Ladies go 1-2 in Horse of Year

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – Rachel Alexandra won the first matchup between racing’s leading ladies, beating out Zenyatta for Horse of the Year.

Maybe the next time the two superstars compete it will be on the track.

“Someday we’ll meet, and we’ll decide at that time who’s the best,” Zenyatta’s owner Jerry Moss said.

Voters chose Rachel Alexandra for the year-end honor at the Eclipse Awards on Monday night at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. The first filly to win the Preakness Stakes in 85 years received 130 votes to 99 for Zenyatta in one of the tightest, most widely debated competitions in years.

“Either filly deserved this award,” principal owner Jess Jackson said. “There has never been another year like this for fillies.”

Now the question is whether Zenyatta will get to avenge the defeat.

“Zenyatta’s never lost, she’s perfect,” Moss said. “Nobody’s beaten her on the racetrack, so they beat her by proxy as far as I’m concerned.”

Moss and wife, Ann, announced Saturday the mighty mare will run as a 6-year-old, perhaps setting up that long-awaited meeting with Rachel Alexandra. The two glamour girls never raced each other despite capturing the public’s imagination with rousing victories over the boys.

As expected, Zenyatta won the Eclipse Award as the top older female for the second straight year while Rachel Alexandra was voted top 3-year-old filly. Her trainer, Steve Asmussen, took home the award for top trainer after breaking his own record for victories in a year.

Rachel Alexandra had one of the most impressive campaigns in history for a 3-year-old, beating males three times, including a historic victory at the Preakness. She also beat the boys in the Haskell Invitational and Woodward Stakes.

Her regal nature endeared her to countless fans as she traveled around the country, breaking records for largest margin of victory at the Kentucky Oaks and Mother Goose.

As the announcement was made, people began shouting the names of both superstars in a room filled with finely dressed owners, breeders, jockeys and others in the industry. When the winner’s name was read, Jackson moved forward to accept the award on behalf of Rachel Alexandra.

“Together, Rachel and Zenyatta conquered four of the best groups of males that were running last year,” he said. “We’re hoping that each horse taking its course may win their way to an ultimate match.

“Maybe we can work toward that,” Jackson added, looking at Moss. “Jerry, I don’t know whether we can talk too quickly.”

The Eclipse Awards are voted on by members of the National Turf Writers’ Association, the Daily Racing Form and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association.

This year’s ceremony was dedicated to Bobby Frankel, who died of cancer Nov. 16.

Winners throughout the night paid tribute to the Hall-of-Fame trainer, who won Eclipse Awards as top trainer five times, including four straight from 2000-2003.