Bob Hill
Staff writer
Tracksideview.com

If you have read my articles in the past you know that I consider myself a fan and not a journalist.  I try to represent the perspective of a fan when I write rather than present myself as a racing insider.  So with that said, I have to declare that the 2009 Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Santa Anita were the thrill of a fan’s lifetime for me and for most in attendance. 

I did not key my bets in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Zenyatta because I was looking for value that would trigger a large win.  I actually keyed on Gio Ponti, and for the shortest fleeting moment I thought he might win.  That was before John Shirreffs “Horse of a Lifetime” ran by Gio Ponti, the last opponent between her and racing immortality.  Never have I witnessed the emotion a racing crowd that erupted when the outcome was certain.  Until Breeders’ Cup Saturday I would tell you that when a race ends you can find a group of celebrating fans (often a large group) waving their winning tickets, and if you take a second look it usually is not difficult to pick out the losers in the crowd either.  Not yesterday!  When Zenyatta won, 58,845 fans rose as one in awe-filled jubilation – even those holding losing tickets!

It has been the length of racing lifetimes for many fans since the last Triple Crown winner.  Zenyatta’s historic victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic in which she became the first filly or mare to win that race is as close to a Triple Crown experience as millions of horse players have ever come.  Now I know what I have missed all these years.

As the day was ending and we were packing our computers and backpacks filled with losing bet slips I passed by a young lady who declared that Zenyatta was the greatest and that Rachel Alexandra was nothing compared to her.  I just could not keep from commenting to her that I loved her enthusiasm for what she had just witnessed – one of the top stories in the history of the sport – but I asked her if she had ever seen Rachel in the flesh.  I was not surprised to hear that she had not, so I suggested that she consider approaching the question of the two with the idea that the greatness of either one does not diminish the greatness of the other.

The sentiment that I expressed to the young lady is one that I hope the movers and shakers of the sport also can consider.  During the time that I have been a fan I have observed the thoroughbred industry shot itself in the foot  almost every time it has had a chance to make good of an opportunity like the one presented by these two wonderful horses in 2009.  The debate has already started about which one should by Horse of the Year, and just like arguing politics or religion, most sports debates do not lend themselves to settlement based on conclusive evidence.  The rule book on opinions leaves plenty of room for bias, conjecture, and closed-mindedness.

Those who love the sport, and yes those that make their livings from it, should realize right now that there can only be losers in choosing either Zenyatta or Rachel Alexandra over the other for the honor.  Some group of fans will feel that an injustice has occurred if their favorite is snubbed.  Only the most pure of the purists will even care about the finer points that separate the two, not in a factual way but in a way that reflects their opinions. 

This is easy folks.  When two of the greatest thoroughbred race horses in the history of the sport happen to re-write record books in the same year they should share the honor of Horse of the Year.  It well could be a racing lifetime for some fans of the sport to see a repeat of 2009.  I’m just happy that I got in on this one. 

My  son went to his first Breeders’ Cup this year and was treated to a moment that he can tell my grandchildren and great-grandchildren about a long time from now.  I’ll just have to chime in that it was wonderful indeed to see Zenyatta do what she did, but I’ll also add, “You should have seen Rachel Alexandra, too.”