Eclipse Award Controversy
Sadly, the US racing community appears torn amongst three choices for Eclipse Horse of the Year: Rachel Alexandra of the East Coast, Zenyatta of the West Coast and a Co-HOY Award.
The Chairman of the Eclipse Committee refuses to consider a Co-HOY Award leaving the two factions to fight it out.
Rachel has an advantage in that 70% of the voters are from the East Coast.
If one must make a choice, most members of the media believe that Zenyatta should win on the basis of 14-out-of-14 victories and her annihilating Breeders' Cup Classic win.
Not only has the East vs West Coast rivalry been re-ignited, the ongoing refusal to allow many of the most knowledgeable writers and radio/television commentators to vote has been revived with a vengeance.
The public is not allowed to participate as it does in the Cartier Awards.
Both fillies have excited the world with their racing charisma and incredible accomplishments as well as bringing the crowds to racetracks.
In the best interests of US and international racing, members of the Eclipse Committee should find a fair, flexible and magnanimous solution which would honour both fillies in honour of the racing public.
The Committee would be wise to open up its membership and voting rights to all the media and public.
How well the Cartier Awards function without all this unnecessary angst!
Racing International http:/www.racingint.com
The Chairman of the Eclipse Committee refuses to consider a Co-HOY Award leaving the two factions to fight it out.
Rachel has an advantage in that 70% of the voters are from the East Coast.
If one must make a choice, most members of the media believe that Zenyatta should win on the basis of 14-out-of-14 victories and her annihilating Breeders' Cup Classic win.
Not only has the East vs West Coast rivalry been re-ignited, the ongoing refusal to allow many of the most knowledgeable writers and radio/television commentators to vote has been revived with a vengeance.
The public is not allowed to participate as it does in the Cartier Awards.
Both fillies have excited the world with their racing charisma and incredible accomplishments as well as bringing the crowds to racetracks.
In the best interests of US and international racing, members of the Eclipse Committee should find a fair, flexible and magnanimous solution which would honour both fillies in honour of the racing public.
The Committee would be wise to open up its membership and voting rights to all the media and public.
How well the Cartier Awards function without all this unnecessary angst!
Racing International http:/www.racingint.com
Posted by susan trevelyan-syke at 11/17/2009 11:31 PM 
Categories: Eclipse Awards 2009
Tags: Eclipse Awards 2009
Categories: Eclipse Awards 2009
Tags: Eclipse Awards 2009
I agree that both Fillies deserve to be HOY and it would be wise for a dying sport to honor itself fairly. What real harm can come from joint winners. Didn't personality and Run the Gauntlet Share it in 1970? The point anyway is horse racing has lost so much respect the last few years that maybe just maybe DOING THE RIGHT THING is the right thing to do
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When one sees how "fans" turn out and adore these equine super atheletes (like Zenyatta and Kauto Star yesterday), it beggers belief that the U S racing industry can be so shortsighted especially when it is failing.
The only thing they think of for failing attendance is buying betting companies and installing casinos and slots, but then it is all about money.
They have lost the understanding of the joy that real people feel about these magnificent, amazing and sweet creatures.
Hence, the rigid, stupid Eclipse decision. Don't know about 1970, but the committee just was unmoved to honour both.
Maybe it is the East vs West bias. So many of the articles I read from the voters (on which should get HOY) are for Rachel. Period. Some of the reasons are ludicrous and even insulting about Zenyatta.
You might want to read http://www.racingint.com for a number of awards for Z and the international (including Thoroughbred Times and Associated Press) views of the contest.
The articles will be on the blog one by one within the next few days.
Instead of celebrating the celebrity of the two females loved the world over, it seems the insiders think provoking a sometimes nasty competition with one as loser is far cleverer.
Those of us living in the UK see how the Cartier handles things (with readers voting with the experts) and can only think how provincial and backward the U S can be.
What a magnificent, inclusive event HOY could have been if both were honoured!
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Hi UKer - I agree. It is insulting to Zenyatta. I do understand the ridiculousness about only using her 2009 races as a preface for this years awards and that is she won awards the past 2 years for her other wins with that said Both Still deserve HOY. Rachael is by far the one of the Greatest 3 yo fillies of all time in the U.S. performance wise Her 3 yo campaign has surpassed even Ruffian.
Zenyatta's Classic will stick in my mind as one of the greatest feat by an Amereican older Filly or Mare performances up there with All Along, Shuvee, April Run, Lady's Secret, Allez France . There is an 'ancient american term' called the Look of Eagles which they all had.
Respects
Hi Zen
I am Chicago born and bred, but am lucky to have worked here since 1991 (with National Health Service).
There is not much we can do about those who vote. They do not seem to see the bigger picture nor do they seem to understand the superiority of inclusiveness over exclusiveness.
Whatever the Eclipse voters do, internationals are still shocked that the committee would not consider a Co-HOY and will still be shocked if Zenyatta is not chosen HOY.
No doubt that Rachel Alexandra is a wonder 3yo filly--perhaps the best of all times. Experts who know more than I put her in Ruffian's category.
To me, she is just "Rachel" to be cherished. I adore her and wept during most of her last race. She was so tired, fought off attack after attack from the males with staggering courage and nearly fell over the wire.
She was pushed to her limits and took to her bed for days.
Lest one forget, she is still a baby of three.
Zenyatta has never been driven to that degree.
If her career had included more races against males, I suspect she would have disposed of them with the same offhandedness as she did in the BCC.
Of living horses, only Sea The Stars could have beaten her. Maybe. And he is the greatest Flat Turf horse of our times.
That would have been the race of a lifetime.
Stil I wish they had not changed the Lady's Secret race name. More failure to understand respect, tradition and people's regard for beloved, great horses.
You might like the new heading on www.racingint.com/americas.
Season's Greetings
PS "Look of Eagles" is wonderful. The greats all have it. No way will they be denied.
Sheikh Mohammed has it as well.
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