The Horse Of The Year Debate - Racing Fans What's Your Opinion?

[Cory Arlinda]

Acclamation received five straight graded stakes in California earlier this 12 months, however none of his wins got here on a traditional dirt monitor and he did not compete within the Breeders' Cup. Two New York-based runners, Flat Out and Tizway, are also on the quick checklist of Horse of the Year candidates. Flat Out won the Jockey Club Gold Cup and Suburban Handicap, however he was second to Havre de Grace within the Woodward Stakes and black horse statue likewise checked in behind the filly within the Classic. Tizway's candidacy has gained a bit of steam not too long ago after Mike Watchmaker, nationwide handicapper for the Daily Racing Form, declared the colt his Horse of the Year. Tizway had solely two wins this yr, but they got here in two of latest York's most prestigious races. Tizway set a new stakes file when profitable Met Mile, and he followed that up with a dominating win within the Whitney Handicap at Saratoga. Unfortunately, Tizway was injured in the run-as much as the Breeders' Cup and did not participate.

Others prone to obtain Horse of the Year votes are Cape Blanco, who was by far essentially the most accomplished turf runner in North America in 2011; and 2-12 months-outdated filly My Miss Aurelia, who capped a perfect 4-for-four marketing campaign with a win in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. The Horse of the Year Award can be presented as part of the Eclipse Awards ceremony on the Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills, Calif. It was a really merry Christmas for Southern California race fans when Santa Anita Park opened for enterprise on Dec. 25, 1934. The sprawling facility, built on a 410-acre parcel outdoors of Los Angeles, proved an instant hit with its art-deco architecture, postcard vistas of the San Gabriel Mountains and high-class racing. Santa Anita Park was the brainchild of Dr. Charles H. Strub, based in San Francisco, Los Angeles-based film producer Hal Roach and architect Gordon B. Kaufman. Santa Anita would come to be identified, proved such a right away success that buyers within the track received a a hundred p.c dividend inside the first 12 months, in keeping with Wikipedia.

Along with its effectively-acquired architectural design, Santa Anita Park ushered in a number of other practical innovations to horse racing. It was the first observe on this planet to make use of such things as a mechanical beginning gate, electric timer and picture end digital camera when it opened for business that Christmas day. Throughout its history, Santa Anita has been dwelling to some of probably the most legendary names in horse racing. Perhaps none extra so than the nice Seabiscuit. The popular racehorse cemented his legacy by winning the 1940 Santa Anita Handicap and its unprecedented purse of $100,000. Seabiscuit would prove such a fan favourite that a film based mostly on his life starring Shirley Temple was filmed at Santa Anita shortly the win and a statue of Seabiscuit was erected in the paddock, which nonetheless stands in the present day. One of many darker periods of Santa Anita's historical past got here in a 3-12 months span beginning in 1942. With the onset of the Second World War, racing was suspended and Santa Anita was become an internment camp for Japanese-Americans. As many as 17,000 individuals have been housed in the horse stables throughout the warfare. A bronze plaque in memory of that episode of Santa Anita's historical past also stands on the grounds. Today, Santa Anita Park is owned by a bunch led by Frank Stronach Stronach discovered success within the business world via his Canadian-based auto elements firm, Magna International. He also owns one among the largest Thoroughbred racing and breeding operations on this planet.

This year's race for Horse of the Year is undoubtedly one of the extra muddled in recent historical past. An absence of any real standout campaigns this season, coupled with Drosselmeyer's upset win within the Breeders' Cup Classic, has left voters with the duty of deciding who's the best of a seemingly mediocre lot. Havre de Grace, who would change into the third straight feminine to win Horse of the Year following Rachel Alexandra in 2009 and Zenyatta last yr, is taken into account a tepid favourite by most observers. The 4-12 months-old filly received three Grade 1 races this yr, including the Woodward Stakes vs. Breeders' Cup Classic. However, her disappointing fourth-place end has lent some voters to look elsewhere. Other leading candidates include a pair of California-primarily based runners, Game on Dude and Acclamation. Game on Dude deserves consideration primarily based on his wins within the Santa Anita Handicap and Hollywood Gold Cup, California's most prestigious races for older horses, and his recreation runner-up end in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

When you thought Middle Earth's monumental statues of Isildur and Anarion had been cool, Scotland now has something that's nearly as badass. They will not be as imposing because the Argonath, but the 100-foot-tall horse heads known as the Kelpies are still out of this world. Created by a crew led by Glasgow sculptor Andy Scott, the heads are customary from 600 metric tons of steel and stand as a monument to working horses in Scottish historical past. The Kelpies are located alongside the Forth and Clyde canal, a nod to a time when horses pulled barges by means of Scotland's canals. In addition they draw inspiration from Kelpies, which are magical, shape-shifting horses from Celtic folklore stated to inhabit rivers, streams, and lochs. Modeled on two Clydesdales named Duke and Baron, the sculptures guard a brand new branch canal that runs beneath the M9 freeway, welcoming guests to the area. Scott says in an artist's statement. The Kelpies are slated to open to guests in April 2014. Meanwhile, try the eye-popping views of them in the video below.