We are just two months out to the Breeders' Cup which is when we will find out who will most likely be the champions for the year, but for now since the "Regular season" is over, lets hand out some awards!!!
2yo Filly: Weemissfrankie- Sure Sister Moon broke a track record, but she has yet to face stakes company. Weemissfrankie showed that she has the potential to be something special.
2yo Colt/Gelding: Currency Swap/Union Rags- The only reason why Drill is not the leader IMO is that the Del Mar Futurity was run roughly and he might not had won if it was run clean. However, by the time we get to the BC I do expect Drill to be ahead of the pack. As for Union Rags, his win was a very impressive one in the slop, he'll be the one to beat in the Champange.
3yo Filly: Turbulent Descent- It went back and forth on who to put here since for the first time in 3 years there's just not a standout in this division. As much as I don't care for her, she's been one of the most consistant this year.
3yo Colt/Gelding: Stay Thirsty- In what could be the most wide open 3yo male catagory in a long time, he takes the prize for defeating the Preakness, Belmont and Haskell winners in the Travers. Next up, Tizway and older males.
Older Female: Havre de Grace- I was thisclose of making it a tie between her and Blind Luck. However, her win in the Woodward puts her ahead... for now. If BL beats her in the Beldame (that is if she goes), then we are all square again.
Older Male: Acclamation- I know I'm going to get critized for this pick. However, he's already beaten the top Older Males in California on both main track and turf. His one hiccup was on dirt which he hated. Keep in mind that while he lost last year's Older Male, the defending champ in the catagory was Gio Ponti. Tizway is a nice horse, but he hasn't faced the greatest company.
Turf Female: Summer Soiree- This filly is this years "horse takes to turf, like a duck takes to water". Undefeated in her two starts, it's going to get tougher from here. It helps that this division once again is a bit of an engima to me.
Turf Male: Cape Blanco (IRE)- Has come in twice to defeat Gio Ponti on the nose both times. Our turf division stinks.
Sprinter Female: Turbulent Descent- With Ballerina winner Hilda's Passion on the sidelines, it's smooth sailing even though there are several tough horses still out there.
Sprinter Male: Big Drama/Trappe Shot- Yes I know Trappe Shot lost the Vanderbilt, but he actually looked like he was going to win. Do not be suprised if he prevails over what could be the deepest Sprint prep in sometime. As for BD, well he's the defending champ what else can you say. His return this weekend didn't look that visually impressive, but he won the race and should do well in NY if he is heading that way.
Horse of the Regular Season: Havre de Grace- A nose away from what could have been an undefeated season so far. Beat the boys last weekend and could be Classic bound. It's just a shame that she is from what is her sire's lone crop.
So I hope you enjoyed these!
Showing posts with label Big Drama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Big Drama. Show all posts
September 8, 2011
January 18, 2011
Perfect Zenalie
The road to the 2010 Horse of the Year honors will go down as one of the most heated battles ever. On one side, you have the blueblood bred Blame who won 3 G1's including the BC Classic. On the other side, you have the bluecollar bred Zenyatta who won 5 G1's was runner up in the Classic. Most people assumed that the 3 time Older Female Champ would come just a bit short for the third year in a row for the highest accolade of the night. However, it turned out that they where wrong.
Zenyatta becomes the third Female this century to win Horse of the Year honors behind Azeri and Rachel Alexandra. She also becomes the third HOY to win the award the year after winning the Classic (Cigar who lost in his defence of the Classic, but had won HOY the year before as well and Skip Away who lost HOY in 97 to Favorite Trick, but won HOY in 98 after losing the Classic to Awesome Again). Blame was a very close second, while Goldikova got more votes then people expected she would finishing in third.
While people are dispointed and upset with Blame not winning HOY, in a way it maybe a good thing he did not win. Since 1990 only 8 horses who won the Classic, have gone onto win Horse of the Year honors. Those that are left:
1990- Criminal Type (did not participate)
1993- Kotashaan (won the Turf)
1994- Holy Bull (did not participate)
1996- Cigar (3rd in the Classic)
1997- Favorite Trick (won the Juvenile)
1998- Skip Away (6th in the Classic)
1999- Charismatic (did not participate)
2001- Point Given (did not participate)
2002- Azeri (f) (Won the Distaff)
2008- Curlin (4th Classic)
2009- Rachel Alexandra (f) (did not participate)
2010- Zenyatta (f) (2nd in the Classic)
Now in Charismatic and Point Given's defence, both suffered career ending injuries. Still they did not take part in the BC their respective years. That doesn't mean Blame didn't deserve HOY, he absolutly did. But it's just a title, the horse's themselves don't care about it. In a way, too much pressure is put on the horse. Should Blame's fans be dispointed? Tt really depends on who you talk to. Him not getting Horse of the Year is not going to deminish the fact that he defeated Z on the track where it counts. His trainer Al Stall was gracious in defeat which is different from last year when Jerry & Ann Moss post awards show basically threw Rachel under the bus.
