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USA: AMERICA’S sweetheart Rachel Alexandra beat her rival Zenyatta to be named American Horse of the Year
at the 39th annual Eclipse Awards ceremony in Los Angeles on Monday night.

The brilliant Steve Asmussen-trained Rachel Alexandra earned the most prestigious accolade after a
three-year-old season in which she won each of her eight starts, including five victories in Grade 1 events.

Rachel Alexandra’s victories included three against her male counterparts at the highest level – notably
the second leg of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes, where she became the first filly to win for 85 years.

Determined by votes of members of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), the National Turf Writers
Association and the Daily Racing Form, the Eclipse Awards totally outshine any similar awards on offer in Europe
in terms of prestige.

They define the sport’s champions, with the Horse of the Year award representing the pinnacle of horseracing
achievement in North America.

Ever since the great Zenyatta took her unbeaten record to 14 with that spectacular victory in the Breeders’
Cup Classic, the American racing community has been divided.

Rachel Alexandra, a daughter of Medaglia D’Oro originally trained by Hal Wiggins, has gained a place in the public
affections beyond the confines of the racing public after a string of Grade 1 victories under jockey Calvin Borel.
Zenyatta

Zenyatta: not crowned US Horse of the Year at Eclipse Awards
PICTURE: Edward Whitaker

Not only did she record runaway wide-margin victories against fillies in the Kentucky Oaks and Mother Goose Stakes,
she went on to win the Haskell Invitational and Woodward Stakes against males – something of a rarity in US racing.

However, every one of her eight wins in 2009 came on conventional dirt – and her connections opted against running
her at the Breeders’ Cup at on a synthetic surface at Santa Anita, leaving the door open for Zenyatta to promote her
own horse of the year claims.

But after two months of suspense, Rachel Alexandra took the award at a gala dinner on Monday in Beverly Hills. The
final score was 130 votes to 99.

Before making the announcement, NTRA president Alex Waldrop asked the audience to give the two ‘supergirls’ one last
round of applause, resulting in a standing ovation for the pair, both of whom are set to stay in training in 2010.

Owner Jess Jackson of Stonestreet Stables bought Rachel Alexandra from owner/breeder Dolphus Morrison following the
Kentucky Oaks, after which she was switched to Asmussen from Hal Wiggins.

Accepting the award, Jackson commented: “I’m almost speechless because this contest was so closeand I don’t know the
count, but I know that either horse deserved this award.

“It’s hard for me to accept it without sharing it with all the people that made this possible including Calvin Borel,
who could not be here.”

Jackson added: “Together Rachel and Zenyatta won nine Grade 1 races.

“Together they conquered four of the best groups of males who were running last year – if you think about their
achievements, individually or collectively, there has never been a year like this one for fillies.”

Jackson also paid tribute to Zenyatta’s owners Jerry and Ann Moss. “We said congratulations to each other and I
truly appreciate the grace and charm of the Zenyatta team, particularly Jerry and Ann Moss,” he said.

“It couldn’t be arranged that they could meet last year. We’re hoping that each horse, taking its course, may win
their way to an ultimate match and maybe we can work toward that.”

Jerry Moss, who had earlier seen Zenyatta claim the Eclipse Award for older female, admitted his disappointment at
losing out in the most important ballot.

“Sure, we’re disappointed, but we didn’t lose anything,” he said. “I thought the pure emotion of the thing was going
to take over, all the cards and letters we got from people.

“Nobody’s beat her on the racetrack, so they beat her by proxy tonight as far as I’m concerned. She’s perfect.

“Mister Jackson has a great horse and hopefully we can meet on the track and frankly, I wouldn’t change horses with
anybody. We’re going to have a great year, I know we are.”