Who Will Be The Favorite? What Price?

[jms62]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

The best part of this was some genius convinced the trainer of St. Trinians, a mare who was riding a 4 or 5 race win streak (all by open lengths) since coming to the US, to run her against males and stretch out an additional 1.5 furlongs in the Big Cap rather than waiting a week for the Santa Margarita.

In her prior start, St. Trinians had dusted BC Distaff winner Life Is Sweet (along with the place horse, Spinster winner Mushka) as well as Zardana, who one race later upset Rachel Alexandra in her 4yo debut at Fair Grounds.

I guess none of that was convincing enough to try Zenyatta coming off a 4 month layoff.

The connections were vindicated in the end, though. Zenyatta beat by a length or so the same horses in the Santa Margarita that St. Trinians was beating by 4-5 lengths. So it was wise to avoid a head-to-head matchup.

With an additional start under her belt (and with St. Trinians being knocked off form in the Big Cap), Zenyatta was also able to prove a 1/2 length best over St. Trinians a couple of months later in the Vanity. With such a dominating win, no one could be disappointed that there wasn't the early matchup at Santa Anita. And it's not like people were interested in some sort of rival for Zenyatta within her own division (since her connections refused to target the plentiful open 10 furlong races in CA).

Your knowledge and recall and the level of detail is absolutely amazing. You are by far the best poster in the Horse racing Metaverse.

[Dahoss]

Hmmm

Originally Posted by v j stauffer

I have THE WORST long term memory. And I know other announcers who are the same.

True story.

Many years ago a Dr. told me that since I memorize and forget 10 horse fields ten times a day every 30 minutes. It cultivates a hyper acute short term memory.

However, the down side of that is it messes up my long term memory. He was 100% correct. That's the way it's played out.

[moses]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

Hmmm

[Dahoss]

It’s interesting to see how many people were involved whether on purpose or not in protecting Zenyatta’s streak.

Sad thing is, the race that proved to even her most vocal doubters how good she actually was, was the lone race she was actually challenged and just came up short. Feels like racing fans were robbed of some real exciting racing in a time when the sport needed it because of a dumb streak.

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

It’s interesting to see how many people were involved whether on purpose or not in protecting Zenyatta’s streak.

Sad thing is, the race that proved to even her most vocal doubters how good she actually was, was the lone race she was actually challenged and just came up short. Feels like racing fans were robbed of some real exciting racing in a time when the sport needed it because of a dumb streak.

Do you think the little girls and boys are bettors now? I do just not on racing

Originally Posted by Dahoss

It’s interesting to see how many people were involved whether on purpose or not in protecting Zenyatta’s streak.

Sad thing is, the race that proved to even her most vocal doubters how good she actually was, was the lone race she was actually challenged and just came up short. Feels like racing fans were robbed of some real exciting racing in a time when the sport needed it because of a dumb streak.

That "dumb streak" garnered her 4 Eclipse awards including Horse Of The Year.

She earned $7.3 million.

60 Minutes did a piece on her during a time when horse racing was in a precarious, tenuous position.

The Moss's and John Sherriffs brought her back from retirement and shared her with an adoring public who was thrilled to enjoy another campaign.

Question: If you owned her how would you have managed her career differently?

[Dahoss]

Originally Posted by v j stauffer

That "dumb streak" garnered her 4 Eclipse awards including Horse Of The Year.

She earned $7.3 million.

60 Minutes did a piece on her during a time when horse racing was in a precarious, tenuous position.

The Moss's and John Sherriffs brought her back from retirement and shared her with an adoring public who was thrilled to enjoy another campaign.

Question: If you owned her how would you have managed her career differently?

I would have challenged her a bit. They challenged her twice. She won one of the races and lost the other by a nose.

It’s a shame we didn’t get to see her in more races where the outcome wasn’t a given beforehand.

They had a real chance to actually grow the sport. Get people into it. They failed because they were worried about protecting her streak. It was all ego.

Originally Posted by Dahoss

I would have challenged her a bit. They challenged her twice. She won one of the races and lost the other by a nose.

It’s a shame we didn’t get to see her in more races where the outcome wasn’t a given beforehand.

They had a real chance to actually grow the sport. Get people into it. They failed because they were worried about protecting her streak. It was all ego.

I asked if YOU owned her.

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by jms62

Your knowledge and recall and the level of detail is absolutely amazing. You are by far the best poster in the Horse racing Metaverse.

Please...I am a legend