Valerie of Foolish Pleasure and Fillies First put together a nice list of Champion Females from around the world from this past year.
As for the other awards of the night:
2yo Champions: No suprise that Awesome Feather and Uncle Mo took them. Both deserved them off their wins in the BC.
3yo Champions: Again no suprise that Blind Luck (one vote away from being unanimous which I found suprising) and Lookin at Lucky won. Shame Lucky has been retired, and "Clover's" 4yo didn't start out as expected.
Older Champions: Suprised that Blame was unanimous, you would think Zenyatta would be? Nope. At least this year it was Goldikova and not some random horse like Icon Project that got the vote.
Sprinters: Not suprised by Dubai Majesty, but Big Drama was a little bit of suprise at least for me it was.
Turf: Gio Ponti was a bit of a suprise, I felt that Winchester should have won since he did defeat him. However, that was seemed to be the tone of the night. Goldi won for the Females which was no suprise at all.
Steeplechase: Slip Away which is also no suprise.
In all it was basically chalky last night. Personally I'm glad that it's finally over, Z has ridden into the sunset the ultimate champion and we can now focus on horses that will be running this year.
At least until November comes around.
Zenyatta becomes the third Female this century to win Horse of the Year honors behind Azeri and Rachel Alexandra. She also becomes the third HOY to win the award the year after winning the Classic (Cigar who lost in his defence of the Classic, but had won HOY the year before as well and Skip Away who lost HOY in 97 to Favorite Trick, but won HOY in 98 after losing the Classic to Awesome Again). Blame was a very close second, while Goldikova got more votes then people expected she would finishing in third.
While people are dispointed and upset with Blame not winning HOY, in a way it maybe a good thing he did not win. Since 1990 only 8 horses who won the Classic, have gone onto win Horse of the Year honors. Those that are left:
1990- Criminal Type (did not participate)
1993- Kotashaan (won the Turf)
1994- Holy Bull (did not participate)
1996- Cigar (3rd in the Classic)
1997- Favorite Trick (won the Juvenile)
1998- Skip Away (6th in the Classic)
1999- Charismatic (did not participate)
2001- Point Given (did not participate)
2002- Azeri (f) (Won the Distaff)
2008- Curlin (4th Classic)
2009- Rachel Alexandra (f) (did not participate)
2010- Zenyatta (f) (2nd in the Classic)
Now in Charismatic and Point Given's defence, both suffered career ending injuries. Still they did not take part in the BC their respective years. That doesn't mean Blame didn't deserve HOY, he absolutly did. But it's just a title, the horse's themselves don't care about it. In a way, too much pressure is put on the horse. Should Blame's fans be dispointed? Tt really depends on who you talk to. Him not getting Horse of the Year is not going to deminish the fact that he defeated Z on the track where it counts. His trainer Al Stall was gracious in defeat which is different from last year when Jerry & Ann Moss post awards show basically threw Rachel under the bus.
Valerie of Foolish Pleasure and Fillies First put together a nice list of Champion Females from around the world from this past year.
As for the other awards of the night:
2yo Champions: No suprise that Awesome Feather and Uncle Mo took them. Both deserved them off their wins in the BC.
3yo Champions: Again no suprise that Blind Luck (one vote away from being unanimous which I found suprising) and Lookin at Lucky won. Shame Lucky has been retired, and "Clover's" 4yo didn't start out as expected.
Older Champions: Suprised that Blame was unanimous, you would think Zenyatta would be? Nope. At least this year it was Goldikova and not some random horse like Icon Project that got the vote.
Sprinters: Not suprised by Dubai Majesty, but Big Drama was a little bit of suprise at least for me it was.
Turf: Gio Ponti was a bit of a suprise, I felt that Winchester should have won since he did defeat him. However, that was seemed to be the tone of the night. Goldi won for the Females which was no suprise at all.
Steeplechase: Slip Away which is also no suprise.
In all it was basically chalky last night. Personally I'm glad that it's finally over, Z has ridden into the sunset the ultimate champion and we can now focus on horses that will be running this year.
At least until November comes around.
December 16, 2009
Favorite Races 2009: West Virginia Derby
The past few weeks I've been sharing some of my favorite races from the past year. This week I'm sharing three races to make up for last week, this week and Christmas being next week.
