tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867099600753127329.post3892808770445796919..comments2020-11-14T07:34:29.616-05:00Comments on The Saratoga Sire: Horse of the Year...further discussionGeorgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03476467655253617704noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867099600753127329.post-50168506776176668422008-10-05T08:04:00.000-04:002008-10-05T08:04:00.000-04:00Thanks Patrick. I should more clearly have said op...Thanks Patrick. I should more clearly have said open company when refering to male runners. But part of my point is that though it may be 'open company' the races are run almost exclusively as though there is a male division. Few are the fillies and/or mares that challenge in open company. Is the distaff division (in the minds of trainers and owners) truly a helpful bias and so they avoid open company? or is it a quirk of U.S. racing? I really don't know the answer.Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03476467655253617704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867099600753127329.post-3321622251373107672008-10-04T22:18:00.000-04:002008-10-04T22:18:00.000-04:00there is no Male division. The best of the best r...there is no Male division. The best of the best run in open company, that's 3&up. I think Zenyatta has been awesome this year, but I think the TBA standings have it right. Right now Big Brown #1 635 Curlin 2 @ 560, if Zenyatta wanted to be HORSE of the year, she's compete against all horses, that's not the gameplan for her connections, i'd like to see her run in the Classic, but that doesn't fit her goals, shame, but the facts. Big Brown you could argue has ran in the 3yo only category, but the Classic will determine HOTY and everyone is invited.Patrick J Pattenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10365169347148710377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867099600753127329.post-47887885572198448502008-10-04T20:45:00.000-04:002008-10-04T20:45:00.000-04:00Dana, Again I think you're right. I too love turf ...Dana, Again I think you're right. I too love turf racing (though I don't handicap it well), however, the American game is so predominately weighted toward dirt that I think the turf runners are so little regarded because that is just a result of this fact. With the synthetics coming into vogue -and I think to stay for quite a while- this may slowly change over the next decade or two. But this is HOY in the U.S., not the world, so it is understandable that the dirt runners get top considerations. In Europe it would be unusual to see a dirt runner garner such honors. Though in Europe it is, as you know, a bit more likely that a horse would run on both surfaces. Also, I would argue that this year has been one of the least spectacular as far as U.S. grass racing. Up until (and maybe still so I haven't checked recently) Mike Watchmaker, in his Watchmaker Watch listings, has the Man O' War as the best turf race in the States this year. And, sadly enough, he may be right - I would vote for the Arlington Million. As far as sprinters go one would have to be unbelievably dominant, like Lost in the Fog was, but also win the BIG ones to to get my vote. In any case it's fun to disagree about it and know no one can really be right. -GeorgeGeorgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03476467655253617704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4867099600753127329.post-20123319095776203642008-10-04T15:34:00.000-04:002008-10-04T15:34:00.000-04:00I think Zenyatta's got a good a shot as any to win...I think Zenyatta's got a good a shot as any to win the Classic. But it's the distaff division this year that's the most interesting. What about the turfers or the sprinters? They're unfairly overlooked too unless the triple crown stand out bombs in the classic.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com