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Originally Posted by only11
whats Ruffians excuse?
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In what way is Ruffian's career even remotely similar to Zenyatta's?
As has been stated in the past, a horse like Zenyatta that started her career essentially as a 4yo, is at a dramatic disadvantage when trying to attach "all time" sentiments onto her career. She did not have the opportunity to run in the sophomore classics that are the main focus of this sport. Thus, having established that she was not a precocious runner (which can't be ignored as a quality favored in the world of horse racing), she has to prove her greatness in other ways. In that respect, she is held to a different standard than horses like Personal Ensign, Ruffian, and Rachel Alexandra.
Ruffian was a monumental 2yo, and she carried that form over to her 3yo year. She was only able to complete a partial 3yo campaign before her ultimately fatal breakdown. Prior to that tragedy, she was on the standard and expected campaign of any 3yo filly at the time (ie the Triple Tiara, which she won).
Note that, having won the Triple Tiara, her connections decided to face a colt for her next start. They didn't point for the Monmouth Oaks or the Delaware Oaks, etc. Had she gotten beyond the match race, in all likelihood she would have next encounter older females if not pointed towards the Travers. This is all a logical progression in the racing of younger horses and none of her campaign prior to the match race suggests she was ducking anyone or taking the "easy road".
Furthermore, to some degree, Rachel Alexandra's career
does parallel Ruffian's. In fact, it goes beyond it, in that Rachel Alexandra, in the midst of establishing her dominance in the 3yo filly ranks, ran in and won the Preakness. Later, she faced 3yo males again, and won, and further still, faced older males and won. All those took place in top level races for either her age group or all comers.
Zenyatta at this point, despite starting about 10 times since her indisputable validation that she was the best older mare in training (on synthetics) in the 2008 BC Distaff has attempted something beyond that merely once, running in the BC Classic under ideal conditions.
That race notwithstanding (it can be argued that she would have never run in the Classic were it not for Rachel Alexandra's historic 3yo campaign) her connections have chosen to turn her into the equine equivalent of Bill Murray in "Groundhog's Day", as evidenced by all the various 3-peats in anemic CA races that she has or will attempt.
As the hyperbole that surrounds this mare is sure to branch into the possibility of her actually being able to speak the English language at some point, let me be the first to put forth what I think her first words will be:
"Do you ever have Deja Vu?"
