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[The_Knight_Sky]

Originally Posted by andymays

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/mo...#ixzz150XkCPVH

Mr. Bossert is in high form.
He expresses my sentiments exactly.



It's not her fault, and it's certainly not the fault of jockey Mike Smith.
The blame falls squarely of the shoulders of her owners, Jerry and Ann Moss, along with trainer John Shirreffs, for keeping the mighty mare on such a conservative path, trying to keep her win streak alive, rather than trying to be the best by running with the best.

In 2008, they had the chance to take on Curlin in the Breeders' Cup Classic, in her backyard over a synthetic track that Curlin obviously didn't care for, but passed before running the Ladies' Classic.

Last year, they raced her just five times, four times against her own sex in California before trying the Classic and prevailing.

While becoming the first female to win the Classic, she beat the boys only once, something Rachel Alexandra did three times in 2009.

You think they would have learned, but they didn't.

This year, Zenyatta went to the gate six times, facing just females in her first five starts, winning each time, before taking a chance against the boys in the Classic.

She came up a head short to Blame, who faced open company in all five of his starts this year, defeating Zenyatta by a head on the track, where it means the most.

I fell in love with Zenyatta last week, seeing how kind of a horse she is, and how popular she is, but that doesn't mean she's Horse of the Year.

A lock for the Hall of Fame, Zenyatta did more for the sport than Blame ever will, but that doesn't mean she's Horse of the Year. Blame is.