Horse Racing: Highlights of the Year 2010
Today is the last day of the year 2010. While everyone peeps into the good and bad events that happened over the past 12 months, horse racing critics and analysts thought it was essential to look back and acknowledge some of the
best moments that were witnessed by them and horse racing fans in this particular year. With thousands of racing events that took place in 2010, only a few will be remembered and fancied in the industry.
In the past three years, people involved in the horse business and Thoroughbred horse racing have thoroughly appreciated Zarkava as the best filly of the modern racing era, Sea The Stars as the best racehorse and Kauto Star as
the best steeplechaser. This year, however, majority of the racing fans, in general, and fans of the filly Zenyatta in particular, have a lot of good things to say about her. Even though the six-year-old champion could not maintain her invincible streak in
the last race that she contended, she is still loved and adored by her fans and connections. Many people in the industry claimed that indeed, she was the deserving nominee for the Horse of the Year Award last year, but Rachel Alexandra was adorned with the
honourable title. Meanwhile, it is expected that the prestigious award will be presented to Blame this year for being successful in holding off Zenyatta in the Breeders’ Cup Classic that took place at Churchill Downs.
Many critics and analysts say that the champion filly did have something that made her standout amongst her compatriots, and that ‘something’ cannot be quantified. Those who had witnessed the filly run in a competition call it
an experience that cannot be described in words. How can anyone forget the victories of Zenyatta in 19 of her 19 career starts against older male racehorses? Call it hard luck or call it a dramatic end to her successful run, Zenyatta was defeated by Blame
in the last race of her career. Despite her loss in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, the event will be cherished by fans of the American sport as one of the greatest memories of 2010.
On the other hand, the Churchill Downs event on November 6th will also be remembered for another reason, the victory of the colt, Blame. He proved his potential and calibre by winning this race against The Queen of the
American racing industry. While some people blamed Zenyatta’s jockey Mike Smith for her loss, others consider Blame’s talent to be the reason for his victory over the undefeated filly.
The only question that remains unanswered is as to which of the two racehorses will be given the most exalted title, the Horse of the Year 2010 Award. A difference of opinion persists within the analysts of the industry.
Another important event that took place this year in the sport of horse racing was the victory of the champion jockey Tony McCoy. He became the first horseman to win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award in its history.
Tony McCoy won this award through public voting after being nominated by the panel of sports experts, on the 19th of December 2010.
2010 was also a year with record-breaking weather conditions, which disturbed the whole racing calendar in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Almost all the races scheduled for the winter racing season were either called off or postponed.
As the year ends, fans and experts look forward to another year with some quality racing events featuring the best of the colts and fillies of the modern era.
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