My Vote For Horse of the Year - BLAME

Who deserves Horse of the Year?

There are 3 horses that would be in the discussion for Horse of the year in my view.
Goldikova 5 out of 6 wins in 2010 all Group 1 and mostly against males BC Mile winner
Uncle Mo - 3 for 3, 2 Grade 1 wins and BC Juvi winner
Blame - 4 out of 5 wins, 3 Grade 1 and Breeders Cup Classic winner

What words do you use to describe Goldikova - Magnificent, Awesome, incredible, stunning, unbelievable, wonderful, astounding, awe-inspiring, brilliant, excellent, fabulous, fantastic, outstanding, phenomenal, remarkable, sensational, stupendous, super, superb, terrific, tremendous, wondrous.
In an article written by Alan Shuback, in the drf, he goes on to list her 2010 accomplishments, in her four Group 1 victories in Europe and her Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile triumph, Goldikova was beating 16 winners of 37 Group or Grade 1 races. The overall Group/Grade 1 record of her competition in those five races is 157-37-25-19. In the Mile, she was beating four winners of nine Group or Grade 1 races at a mile on turf. When you think about what it means for a filly to continuously face male after male and defeat them handily without ever really being all out in her races that shows the type of athlete that Goldikova is, she is simply AMAZING.
The fact that she only raced once in the U.S. is considered reason to not give her consideration for Horse of the Year, but if Conduit can come over and win the BC Turf and get an award in 2008 at the eclipse then Goldikova should get consideration also.
Uncle Mo is a most appealing choice for Horse of the Year consideration due to being one of the few undefeated horses in training right now after facing stiff competition throughout the year, winning the Champagne and the Breeders Cup Classic is stuff of legends as a two year old, both prestigious races and at the top of the heap for 2 year old colts. Facing and defeating 5 grade 1 winners in the BC Juvi validates this horse as a very impressive colt and he dispatched of these colts with ease. He is clearly a viable candidate for HOY, but unfortunately will not get a large number of votes.
Blame is the most likely winner of the Horse of the Year award, by merit of wins in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster, the Whitney Handicap and a runner up finish in the Jockey Club Gold Cup and winning the Breeders cup Classic. His 4 for 5 record and winning of 3 Grade 1 races in Open company and at the Highest possible level of horse racing is an amazing record when facing horses like Quality Road, Looking at Lucky, Haynesfield and Paddy O'Prado. Blame was place in difficult spot after difficult spot in 2010 and took on all comers and kept winning Grade 1 races that actually meant something on the National Scene. His record stands for itself and he should win the Horse of the Year award hands down without any issue. Without any emotion being added due to the fact that one horse is more popular Blame will be an easy winner of the Award, but unfortunately each voter will have his or her own view of the award. Winning the biggest race of the year is important as the connections of a number of horses view the Breeders Cup as the beginning and the end of the racing season and therefore winning the Classic is the highest honor other than winning the Kentucky Derby. . The horses that were all considered in contention for Horse of the Year did nothing to separate themselves from the pack up until Nov 6th when Blame hit the wire first in the Breeders Cup Classic. Some argued that winning insignificant races in 2009 up until the Breeders Cup would guarantee a horse the Horse of the Year vote, unfortunately that was an incorrect view and thankfully the voters voted for the horse that has the most ambitious year of racing and won the most important races in the calendar year. In 2010 how do you not award a horse that won significant races all year long, at Churchill and Saratoga and then the Breeders Cup Classic and he doesn’t deserve Horse of the Year. That’s called hypocritical and thankfully those with votes have time to take a look at the full year and be objective about the vote.
When the connections of one horse state that they are not going to “chase Horse of the year” and show it by an uninspiring, unimaginative campaign then why on earth would anyone want to “Give” Horse of the year to the connections that make such a statement. Then to do an about face in October and beg for the award after doing nothing all year long to garner the award seems very unsportsmanlike. But that’s what you can expect from those that put all their eggs in one basket and then lose. Again taking all things into account you can easily see that Blame alone stands out as Horse of the Year.

Farewell to Big Brown

*Farewell to Big Brown*

I just wanted to stop for a moment and acknowledge the incredible accomplishments of this years Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown. This magnificent Equine athlete showed he was truly something special by first breaking his maiden at first asking by 12 lengths and then going straight to the highest level of racing and winning as if it was an after thought, in the Florida Derby. His subsequent romp in the Derby followed by a dazzling display of his uncanny turn of foot in the stretch of the Preakness gave all an indication that he was quite a special horse. The great stretch run and the grit and determination that he showed in the Haskell proved that not only could he win by daylight but he could run down a pace setter who was able to go out and run some easy fractions and continue running in the lane. Tactical speed and stamina is something that set Big Brown aside and will allow him to easily, in my opinion garner a mountain of Eclipse Award votes for the top 3 year old of 2008.

NEW YORK (Reuters)Mon Oct 13, 2008 3:47pm EDT "The top three-year-old in the U.S. hurt his right front hoof in a six-furlong gallop on the turf at the Aqueduct track in New York.

Michael Iavarone, co-owner of IEAH Stables, said the injury was "a tremendous blow."

"There wasn't a lot we could do to prevent this," he told a teleconference. "It was just a complete fluke.

"We hadn't had issues with his feet. To have this come up like this is a shock to all of us especially since he worked fantastically today."

Big Brown had been due to take on Horse of the Year Curlin in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park on October 25 in one of the most highly anticipated races of the year.

The Kentucky-bred Big Brown, winner of seven out of eight career races and $3.6 million in prize money, hurt his hoof while working out with stablemate and Breeders' Cup Mile winner Kip Deville.

"They both worked very well," said Iavarone. "Everything seemed to go according to plan.

"They finished up together. They galloped out together. We were all excited."

It was later discovered Big Brown had taken off a "three-inch piece of flesh" from the back of his hoof."