On Monday, Zenyatta’s battle to earn “Horse of the Year” ended when she was finally crowned with the honor during the final moments of the Eclipse Awards.
The math was pretty simple on the face of the ballot. Zenyatta had five Grade I victories while Blame won three Grade I races. Blame won the Breeders’ Cup Classic and defeated more Grade I winners in 2010.
At times, Zenyatta was cast as the “emotional” or “popular” favorite in the pre-vote debates for the Award, in part, due to her passionate fan base and discussion of her overall career record. Yes, Zenyatta won 19 of 20 races in her career, with a 5-1 Grade I record in 2010. But, as the argument was made by many, “Horse of the Year” is not a lifetime achievement award or a “popularity” vote.
At the end of the voting, 238 eligible voters cast a ballot for “Horse of the Year.” Zenyatta won the Award with 128 votes while Blame received 102 ballots in his favor. Goldikova garnered five supporters, two individuals did not vote and one abstained.
Those are the basic numbers that amounted to Zenyatta being awarded “Horse of the Year” in a purely mathematical world.
However, as many commentators pointed our prior to the final decision, Zenyatta is also an “emotional” horse.” And, in being an “emotional horse,” she doesn’t live in a purely mathematical world of racing forms and figures.
She lives in both worlds. And, although I believe Zenyatta earned “Horse of Year” on her racing record alone, the intangible qualities that make Zenyatta an “emotional horse” hold a rare and sacred value beyond her racing record.
The “emotional” nature of Zenyatta is her glory just as much as her achievements in racing itself. And, in my view, there is nothing wrong with being “emotional” about horse racing, its’ athletes, and particularly, Zenyatta.
It is wonderful to be emotional about racing.
Through being an “emotional horse,” Zenyatta racked up some numbers that go beyond 128 votes for “Horse of the Year.” Zenyatta’s “math,” just as the mare herself, is focused on a few different equations.
She is the “Horse of a Lifetime” for many fans that witnessed her career. And, at the end of our lifetimes, Zenyatta will still reign immortal in the sport.
Infinity is an “emotional number” for Zenyatta.
Zenyatta also calculated the value of people when doing her math. She welcomed droves of fans that visited her barn throughout her career. Her guests were from all walks of life, including children, celebrities and general fans.
It appears that every fan, whether it is one person or thousands at a race, are “emotional numbers” for Zenyatta.
For those who could not show up at the track, Zenyatta started a Facebook page and website with a “diary” of her activities. She put a video on You Tube that allowed fans to take a “virtual ride” on her back. And, in the process, 60,000 people have followed her activities on Facebook, while 186,000 fans have taken a “virtual ride” on Zenyatta.
It seems like 100,000+ is also an “emotional number” for Zenyatta.
In her final race, Zenyatta saw many individuals at the racetrack. A crowd of 72,000 people stood on their feet to see if Zenyatta could win the Breeders’ Cup this year. And, even in the wake of her loss, the crowd remained standing to give the great mare an ovation in her lone defeat.
I imagine that 72,000 is an “emotional number” for Zenyatta.
When she was retired, Zenyatta had a number of friends that came out to see her even when she wasn’t racing. As she was paraded during her farewell at Hollywood Park, 11,216 fans shouted her name and took photos of the mare. And, when her plane landed the next day at Keeneland, over a thousand fans stood in the cold night to see her in the flesh.
It appears that 11,000+ is also an “emotional number” for Zenyatta.
But, in the end, 238 eligible voters decided whether Zenyatta’s 2010 campaign merited the “Horse of the Year” award. And, 128 voters deemed that she was “The Horse of the Year” in 2010.
I imagine that 128 is an “emotional number” for Zenyatta after her three-year campaign to win the Award.
Yet, there was another vote that shows the glory of being an “emotional horse.” In a Petition sent to the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, 5,807 individuals cast their signature to show their support for Zenyatta to be crowned “Horse of the Year.”
It seems like 5,807 is also very “emotional number” for Zenyatta.
It is the reward for winning the hearts of thousands of people and a show of appreciation for her achievements in racing. The fan vote was not only built on her racing record, but also in the emotional connection that Zenyatta has fostered with her fans.
So, yes. There was plenty of emotion involved in crowning Zenyatta the “Horse of the Year.”
Yet, there is nothing wrong with connecting fans to this sport on an emotional level.
Zenyatta, along with her connections, gave the industry a beautiful blueprint for the future. She involved fans in her endeavors. And, through involving fans, it seemed as if every Zenyatta fan won when she claimed a victory.
On Monday night, Zenyatta claimed her final victory.
