Jennie Rees talks sense on HOY

[FenceBored]

There’s one rule in my personal Horse of the Year voting: The horse must have more wins than losses. That eliminates Classic winner Drosselmeyer, Classic runner-up Game On Dude and pretty much every 3-year-old colt.
-- http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20111220/COLUMNISTS03/312200095/Jennie-Rees-Only-one-real-choice-Horse-Year

[classhandicapper]

This always comes down to personal criteria.

Best horse?

Most accomplished horse?

Most outstanding horse in any division?

Do speed figures/trips count?

Only dirt?

To me, the award is called HOTY, not best horse of the year, not fastest horse of the year etc.. Calling it HOTY implies more than just ability (even though ability is a big part of it).

IMO, Havre de Grace deserves HOTY because she was clearly an outstanding mare, had an outstanding year , and was near the top in ability. You could easily argue she wasn't as good as Tizway (and perhaps others). But there's little doubt she had a great year. Tizway's was cut short by injury and was below what we typically expect from a HOTY candidate.

[toussaud]

I still think it should go to game on dude. I would have no issue with HDG though. She didn't duck anyone all year long and i'm not going to fault her for running her worst race in her what, 7th or 8th start of the year

[thaskalos]

IMO, it should be a question of who is the year's best horse...period!

The voters should assume that all the outstanding horses in the country have gotten into the starting gate for a race at the "classic" distance of a mile and a quarter on dirt...and the vote should go to whom they consider the most likely winner.

Enough with this nonsense about who has had "the most outstanding campaign".

If a foreigner comes here and demolishes our all-star lineup in the Breeders Cup Classic, then that horse deserves HOY honors...regardless of his year-long campaign.

HOY should mean the year's best horse!

[thaskalos]

To me, the award is called HOTY, not best horse of the year, not fastest horse of the year etc.. Calling it HOTY implies more than just ability (even though ability is a big part of it).

If the industry gave out another award fot the best or fastest horse of the year, then I would agree with you...but they don't.

All they do is declare the "divisional" champions.

Where is the recognition for being the year's best horse...if it's not the "Horse Of The Year"?

[classhandicapper]

The problem with using just "best or fastest" is mostly a matter of form cycle and length of campaign.

What do you do if one horse gets amazingly sharp/fast for a single race or two, but the rest of his campaign is very mediocre or he is immediately injured and retired?

He was the best horse, but was he HOTY?

By the "best horse" standard, IMHO Tizway deserves HOTY, but does he off that campaign?

That's why I think the award is and should be a blend of multiple things.

The problem is that is hasn't been defined so everyone uses different weights for each factor and different inputs to measure ability.

[5k-claim]

The problem with using just "best or fastest" is mostly a matter of form cycle and length of campaign.

What do you do if one horse gets amazingly sharp/fast for a single race or two, but the rest of his campaign is very mediocre or he is immediately injured and retired?

He was the best horse, but was he HOTY?

By the "best horse" standard, IMHO Tizway deserves HOTY, but does he off that campaign?

That's why I think the award is and should be a blend of multiple things.

The problem is that is hasn't been defined so everyone uses different weights for each factor and different inputs to measure ability.I agree that "Horse of the Year" is a blend of multiple things. The voters are the key in that if they are adequately qualified (to be members of racing media) and take the voting responsibility seriously then all of those different criteria they are using are hopefully smoothed out and what is left is the horse with the broadest appeal across the criteria. So in this regard, I think the lack of a stringent definition is part of the HOTY charm, not a detraction. (Or at the very least could make the results more interesting to look at.) Of course it is not perfect, but for a media award it is at least better than something like American Idol where anyone with a phone can vote. At least there is some filtering on who gets to vote and contribute their recipe of HOTY criteria.

As for Rees, I remember her from last year.

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[FenceBored]

I agree that "Horse of the Year" is a blend of multiple things. The voters are the key in that if they are adequately qualified (to be members of racing media) and take the voting responsibility seriously then all of those different criteria they are using are hopefully smoothed out and what is left is the horse with the broadest appeal across the criteria. So in this regard, I think the lack of a stringent definition is part of the HOTY charm, not a detraction. (Or at the very least could make the results more interesting to look at.) Of course it is not perfect, but for a media award it is at least better than something like American Idol where anyone with a phone can vote. At least there is some filtering on who gets to vote and contribute their recipe of HOTY criteria.

As for Rees, I remember her from last year.

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I fear that Jason 'can't even look up a horse's record properly' Shandler probably has a vote. This would indicate that there may be a filter, but it ain't necessarily a good one.

What do you remember about Rees from last year: The 'I'm going to vote for Blame' to 'I voted for Zenyatta' flip flop?

[5k-claim]

I fear that Jason 'can't even look up a horse's record properly' Shandler probably has a vote. This would indicate that there may be a filter, but it ain't necessarily a good one.

What do you remember about Rees from last year: The 'I'm going to vote for Blame' to 'I voted for Zenyatta' flip flop?Oh.... well then apparently I don't remember her from last year after all. Last I read, she was not going to make any choice at all and just give up her vote. Unless I've got the wrong person. I guess I stopped reading too soon.

.

[FenceBored]

Oh.... well then apparently I don't remember her from last year after all. Last I read, she was not going to make any choice at all and just give up her vote. Unless I've got the wrong person. I guess I stopped reading too soon.

.

Hmm, you're right. She did say that (http://blogs.courier-journal.com/racing/2011/01/06/rees-hoy-decision-i-wimp-out/) now that you mention it. That's even worse. No wonder I blocked it out.