The January 18, 2010 announcement for the 2009 Eclipse Horse of the Year was said to be the most highly anticipated Horse of the Year announcement ever. Rachel Alexandra won with 130 votes beating out Zenyatta who had 99 votes. In one of the most controversial Eclipse Horse of the Year votings, two voters abstained from voting, and one ballot was voided because the voter tried to split his vote. All three voting blocs had Rachel Alexandra in their majority: The National Turf Writers Association (71 votes to 51), the Daily Racing Form (31 votes to 23), and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (28 votes to 25). Rachel Alexandra was the only 3 year old filly ever to receive the Eclipse Horse of the Year Award since the Eclipse Awards began in 1971. She was one of only five, 3-year old fillies (Busher, Twilight Tear, Regret, Beldame) to ever win an American Horse of the Year title.
“Zenyatta’s never lost, she’s perfect,” her owner Jerry Moss later said. “Nobody’s beaten her on the racetrack, so they beat her by proxy as far as I’m concerned.... Someday we’ll meet, and we’ll decide at that time who’s the best."
Rachel Alexandra also won the 2009 Eclipse Award for Champion Three-Year-Old Filly which she won unanimously with all 232 votes.
Video: Eclipse Award - Horse of the Year Announcement
Video: Rachel Alexandra's 2009 Winning Margins = 64 1/2 lengths
Video: Rachel Alexandra is 2009 Horse of the Year
No comments:
Post a Comment