And, for many who supported her campaign, they claimed a quiet victory as well.
It was emotional victory for Zenyatta and her fan base.
It was the perfect model for a “Horse of the Year.”
THE QUEEN JUST OPENED THE DOOR FORE A KING…STAY TUNED…
As Monday night preceded, I realized that if Zenyatta won, there would most likely be no REMORSE. But I suspect the same could not be said of every Blame’s voter (if he won) who had impersonally sent their vote in almost 2 weeks earlier. The video montage of the two horses (in their respective dvisional contests) rather starkly pointed to Zenyatta’s stunning stretch consistency in reaching every Grade 1 frontrunner many more times than Blame,including in the BCC, passing the same top 2010 colts with only inches defining the difference between it and her 5/19 previous races. Those visual contrasts and those emotional positives for the sport created by Zenyatta came together as they should have this year.
I hate to tell you, but that was no quiet victory when I peeked through my fingers to see if Zen’s name was there and not Blames. There was lots of whooping-it-up.
The damn racing industry made it so hard for her with no reason for it, and it was her victory over the blind spot of the industry that might be counted as her greatest victory.
S. Barry - I agree with you. I am so happy to see that her racing record, as well as the positives that Zenyatta brought to the sport, were recognized on Monday night.
And Tori - I loved your comment. There was no “quiet” victory in my house either. (Just screaming with joy!)
Jennifer can you believe none of the tv stations or newspapers in my area posted anything about the Horse of the year awards, eclipse..soooooo Oscar got on the phone and emailed them all.. and the next day the Post dispatch put something together in the newspaper.. How Rude!!! this is a sport the whole family can join in on like they usted to do in the old days..
Zenyatta is an athlete, just like a baseball player or football player, except she didnt ask for 30 million dollars to keep racing every year. she was happy with just a few carrots and a crowd of people to show off in front of. lol
Hi Patty ~ I think that is great that Oscar called them to let them know it was a big deal that Zenyatta won HOTY. What a great comment!
For those who crave everything Zenyatta, a Google of “Zenyatta” and click the “News” button will bring literally thousands of links to read and savor this “very emotional” victory for our Queen. Also, YouTube has hundreds (thousands?) of videos of her past races, her training videos, her fan “dancing” videos set to music, the 60 minutes broadcast and the Overtime segment, as well as a replay of the HOTY ceremony. Whenever I get nostalgic to see our girl, this provides some great comfort and is an “emotional outlet” for me. Finally, my most favorite video of all is the beautifully shot Blood-Horse video when she was first turned out in her paddock at Lane’s End (I believe LE commissioned this video)on Dec. 20. My heart soars as I watch her literally jump for joy, run and whinny from sheer excitement. I’m hoping we get to see more of these types of videos, but forever, we have a record of the horse of our dreams and of our hearts, to cherish, and to enjoy whenever we need a boost in our spirits.
And, now, Penny Chenery, the first lady of racing (in my book, anyway) has capped off Zen’s great career with a new and perfect, and certainly very emotional, award, the Secretariat Vox Populi award, recognizing the “voice of the People” choice, Zenyatta.
Thanks, Jennifer. I come back here from time to time to enjoy your articles and perspective.
Best wishes for 2011.
Dear Jennifer: There is a little consternation at zenyatta.com — someone ['Jim'] posted “BAD NEWS” with no further elaboration, & while we trust no news is good news, wonder if you have access to how ‘TEAM Z’ is & where along their journey returning from Eclipse, Miami?? If you do, rather than writing me, could you please note something on her Diary Post at zenyatta.com? [Your blog is lovely]. Thank you, Sincerely, Kathryn.
I wholeheartedly agree with you Patty about the lack of local coverage.
And what is more insulting, is that I live in Miami and the Eclipse awards were in Miami Beach. The Miami Herald I must say needed no prompting to mention Zenyatta as Horse of the Year.
However, The Miami Herald is an exception when it comes to coverage of horse racing; we are fortunate to have 3 race tracks in Miami, thus they cover horse racing. I was truly thrilled for Zen and her team and all of her fans. And let’s not forget the professional horsemen and women who are among her most strident fans such as trainers Bob Baffert, Jerry Hollingdorfer,and D. Wayne Lukas, retired jockeys, Angel Cordero, Jr.(jockey agent) and Chris McCarron (head of Jockety school), and owners such as Penny Chenery (Secretariat)and the owner of BlindLuck filly. Eminent sportwriters who are her fans include Joe Drape (NY Times), Steve Haskin & Lenny Shulman (Bloodhorse Mag),Bill Dwyer (LA Times), Bob Ehalt (NTRA) and you, Jennifer Wirth amongst many others. The Farish family of Lane’s End have also been mesmerized by Zenyatta.
