I initially watched the race with the TV muted, caught a replay with the call. Anyone that watches horse racing knew what Zenyatta did in the final 1/2 mile was awesome. I am really disappointed that Rachel Alexandra hid this weekend.

We'll see Rachel next year in the BC, at Churchill. She had a helluva year, and she'll get her crack at the BC next time around

OtherLittleGuy: ***Secretariat Belmont call***

Dammit, now I've got to go find the video.

I was at the Georgia Tech game yesterday so I had to resort to watching the BCC on the internet late at night, knowing Zenyatta won. I followed Rachel pretty closely this year and am a fan, so I figured I would be only mildly impressed with Z. By the wire, tears were streaming down my face. Simply breathtaking. I can't believe she did that, having stalled in the gate, bad trip, splitting horses, going wide...I want a co-HOTY.

bumblebee: I want a co-HOTY.

Rachel Alexandra loses Horse of the Year rights for refusing to face Zenyatta.

A bunch of handicappers say Rachel has a better resume and thus should be HOTY. I still can't help but feel Zenyatta is more impressive and deserving.

I got goosebumps.

zomg ponies!

I watched it after I knew she'd won, and I still thought, "She's too far back, there's no way she'll get there in time"

But my favorite stretch run was the Belmont duel between Curlin and Rags to Riches

Chariset: I watched it after I knew she'd won, and I still thought, "She's too far back, there's no way she'll get there in time"

But my favorite stretch run was the Belmont duel between Curlin and Rags to Riches

Thisthisthisthisthis.

/literally on the edge of my seat, yelling at the tv ... and I already new the results

1lastcall: Thisthisthisthisthis.

/literally on the edge of my seat, yelling at the tv ... and I already new the results

When I saw it happen live, I literally could not breathe. They locked together at the top of the stretch and he couldn't get past her, and then it looked like he might, and she just said "No."

ChrisPC: Everytime I hear that horse's name, it makes me think of this album.

Rightly so. She's named after it. Her owner is the Moss in "A&M Records"

/Slipping, guys, seriously.

Man, what a great call.

THIS. IS. UN-BE-LEIVABLE!


That definitely did have some of the same haunting power that the Secretariat call had
He is moving like a tremendous machine!

I have never yelled during a race if I didn't have a bet on it. That changed Saturday in the Classic. An awesome performance from an awesome mare.

As far as the Horse of the Year debate is concerned, I couldn't care much less. Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta delivered some amazing performances in 2009, and both are deserving of the title. It's sad how the "championship" comes down to a vote; it turns the sport into a popularity contest.

/surprised I licked on a SbB link

Make that "clicked". Ugh.

(1) FWIW, Zenyatta has rarely raced off the synthetic track @ Hollywood Park/Santa Anita. The Woodward raised its purse to entice Zenyatta to enter and Zenyatta's camp elected to stay out West.

(2) Zenyatta's camp did make a gutsy move in entering her in the Classic, as opposed to simply winning the Ladies' Classic by a zillion lengths.

(3) Rachel Alexandra's camp probably did chicken out of the Classic; she could have tried her luck on the synthetic track at some point.

In other news, it seems there's a high number of female horses contending with the top male horses -- increased willingness on the owners to challenge males or some sort of veterinary explanation? I do know horses seem to be more fragile than they were even 20-30 years ago ...

AirForbes1: I have never yelled during a race if I didn't have a bet on it. That changed Saturday in the Classic. An awesome performance from an awesome mare.

As far as the Horse of the Year debate is concerned, I couldn't care much less. Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta delivered some amazing performances in 2009, and both are deserving of the title. It's sad how the "championship" comes down to a vote; it turns the sport into a popularity contest.

/surprised I licked on a SbB link

That feels about right, actually.

/snork

stpickrell: (1) FWIW, Zenyatta has rarely raced off the synthetic track @ Hollywood Park/Santa Anita. The Woodward raised its purse to entice Zenyatta to enter and Zenyatta's camp elected to stay out West.

Zenyatta's won on dirt (the Apple Blossom). She thrashed the field. Her trainer thinks she's better on dirt, but his goal was the Breeders Cup at Santa Anita, and he didn't want to interrupt her routine by making her travel.

(3) Rachel Alexandra's camp probably did chicken out of the Classic; she could have tried her luck on the synthetic track at some point.

Rachel did: Her maiden race was on synthetics and she won. But Jackson is apparently still sore that his superhorse Curlin (no irony there... Curlin was a superior animal) lost the Classic last year on synthetics. There's also a pretty good chance that Rachel can't handle a classic distance.

That said, I love Rachel. She's the princess of American Thoroughbred racing, and I'm happy she's going to race another year. But Zenyatta is the queen.

Chariset: I watched it after I knew she'd won, and I still thought, "She's too far back, there's no way she'll get there in time"

But my favorite stretch run was the Belmont duel between Curlin and Rags to Riches

You know, even though I saw this when it happened, and was thrilled with a great race and the results, I just watched it again for the first time in two years, and I swear it's like my brain forgets that it already knows who's going to win... My heart was pounding and my eyes filled up with tears.

Just got back from the OTB with my $740 for the Zenyatta win!

/Not a degenerate. I only bet a few times a year, but I like to bet big.
//Off to the gym in 26 minutes

Who knew that successful female horses would get people to talk about horse racing again?