Things we liked, others we didn’t
Good for the game:
Peppers Pride-any time a horse wins 19 in a row, it is good for the game, even if it is in New Mexico. Her appearances there helped to attract old and new race goers alike, and it proves that people will come out to see hometown heroes. The only negative is there aren’t more classy, consistent horses across the country that could help attendance at other venues.
Zenyatta- she looks unbeatable, and next year the sky could be the limit. The problem is the first time main stream media heard her name was at the Breeders Cup, where she decimated her field. That is sad too, because her other races this year were just as impressive, especially her win in the Apple Blossom over the always tough Ginger Punch. Ginger Punch is off to the breeding shed and will be missed, but Zenyatta will be back for more next year.
Curlin/Jess Jackson- It has been a long time that a Horse of the Year has returned, or even a three year old male champ (unless we count the geldings). Kudos to the connections of Curlin for even wanting a four year old campaign. Curlin did not disappoint, and rattled off victories in the Dubai World Cup, Stephen Foster, Woodward, and Jockey Club Gold Cup. His try on turf did not result in a win, but he was still very game, and his Classic was not as bad as it looked. His beyer speed figures were still up there with the rest of his efforts. He just got beat by a better horse that day, in track record time.
Larry Jones- we shared his heartbreak over his filly’s tragic demise. He put a human face on a problem that is all to common in the game today. It was hard not to feel his pain, when he was so visibly shaken over the loss of Eight Belles. He showed the game is sometimes not as harsh as it appears, and the humans involved often really do love their equine charges.
The ladies- were ultra-consistent and where the excitement was at this year. Ginger Punch, Indian Blessing, Proud Spell, Music Note, Cocoa Beach and Zenyatta ran their hearts out this year. Stardom Bound (little Z around the barn) doesn’t appear to be letting the ladies down, and is poised to take the reins next year at three. Standing in her way are Zenyatta and Cocoa Beach, who will be tough to beat.
Racing duds:
Todd Pletcher- Ok, so Pletcher is an easy scapegoat, and we know he isn’t the only one doping his horses (Wait a While- Breeders Cup), but it is tiresome to see all the major trainers accused of drug infractions. It is long overdue for an overhaul on the way the offenders are punished (or not)!
Inaction from just about everyone in positions of power- Will they ever make drug policies with teeth? After seeing what they are currently doing, it is very doubtful. Forget about steroids for awhile, how about lasix? Every horse in this country runs on lasix, and it doesn’t do what it is supposed to do- which is stop bleeding. Does it make them faster? Maybe, as everyone is so afraid to take their horses off of it and find out.
Rod Stewart- another perfect example of what is wrong with current drug policies and punishments. He was caught with cobra venom but lucky for him we haven’t seen the last of him. His horses, however are not so lucky.
Rick Dutrow- he was good for press, but that was about it. It was also fun to laugh at him when his horse finished dead last in the Belmont. Big Brown had some spectacular races, but he certainly would have been easier to like and root for without his ass of a trainer.
Dan Liebman- God, we miss Ray Paulick and can at least catch his thoughts from time to time over at ESPN. Is there a more boring writer than Dan Liebman?
The three year olds- One word describes this group- slow. They took turns winning races in the spring, and didn’t seem to progress all that much throughout the rest of the year. It will be interesting to see if Mambo in Seattle, Harlem Rocker, Tale of Ekati, El Gato Malo and Colonel John are any better at four. If Big Brown really was greatness, because of this crop, he will forever be tainted. We will always wonder if he really was that good, or were his fields just that weak.
Coverage of all siblings related to Barbaro- be it Nicanor, Lentanor or whoever else Bloodhorse wants to cover….enough already! Remember all the buzz about The Green Monkey (never even won a race). Yes, they are related to Barbaro, but that in itself could be a problem. While Barbaro was fast, he wasn’t durable enough to hold together for seven races…a problem with the modern day thoroughbred, and now we have more baby Barbaros. Hopefully they are sturdier.
NTRA- they needed to support the bill that made horse slaughter just a little bit harder in the US. They didn’t and now anyone with a brain knows that just because we can’t slaughter horses in America, doesn’t mean thousands of our racehorses don’t end up across the border meeting their end in slaughterhouses. A PETA headed by some more “in the know” people could make a lot of noise with this one, instead of jumping on the jockey for the Eight Belles tragedy. The problem of what to do with retired racehorses, and the callousness in which some are abandoned makes it very hard to hope this sport continues in the black, and makes it an easy target for anyone crying animal abuse. It has often been said that there is a fine line between dog fights, cock fights and horse racing. Never before has the line been so fine.
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