So when someone disrespects Zen’s fans, they are disrespecting the creme de la creme of the horse racing industry.
Dear Ann Marie ~ Thank you for visiting my blog and your wonderful comment. (I am just like you - I love reading all the of Zenyatta articles and watching her videos.) The Blood-Horse video was one of my favorites!!!
Hi Kathryn ~ Thank you for your comment as well. I hadn’t read any bad news on Zenyatta. I’ll take a look and post it in the comment feed if I hear anything.
And finally, Terri. I think it is wonderful that fans are thinking about coverage of the sport. I’ve never even considered why we aren’t in the paper as much as I’d like. Maybe it would be a good effort to start calling. I’m on board.
(On a side note, thank you very much for listing all of those wonderful people. I, like you, am a fan of their work. Joe Drape’s book, “The Race for the Triple Crown,” kept me up all night because I didn’t want to put it down!) Hope you have a great day.
Hi Jennifer, another great, great article. I was not able to see the ceremony on my television (no TVG), so I was following it on a live blog, then, right before the big announcement, someone put up a link for a live feed on the internet. I have to tell you, more than a few household pets were startled into hiding (including my cat) by the whoopin’ and hollerin’ going on all across the country.
I absolutely agree with Tory - the racing industry really made it hard for her - unjustifiably so. This was a victory for the underdogs of the industry - the fans (particularly the female fans, a huge untapped market), the grooms, hotwalkers, and the backside workers (to quote Mrs. Whitney).
I hope the industry takes note of the lessons Team Z brought to the stable - how to treat their horses, the fans, the unsung heroes of the sport, and their charitable activities in support of less fortunate horses. Zenyatta and her connections showed everyone how to do it with GRACE, GENEROSITY AND CLASS. The good ol’ boys of racing ignore these lessons at their peril.
Jennifer,
Thanks for your prompt response. May I suggest the series of articles that Steve Haskins has written about Zenyatta for the Bloodhorse Magazine (which is on-line). He’s written several articles before and after the Breeders Cup classic and at Lane’s End; he has taken pictures of her as well. He recollects that being with Zenyatta is being in the Zenisphere.
I forgot to mention hall of fame trainer Alan Jerkins as being an ardent Zenyatta fan. He has stated that he would not sleep at night thinking of her. I hope he is getting plenty of rest now that she is being recognized for the queen that she is.
Thanks again and best wishes. I am hoping and praying that Awesome Feather will recover from her tendon injury.
And mentioning other horses, keep an eye out for Corah Mariah, the 2 year old very well developed filly owned by Penny Chenery. She’s a real looker, has the conformation of great-great grandpapa, Secretariat, and is training well. She stares right into the camera lens just like Secretariat, Uncle Smarty Jones, and cousin Awesome Feather.
We might see the blue and white colors of the Meadows Stables in some big races-for the fillies now. LOL
Hi Jennifer, I was very please reading your article on Queen Zenyatta! Everyone I have spoke with since Monday evening have felt exactly the same about her ~ She truly deserved “Horse of the Year” !!! Some of Blame supporters keep saying “well he won the BCC and that should have gotten him the HOTY” How soon they forget ~ didn’t Zenyatta win the BCC last year ? and with much authority ? and didn’t she beat the BEST males in the country ? and some European horses as well ? and wasn’t she the ONLY female to win the BBC in all the years it has been running since the early 80’s ? ~ how soon they forget that she didn’t get the HOTY for 2009 ~ the voters were too impressed with the Preakness victory that they ignored the Breeder’s Cup Classic! As for this year ~ they stressed that Blame beat all those Grade 1 winners in the Classic ~ well Zenyatta beat them also! Everyone in their right mind knows that her “bad trip” cost her much more than the SIX INCHES that got her beat ~ for Blame to be more deserving of HOTY over Zenyatta, he should have beat her by six lengths not six inches ~ Zenyatta is and will always be a horse that we will cherish in our memories for as long as we have memories ~ Thank you Zenyatta for all the love and affection that you spread to all your fans !!!
Jennifer, huge congratulations how showing how numbers easily translate to “emotion” and vice versa. How could these elements be separated?? I wish we had a local Zenyatta fan club here in Seattle!! I’m going to wear my Zenyatta hat at Emerald Downs in the hopes of finding some kindred spirits! I was among the 11,000+ fans at Hollywood Park for the retirement party - at the end, to strains of “thanks for the memories” - the Bob Hope version, no less - Mario walked Zenyatta along the track, back to Barn 55. Talk about an emotional moment!! I had kept it together until that music played. And I too am a huge fan of the Bloodhorse video, watching Zenyatta’s exuberance and joy. Long live the Queen!
