BEVERLY HILLS -- The 130-99 tally in Rachel Alexandra's favor was the closest Horse of the Year margin since the one-man/one-vote system replaced an electoral-college scheme seven years ago, but still not the widely expected squeaker:
The outcome would have been the same under the system that was used from 1972 to 2002, where the winner was chosen on a 10-5-1 system awarded to the top three choices of each of the three voting groups -- the National Turf Writers Association, Daily Racing Form and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (or TRA prior to 1999.), This year, a majority of each groups' voters went for Rachel: the NTWA by 71 votes to 51, DRF by 31-23 and the NTWA by 28-25.
The voting for the other 16 Eclipse Awards (full breakdowns will be posted below later tonight) was in general suprisingly lopsided. The only vote closer than Horse of the Year was the one for Outstanding Owner, where Godolphin Racing edged Jerry & Ann Moss by a 61-56 tally in a category where 11 different people or entities received votes.
Other categories that had been widely considered close calls weren't: Goldikova over Ventura for Turf Female was 172-41; Kodiak Kowboy over Zensational for Male Sprinter was 118-54; Steve Asmussen took the trainers' award 130-57; and Julien Leparoux was voted Outstanding Jockey over Garrett Gomez 122 to 46, with Ramon Dominguez just one vote back in third with 45.
The results are sure to be widely interpreted along several different lines. Zenyatta's most ardent fans were visibly disappointed and will feel that the national electorate is biased against horses who do not race outside of California. (Several tables of California racing officials and local horsemen appeared to stare at their silverware and fail to applaud when Rachel was announced as the Horse of the Year.) Others will regard the decision not to give the award to a Breeders' Cup race winner for two years running as a repudiation of that series' claim to be the sport's definitive championship, and in particular of the organization's controversial decision to run the last two Cups on a synthetic main track at Santa Anita .
Here are the winners and the percentages of the first-place votes they received:
(Note: Chart revised 1/21/10 to reflect the reallocation of the vote mistakenly cast for Icon Project as champion Older Filly or Mare, which has now been officially reallocated to Zenyatta.)
Here are the complete voting totals:
2-Year-Old Male: Lookin At Lucky, 209; Vale of York, 17; Buddy’s Saint, 2; Noble’s Promise, 2; D’Funnybone, 1; Jackson Bend, 1.
2-Year-Old Filly: She Be Wild, 171; Blind Luck, 41; Hot Dixie Chick, 17; Awesome Maria, 1; Biofuel, 1; Tapitsfly, 1.
3-Year-Old Male: Summer Bird, 225; Mine That Bird, 4; Blame, 1; I Want Revenge, 1; No Vote, 1.
3-Year-Old Filly: Rachel Alexandra, 232.
Older Male: Gio Ponti, 184; Einstein (BRZ), 18; Kodiak Kowboy, 16; Macho Again, 5; Furthest Land, 2; Rail Trip, 2; Well Armed, 1; Voter Abstentions, 4.
Older Female: Zenyatta, 231; Icon Project, 1.
Female Sprinter: Informed Decision, 222; Ventura, 6; Game Face, 1; Indian Blessing, 1; Music Note, 1; Diamondrella, 1.
Male Sprinter: Kodiak Kowboy, 118; Zensational, 54; Dancing in Silks, 43; Fabulous Strike, 9; California Flag, 6; Vineyard Haven, 1; Voter Abstentions, 1.
Male Turf Horse: Gio Ponti, 206; Conduit, 22; Presious Passion, 3; Court Vision, 1.
Female Turf Horse: Goldikova (IRE), 172; Ventura, 41; Magical Fantasy, 7; Midday (GB), 7; Pure Clan, 3; Forever Together, 1; Voter Abstentions, 1;
Steeplechase Horse: Mixed Up, 209; Red Letter Day, 3; Voter Abstentions, 20.
Horse of the Year: Rachel Alexandra, 130; Zenyatta, 99; Voter Abstentions, 2; No Vote, 1.
Outstanding Owner: Godolphin Racing, 61; Mr. and Mrs. Jerome S. Moss, 56; Juddmonte Farms, 40; WinStar Farm, 38; Stonestreet Stables and Harold McCormick, 15; Augustin Stables, 7; Michael Gill, 6; Darley Stable, 3; Zayat Stables, 2; Heiligbrodt Racing Stables, 1; Midwest Thoroughbreds, 1; Voter Abstentions, 2.
Outstanding Breeder: Juddmonte Farms, 157; Adena Springs, 44; Dolphus Morrison, 16; Maverick Productions, Ltd., 3; WinStar Farm, 3; Eugene Melnyk, 2; Darley Stable, 1. Voter Abstentions, 6.
Outstanding Trainer: Steve Asmussen, 130; John Shirreffs, 57; Jonathan Sheppard, 19; Bob Baffert,10; Saeed bin Suroor, 5; Bobby Frankel, 4; Jerry Hollendorfer, 2; Hal Wiggins, 2; Todd Pletcher, 2; Voter Abstentions, 1.
Outstanding Jockey: Julien Leparoux, 122; Garrett Gomez,46; Ramon Dominguez, 45; Calvin Borel, 13; Mike Smith, 3; Kent Desormeaux, 2; Russell Baze, 1.
Apprentice Jockey: Christian Santiago Reyes, 93; Luis Saez, 48; Luis Batista, 47; Inez Karlsson, 8; Michael Straight, 4; Omar Moreno, 3; Jose Vega, 3; Tony Maragh, 2; Casey Papineau, 1; Angel Serpa, 1; Voter Abstentions, 21, No Vote, 1.
