I said I hope she runs second I'll look like the master but down the lane I never rooted so hard for a horse in my life

Now barbaro eight belles ruffian any break downs at everyday tracks there lows

Yesterday was a heartbreaker but it the only way the z master may race again maybe a blessing in disguise

[Cardus]

Holy crap! This is one of the funniest things I've ever seen! :) Thanks for posting it.

Zippy,
I know how you feel. Big Brown's humiliation in the Belmont Stakes destroyed my faith in racing. I can still feel the outrage of that day! :mad:

But I don't feel Zenyatta has anything to be ashamed of; I think her performance yesterday really silenced her critics (including me). I'm really impressed with her! :)

It restored mine.

[Cardus]

Zippy, that's nothing to get down about. Ruffian was my favorite horse, I idolized her, and the day she broke down I cried my eyes out, I was heartbroken.

Zenyatta is alive, healthy, greatly respected and admired by millions of adoring fans, and destined for a long lifetime of great sex with the best looking studs on earth. She has it made. Don't feel sorry for Zenyatta, she is the QUEEN of racing and will go down in history as the greatest mare of all time.

And this post will go down as one of the freakiest of all time.

[WJ47]

It restored mine.

Oh, I do know what you mean. I was never a huge Big Brown fan and I really didn't want to see Dutrow, IEAH and Kent D. get the crown. What I mean is that on paper, Big Brown should have beat that Belmont field. Especially with the scratch of the only horse that may have challenged him that morning. I thought the crown would be won by default and I didn't really think Big Brown was worthy of being in the same league as Secretariat and Seattle Slew.

I was astonished and speechless after the race and no one will ever convince me that something "weird" didn't go on. That race completely shattered the rest of my racing innocence and I said that I'd never be convinced again that a certain horse was "sure" to win a race. That race was a disgrace, an embarrassment. It was possibly the worst thing I've ever seen in racing.

I don't think I explained my position well enough; I didn't cry because I was sad Big Brown lost. I was disgusted. I think it would be funny if someone did one of those Hitler videos about Hitler finding out that Big Brown finished last in the Belmont Stakes.

[Robert Goren]

I thinking all these folks are just pulling our collective legs, right? Otherwise several z freaks are seriously under medicated.

my all time favorite saying in this game "there's always fresh".

hell, charles town is running, let's get back to 'capping and see if we can pick the winner in the 3rd race. If you are betting charles town, you should take a break.;)

[olddaddy]

I have been through admitted stiff jobs, illegal jockey devices, illegal medicated horses, horses being switched etc. Those are things that could turn someone away from racing. One great horse beating another great horse is what makes racing exciting.

[WinterTriangle]

Sorry you feel so bad, Zippy.

Highs and lows are what horseracing is all about, any sport, I feel it in tennis, too. Heck, even love, relationships, marriage---all have highs and lows.

That's why we get so much out of these things. ;)

If racing brings you no pleasure right now, by all means, take a break.


Awwwww the big z lost she ran the race of her life got beat by a gorilla in his backyard and ur quitting the game cuz of this...go ahead

I have always thought that the one thing you can't question is people's "feelings". It's not really something that should be up for debate.

People feel what they feel, and feelings are very authentic, for everyone.

Telling someone how to think, by pointing out fallacies in thought processes, or points they may not have considered is one thing.

Telling people they shouldn't or should feel X or Y, seems utterly absurd to me.

[Zippy Chippy]

I have been through admitted stiff jobs, illegal jockey devices, illegal medicated horses, horses being switched etc. Those are things that could turn someone away from racing. One great horse beating another great horse is what makes racing exciting.

Agreed. I told some of my friends if Zenyatta is flying at the end and loses by a nose im going to be inconsolable! Its exactly what happened! not to be overdramatic but the rest of my life would have been gravy if she got up in time.. ughhh.

[cpitt84]

not to be overdramatic but the rest of my life would have been gravy if she got up in time.. ughhh.

gosh, i feel the same way. There is such a high when she wins and the whole world just looks better.

Definitely my drug!

[DJofSD]

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

[The_Knight_Sky]

People feel what they feel, and feelings are very authentic, for everyone.




After 25 years of following horse racing ...
I am now authentically feeling jaded and indifferent. :D