Thank you for this article,very nicely written.It has been an emotional journey.For Zenyatta’s countless fans,it’s been hard.It seemed like her & us against the world.Z’s 60000+ Face Book fans,11216 fans that showed up to bid farewell,5807 ppl who signed the petition,72000 fans giving her a standing ovation in defeat.Maybe Team Z did give a blueprint for the future,but I don’t see it being duplicated anytime soon.It will be a hard task to repeat what we’ve just witnessed over the past 3 years.Some things just happen,they unfold before our eyes & it has been a treat to watch Zenyatta.I am amazed also at how so few articles were written previously to Z’s HOTY award.A handful of writers dared put there opinions on paper or wrote well of her.Now my fb page is flooded daily with articles.I was wondering if the writers were waiting to see if she actually won HOTY,maybe such nice words would not have been written when they should have been anyway.Whether she won or not,she was still a champion & the best thing that happened to racing in a long time.We didn’t need an award to enforce what the fans already felt,we loved & adored her regardless.The award was the icing on the cake for us & she undoubtedly deserved it.Z is an athlete & athletes always have a following,human or horse.Zenyatta just captured hearts & won.The industry needed new fans,women,younger fans,because where I go to bet it’s all men & they are all over 40 years old,no women & no younger generation.Who will take our place in 20 years when we are gone?So the industry should be grateful for Zenyatta coming along & giving it a shot in the arm.Seems like a lot of jealousy & distaste has been flying around for a long time,when it came to Zenyatta & her team.I love her & follow her daily.So when it comes to numbers there in only a single numeral that comes to mind and that is “Zenyatta is #1″
Just another awesome article on The Queen. I saw today where her official facebook page shows a new video of hr romping with her posse in the snow. How fortunate are we that her caretakers constantly remember US, her loving fans, by allowing us to remain part of her life. I almost gave up on racing after the terrible loss of Barbaro. But this mare drew me back and has taken hold of my heart. My husband and I went to Churchill for the classic and it was amazing to see her charge down that backstretch and almost take Blame…after being some 20 lengths off the lead. People who bet against her were screaming their lungs out…rooting her on. I have never witnessed anything like it and probably never will. Finally our horse of a lifetime get sher HOY award. Ther is none more deserving.
Thanks for your wonderful article, jennifer, about our deserving Queen who was discounted by some who have the power of the pen for too long. I don’t know if they finally saw the light, or were just shamed by the fans into giving the talented, accomplished and joy-bringing mare her due. In any case, it’s about time, and the honor is sweet. She has indeed set a new standard for HOTY, but there will not be another one like her. We are all blessed to have lived to see her.
Hi Donna - I laughed out loud at your comment about your pets. My dog cried when Zenyatta won HOTY because I was screaming so loud. It is nice to see that so many other people were so excited.
(I also agree with you - Zenyatta’s connections are a class act. They are the model for the future of racing.)
Hi Terry - I loved Steve Haskin’s articles about Zenyatta. He also wrote the piece that appeared in W Magazine with Zenyatta’s feature and I thought it was perfect.
(I will also keep an eye out for Corah Mariah. Thanks for telling me!)
Dottie - I agree with you completely. You summed up my sentiment perfectly. I will also be forever thankful that I was able to see Zenyatta during her racing career. She is a legendary horse.
Sharon - Thank you for sharing your story about Zenyatta’s farewell at Hollywood. It must have been an amazing experience. I wish I had been there to see it!
Megan - Your comment meant a lot to me. I started writing about racing because I was a young woman with no friends who enjoyed the sport. There was nowhere for me to talk about racing in my area, beyond the OTB, where I was the only young woman. You are absolutely right - The industry needed Zenyatta and a way to reach young people. She has provided us with a lot, including a place for women, both young and older, to enjoy this sport.
Sue - Thank you for your nice comment. I enjoy the videos they post of Zenyatta. As I said earlier, I think her connections are a class act and they have done so much to keep Zenyatta’s fans informed about her endeavors. I agree with you wholeheartedly.
Anita CA - Thank YOU for your nice comment.
I found it nearly impossible to write about many other horses in 2010 beyond Zenyatta. She was and remains absolutely captivating. I agree with you. There will never be another one like her. We were blessed to see her race.