Today it's the lone all male stakes race that I will be talking about the West Virginia Derby.
Wanted: A steady jockey who will STAY on a former 50-1 longshot who suprised everyone. For more information please contact Mine That Bird in New Mexico. Thanks!
That's pretty much how you sum up Mine That Bird's Spring and Summer. The Derby winner had been bounced around between Calvin Borel and Mike Smith. With Borel unavaliable as he was riding Warrior's Reward in the Jim Dandy, Smith was rode the Derby champ in the WV Derby and was going to ride him in the Travers (more on that later). However, Preakness fouth place finisher Big Drama and Iowa Derby runner-up Soul Warrior had other plans. As Big Drama got off to a large lead, he was run down by Soul Warror in the final furlong. Mine That Bird could only finish in third. This was the biggest win of his jockey Dale Beckner's career and he was filling in for Miguel Mena who was supposed to ride the son of Lion Heart. Here's the video:
Unfortanlly Soul Warrior really hasn't reproduced his form from this race, add in Dale Beckner shortly afterwards was in a serious accident at Presque Isle. Big Drama ran horribly in the King's Bishop, while Mine That Bird was forced to miss the Travers due to throut issues. Reunited with Borel for his final two races of the season, MTB showed that he was pretty much a fluke winner. He's currently getting ready for next season in New Mexico. Expect Borel to continue to ride him, EXCEPT when in conflicts with a certin bay daughter of a certin El Prado stallion ;).
Tomorrow's race is actually two races (but will be counted as one) as we go north of the border.
Today it's the lone all male stakes race that I will be talking about the West Virginia Derby.
Wanted: A steady jockey who will STAY on a former 50-1 longshot who suprised everyone. For more information please contact Mine That Bird in New Mexico. Thanks!
That's pretty much how you sum up Mine That Bird's Spring and Summer. The Derby winner had been bounced around between Calvin Borel and Mike Smith. With Borel unavaliable as he was riding Warrior's Reward in the Jim Dandy, Smith was rode the Derby champ in the WV Derby and was going to ride him in the Travers (more on that later). However, Preakness fouth place finisher Big Drama and Iowa Derby runner-up Soul Warrior had other plans. As Big Drama got off to a large lead, he was run down by Soul Warror in the final furlong. Mine That Bird could only finish in third. This was the biggest win of his jockey Dale Beckner's career and he was filling in for Miguel Mena who was supposed to ride the son of Lion Heart. Here's the video:
Unfortanlly Soul Warrior really hasn't reproduced his form from this race, add in Dale Beckner shortly afterwards was in a serious accident at Presque Isle. Big Drama ran horribly in the King's Bishop, while Mine That Bird was forced to miss the Travers due to throut issues. Reunited with Borel for his final two races of the season, MTB showed that he was pretty much a fluke winner. He's currently getting ready for next season in New Mexico. Expect Borel to continue to ride him, EXCEPT when in conflicts with a certin bay daughter of a certin El Prado stallion ;).
Tomorrow's race is actually two races (but will be counted as one) as we go north of the border.
July 14, 2009
Shore time for Rachel
So it's offical, Rachel Alexandra will be making her next start on Aug. 2nd, at Monmouth Park in the Haskell Invatational (link). This is bad news for Big Drama, who will now have to leave his homebase and go face Mine That Bird in the West Virginia Derby. However, Summer Bird will be there, as will Atomic Rain and possibly Munnings who could be the biggest challenge for Rachel in the first part of the race. However, Monmouth is a speed bias track, which means advantage Rachel. So we'll see who else shows up for this race. I'm debating on weather I should go or not. I might go, I might not.
What is bad news for Big Drama, is good news for Acoma and especially Julian Leperoux. That's because he will be riding Acoma in Sunday's Delaware Handicap and will not have to be forced to chose between her and Pure Clan who could have faced the half sister to Arch in the Beverly D. Acoma would have gone to the Bev D., if Rachel had gone to the Delaware Handicap (which I'll preview tomarrow along with the rest of the Delaware stakes this weekend).
I will Saturday looks fantastic, and Sunday might not be as exciting.
What is bad news for Big Drama, is good news for Acoma and especially Julian Leperoux. That's because he will be riding Acoma in Sunday's Delaware Handicap and will not have to be forced to chose between her and Pure Clan who could have faced the half sister to Arch in the Beverly D. Acoma would have gone to the Bev D., if Rachel had gone to the Delaware Handicap (which I'll preview tomarrow along with the rest of the Delaware stakes this weekend).
I will Saturday looks fantastic, and Sunday might not be as exciting.
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