Forget FourSquare, it’s time to crown Mayor of RacingVille. No, this isn’t some newfangled game on Facebook … it’s the inevitable mid-June debate over Horse of the Year.
I bookmark this date in iCal because it’s the perfect stone-cold trifecta of timing: we’re just done with the Triple Crown and about to gear up for the summer series of stakes action, yet it’s still too early to be looking at Breeders’ Cup. Recent years have meant the mix is a combination of the Derby and Belmont winners, plus whatever lingers in the handicap division, and one overseas horse who deserves honorable mention.
This year, however… 3 Triple Crown races produced 3 very different winners, the Euro standout is still Goldikova, and the handicap division is exactly the opposite of its usually-similar-to Justin Bieber’s post-hacking follower count: more than 1!
Let’s take a look at my Top Ten ballot (chronologically speaking)…
1. Kentucky Oaks: Blind Luck … 6/5 Oaks favorite didn’t disappoint with her whisker win; in her next out, the gutty grinder failed to close into fractions only a snail could be proud of and flattened to finish third
2. Turf Classic: General Quarters … looking the fittest of his career, the grey took a liking to the soggy lawn in his first try over it, beating a solid field in the process; put back to dirt in his next start, he finished a decent third and is being pointed to the Arlington Million against the world’s best grass runners
3. Kentucky Derby: Super Saver … Calvin at Churchill is deadly and I’ve learned to never knock a Derby winner, but he got lucky with the traffic trouble of others and a crawling final fraction that was difficult to close into; staggered down the lane at Pimlico in his next start and is currently resting in a WinStar paddock
4. Preakness: Lookin At Lucky … (see above on Derby traffic troubles) hard charging horse was forced into closing up the rail for the better part of the year, but was guided down the center of the track this time and got the job done
5. Met Mile: Quality Road … yes his wins are impressive both to the eye and the stopwatch, but he gets everything his way every time and now the fear is few will want to face him (btw, I don’t fault him for freaking out pre-Breeders’ Cup Classic last year - you would too if you saw Zenyatta in the gate next to you)
6. Honeymoon Hcp: Evening Jewel … wins the Ashland on the Poly, then is whiskered out of the Oaks victory on dirt, then comes back to win this photo on grass - what can’t she do?
7. Belmont Stakes: Drosselmeyer … admittedly, I’ve been drinking the Haterade since that January Gulfstream Park showdown with Pulsion never happened and he was still eligible for a non-winners of two allowance at Belmont post time (see Jazil’s victory for similar sentiments), but this was a beautiful victory - going five wide at the turn and charging home - and now he’s a G1 winner! Eventual goal: Travers
8. Fleur de Lis: Rachel Alexandra … you can’t fault a 10 length victory and she didn’t face the world’s worst competition, though it might prove to be just a step up from her ‘09 Oaks field; she’d be in contention regardless because that seems to be the rule for reigning HoY’s, but her status was beginning to be questionable after two runner-up finishes to start the year - I’m from the camp that says you don’t have to win every start to be a stellar racehorse, but she didn’t look like her old self there for a bit - can she keep it up?
9. Stephen Foster: Blame … horse for the course didn’t disappoint with an outside posted / wide tripped win over a solid field and is now 6-of his last-7; look for him in New York this summer
10. Californian: Rail Trip … consistent contender has been on fire so far this year “avenging losses” as trainer Ron Ellis has said they’re out to do
Zenyatta … three G1’s so far this year and a record 17th straight career victories mean she doesn’t need a number to be on the ballot; like two years ago, didn’t seem to be the same horse after Oaklawn jaunt, but she’s superequine and knows exactly where the wire is every time
AEs: Battle Plan, Karelian, Musket Man, Gio Ponti, First Dude, Ice Box, a random Bill Mott maiden (sorry but the barn’s hot), the usual Pletcher parade, and Whitney-bound now-Lukas-charge ‘09 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird.
If voting ended today, I’d be pressing submit on Zenyatta without second thought.
It’s not a girl thing. It’s not a SoCal thing. It’s a Who Else Has 2 2010 G1 Victories and Is Racing’s Best Ambassador thing.
If - like the Associated Press post-season college football poll voting - we were to take the Mayor of RacingVille balloting process electronic, who do you choose?
