By Stephen Alicknovic
Below is a list of some of my favorites from this past decade. I was going to do a best of the decade, but felt that would be a little bit too debatable. There were many great performers, and there really is no way to prove who is better. We all have opinions on this. Almost like in boxing. Who was better? Joe Louis or Muhammad Ali. There really is no way to come to a conclusion, considering they will never fight each other. Same goes here for these horses. And I was able to have some fun remembering these great horses, and the moments they gave me.
Horse — Smarty Jones, Zenyatta, Say Florida Sandy
Older Male — Curlin, Ghostzapper, St. Liam, Evening Attire, Presidentialaffair, Tiznow, Left Bank, Chatain
Older Female — Zenyatta, Azeri,Ventura
2-Year-Old Colt — Stevie Wonderboy
2-Year-Old Filly — Dreaming of Anna
3-Year-Old — Smarty Jones
3-Year-Old Filly — Rachel Alexandra
Turf Male — English Channel, Better Talk Now, Presious Passion
Turf Female — Ouija Board, Goldikova, Wonder Again, Riskaverse
Owner — Jess Jackson
Sprinter — Fabulous Strike, Kona Gold, Joey P, Say Florida Sandy
Female Sprinter — Xtra Heat
Jockey — Jerry Bailey
Trainer — Bob Baffert & Bobby Frankel
Kentucky Derby — 2004 Smarty Jones
Preakness Stakes — 2004 Smarty Jones
Belmont Stakes — 2001 Point Given, 2003 Empire Maker
Upset — 2007 Virginia Derby - Red Giant, 2002 BC Classic - Volponi, 2004 BC Juvenile - Wilko
Wood Memorial — 2000 Fusaichi Peagasus, 2002 Buddha, 2005 Bellamy Road
Haskell — 2003 Peace Rules, 2004 Lion Heart, 2008 Big Brown
Travers — 2001 Point Given
Jockey Club Gold Cup — 2002 Evening Attire, 2008 Curlin
Meadowlands Cup — 2001 Gander, 2005 Tap Day
Cigar Mile — 2005 Purge
Met Mile — 2010 Quality Road
Claimer — Arromanches, Spooky Mulder
Announcer — Jim McKay
Race Caller — Tom Durkin
Races — Smarty Jones 2004 Kentucky Derby, Smarty Jones 2004 Preakness. Ghostzapper battles St. Liam to win 2004 Woodward. Ghostzapper 2005 Met Mile. Smarty Jones wins 2004 Rebel. Zenyatta wins 2009 BC CLassic. Zenyatta wins 2009 BC Classic. Smarty Jones Penn Nursery. Smarty Jones 2004 Arkansas Derby, Evening Attire win the Aqueduct Handicap in the snow. Say Florida Sandy wins 2001 Paterson Stakes at The Meadowlands. Barbaro romps in 2006 Kentucky Derby. English Channel wins The Turf Classic with a bold move a long the rail. Curlin wins battle over Street Sense in 2007 Preakness. Curlin outlasts Lawyer Ron in 2007 Jockey Club Gold Cup. Rachel Alexandra wins the 2009 Woodward. Rachel Alexandra wins 2009 Woodward. St. Liam wins 2005 BC Classic, Ghostzapper wins 2004 BC Classic. Tiznow wins thriller over Sahkee in the 2001 BC Classic. Bold Hawk wins 2007 Hawthorne Derby, Quality Road wins Florida Derby. Empire Maker derails Funny Cide’s Triple Crown bid in 2003 Belmont Stakes, Valid Video wins Kings Bishop. Commendable wires the 2000 Belmont Stakes. Carson Hollow/You in unreal battle in Test Stakes. ( There are others )
New York Bred — Say Florida Sandy, Haynesfield
New Jersey Bred — Joey P, Park Avenue Ball, Who’s The Cowboy, Gators N Bears
Sire — Smart Strike, Kingmambo, Not For Love, Elusive Quality
Most Unbelievable Moment — Afleet Alex Wins The 2005 Preakness Stakes After Almost Falling down.
Race Call — Tom Durkin 2004 Kentucky Derby - Smarty Jones, Terry Wallace 2004 Arkansas Derby - Smarty Jones, Tom Durkin 2005 Preakness - Afleet Alex , Tom Durkin 2001 BC Classic - Tiznow, Trevor Denman 2009 BC Classic - Zenyatta, Larry Collmus - 2010 The Wife Race, Tom Durkin - 2001 Kentucky Derby Monarchos, Tom Durkin — 2002 Kentucky Derby - War Emblem, Tom Durkin 2006 Travers - Bernardini, Tom Durkin — 2005 Wood Memorial - Bellamy Road
Biggest Disappointment — The 2004 Belmont Stakes - Birdstone, 2010 BC Classic - Zenyatta just misses, Quality Road misses Kentucky Derby, 2006 BC Sprint - Henny Hughes stumbles out of the gate from the one hole, Fabulous Strike injury, Smarty Jones retires, Synthetic tracks
Saddest Moment — Barbaro Breaks Down In The 2006 Preakness.
Happiest Moment — Smarty Jones wins 2004 Kentucky Derby & all winning bets.
ThoroughbredZone’s Best Of 2010 Coming Soon
