It's obvious at this point that these two dashing ladies are the top candidates for Horse of the Year--but which one has the edge? I am personally a fan of both horses, and I honestly don't know which one is better. But I do know this--Rachel will never get the chance to prove that she is better than Zenyatta (which I am sure racing fans aren't happy about). The owner's choice not to run her again this year, and Zenyatta's probable retirement after this year's Breeder's Cup (Classic, or Ladies' Classic?)has made the match up an impossibility. In regards to Rachel's owners' decision: I think they are making a huge mistake avoiding Zenyatta, no matter what the decision was based on (I hear it's about avoiding the polytrack at Santa Anita and waiting to run the Breeder's Cup on dirt). I think it's necessary that the two match up to prove which is better. That said, if Zenyatta wins at the Breeder's Cup, she has the edge over Rachel Alexandra. If she runs in and wins the Classic, she's got the edge over every other horse in the world. In my opinion, Rachel is the only horse in this country that could give Zenyatta a run for her money, and vice versa. Of course a match up on a suface that they don't both like would be anticlimactic, so if Rachel didn't take to the poly, the race would prove nothing. All this to say: I think this is how this year's Eclipse Awards will go down as things look right now.
HOY: Zenyatta
3YO F: Rachel Alexandra
Older F: Zenyatta
3YO M: Summer Bird, but I haven't forgotten about Quality Road.
Rachel is a shoe-in, as is Zenyatta for Older Mare. That said, the Classic will carry alot of decision making weight this year, so we'll have to wait and see.
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