It Begins! The Media Campaign for Zenyatta as HOY is Just Getting Started
 

Paulick Report » Blog Archive » Narrowing in on Horse of the Year

http://www.paulickreport.com/blog/na...e-of-the-year/

Excerpt:

My vote, in a decision as narrow as the Breeders’ Cup Classic, goes to Zenyatta as Horse of the Year.

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Paulick isn't the only one to campaign for Zenyatta as HOY. We've seen John Pricci and some others declare her winner of HOY prior to the Classic. They feel that the close finish gives them cover to make up for what they feel is a horse that deserves HOY under the "special circumstances" rule whatever that is. If they want to recongnize Zenyatta and her Connections then they should come up with a "special circumstances" award because this year Blame ran against better horses and Blame beat Zenyatta on the square in the Classic. Zenyatta was awesome in defeat but she offficially ran second to Blame.

I haven't fully looked at everything, but I would
 

probably vote for Blame. I will say, however, that you can certainly make a strong case for Zenyatta, it is not a crazy position to take at all.

And this is a special case, a winning streak that spans over many years does not sync well with the HOY award.

In theory you can argue you can't vote for a horse for 2010 HOY based on results from 2008 and 2009, but why can't you? This is not the BCS, which works so well in football, this is a human vote and humans have feelings and emotions.

There have been player of the year awards given in sports and entertainment that were really lifetime awards, and that may happen in this case. If you don't like it, I understand. If that is not how you would vote, I understand. If you think others shouldn't do it, I understand. But, if you say they can't do it, I disagree.

Un-freakein-believable.

Yes, it is.

As a measure of competition faced and defeated, it's crazy.

As a incentive for future connections, it's crazy (yeah, Blame as HOY is crazy on this point as well, but who's a better candidate {Goldikova}).

It's just plain crazy.

If you are going to vote for Goldikova you
 

are certainly considering the 3-peat. Without considering that it is tough for me to give HOY to a horse that only had 5 starts, and even they weren't all wins.

Like I said I have more research to do, and the really sad part is that I'll do it.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...beats-zenyatta

When one scrolls down and listens to the comments, the actual facts--what Blame has done this year in the 16 minute video press conference following his Classic win with trainer, Al Stall; owner, Seth Hancock/Claiborne Farm; and Garrett Gomez, Blame's jockey, there is no question which horse will be named HORSE OF THE YEAR.

Blame deserves this award. It is not based on lifetime achievement and those that make up the body of votes know this. The award is not about popularity, it is not about performance in one race.

There's no doubt, the Classic's photo finish is, indeed, the sport's, "moment of the year", still this doesn't warrant Zenyatta being named HOTY.

Blame's performance on the track this year, combined with Seth Hancock's family owning Claiborne and breeding horses for 100 years, his running of this farm for thirty eight years and Blame being a homebred will carry more weight in the voting.

Most likely the Moss's choice for an easier path towards one ultimate goal will cause them to be shut out once again.

Zenyatta's been a boon to the sport, a certain fact that cannot be questioned, but Blame has achieved on the track what the award is designated to honor and recognize on a yearly basis.

Hopefully, when Zenyatta is honored and voted into the thoroughbred racing's, Hall of Fame, which may well not be too far off--the Moss's will be thrilled and more gracious than they were at last year's Eclipse awards.

(Maybe Fence or someone else can embed the video--) ;)

One mile turf race in the US this year does quailify a horse to be HOY in the US in my book. She may be HOY in Europe, not that anyone outside of breeders really care about that.

On this you may be mistaken. You may want to dig a bit deeper while getting underway with your research. Your first stop might be here:

http://www.oscars.org/awards/academy...es/rule01.html

c. THE HONORARY AWARD (Statuette). This award shall be given to honor extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy. (See Rule Twenty-four.)

(In thoroughbred racing, this is why we have the HALL OF FAME.)

How can I find of video of what doesn't exist? :confused: Surely noone coud question Mr. Moss's graciousness last January.

Fence, did you scroll all the way down to the bottom of the story? The video is there at the bottom of the page.

Grits...
 

What was Robert Redford's best move as an actor?

Who was the best NBA player in 2007?

I don't know. . . . . and I don't care. I'm sorry. Horse Of The Year is the thread discussion.

The next time I have a bad beat and get a nose hung on me can some of you come to the window with me and make them pay anyway?

If you want to make Zenyatta HOY then just say these words instead of hiding behind a bunch of rationalizations.

“Zenyatta was not HOY but I’m voting for her anyway”

“Zenyatta was not HOY but I’m voting for her anyway”

“Zenyatta was not HOY but I’m voting for her anyway”

Zenyatta is an all time great mare and the race she ran was tremendous but the fact is that her connections campaigned her for runner up HOY. There were many races in California like the Hollywood Gold Cup or the Pacific Classic that she didn’t have to travel to run in. Some of those races were on the same day she chose to run against lesser.

It’s fine if Horse Racing wants to come up with another award to recongnize Zenyatta for bringing positive attention to the sport but to vote for her for HOY is malpractice.

If this race ended in a dead heat, very few people would have voted for Blame as HOY even though he still 'won' the race. I don't think a nose difference in one horse race should make 200 voters to change their votes to the other side, the HOY is a compilation of what you've done all year and not what you do in one race. If that was the case, they would just call it the Breeders Cup Classic award and give the big trophy to the winner of the race no matter what happened the rest of the year.

Also, we CALL it horse of the YEAR award, but why should that be restricted to a specific 365 days? If you are going to have a horse of the year award, why not a horse of the Period award? Or, a horse of the 2 years award? Why one year? Who died and said one exact calendar year was the end all of end alls.

Last year, Rachel put up an all time spectacular campaign and beat Z by an eyelash. It took the accomplishments of Rachel to deny Z right at the wire in the voting. How can an average forgettable horse like Blame, who was a 'no show' in 20% of his races in 2010, beat Z in the voting?

Both Blame and Z lost one horse race this year. Blame lost a race by 4 or 5 lengths (with Haynesfield wrapped up, Haynes could have won by 10 if he needed to) and Z lost the BC Classic by a nose with a breathtaking, blistering finish.

Z's one loss was much more impressive than Blames one loss, wouldnt' you agree?

Zenyatta must be Horse of the Year by Ed Fountaine

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/horse...vrEHz9yqPiZNMM