Horse of the Year Odds: Rachel Alexandra, Zenyatta Top Eclipse Award Nominees
by Patricia Woo | Jan 11 2010
Even to the most casual horse racing observer, 2009 belonged to Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta. The former won the Kentucky Oaks by a record 20 lengths before beating male horses three times, beginning with the Preakness Stakes and ending with the Woodward Stakes; the latter finished her career unbeaten, topping it off with a stunning Breeders' Cup Classic win. The winner of the coveted Eclipse Horse of the Year Award will finally be revealed on Jan. 18 - but whose name will be announced?
Avid Triple Crown series followers will likely side with Rachel Alexandra. Her 20-length win in the Kentucky Oaks against fellow females was breathtaking; her performance in the $1M Gr. 1 Preakness Stakes against 12 rival males at Pimlico Race Course on May 16 was stunning. She led from the first turn and never relinquished that lead, drawing away to win by 6 lengths. Then on Aug. 2, she beat a second lineup of 3-year-old males, including Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird, in the $1M Gr. 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park. But her crowning achievement as a 3-year-old was still to come. Against a field of accomplished males 3 years old and up, the Steve Asmussen-trained daughter of Medaglia d'Oro fended off a determined rally from Macho Again to clinch the $750,000 Gr. 1 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga on Sept. 5. And despite the temptation of even more glory in the year-end Breeders' Cup, Rachel Alexandra's connections opted to end her 2009 campaign with that history-making win, a 2009 record of 8-8-0-0 and $2,746,914 in earnings.
At the same time that Rachel Alexandra was claiming the second leg of the Triple Crown, Zenyatta was kicking off her 2009 campaign as a 4-year-old. The $150,000 Gr. 2 Milady Handicap at Hollywood Park on May 23 was her first win of the year and she followed it up with three additional wins: the $300,000 Gr. 1 Vanity Handicap in June, the $300,000 Clement Hirsch Stakes in August and the $300,000 Lady's Secret Stakes in October. But her most spectacular performance would come in November in the Breeders' Cup. Many thought she would return to defend her Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic title, but trainer John Shirreffs and owners Jerry and Ann Moss had higher sights set for their charge. On Nov. 7, Zenyatta went head-to-head with 11 other males – with eight Group/Grade 1 wins amongst them - and was simply unbeatable, using her powerful finishing kick to blow by the rest of the field on her way to victory. Zenyatta finished her career undefeated – 5-5-0-0 with $3,330,000 in earnings on the year.
In summary, Rachel Alexandra won more races and competed three times against males, but her campaign ended with three months left in the year; Zenyatta ran fewer races but defeated a deeper field in the Breeders' Cup Classic and her win may be more prominent in voter's minds.
Who will win the Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year? Stay tuned on Jan. 18 to find out! And bet on horse racing at the Bodog Racebook!
