Jerry Moss said it best in the Thoroughbred Times:

“….it is beyond dispute that the Breeders’Cup was designed 25 years ago to determine championships”

I can not agree more.  To me, if your horse is physically capable and you don’t compete, you shouldn’t win horse of the year. Period. Imagine a warm weather NFL team refusing to play a game in December because it is too cold in Green Bay? The Breeders’ Cup was at Santa Anita, so the playing field was artificial. Now the connections of Rachel Alexandra had every right to keep her out of the Classic, but she should not be able to take home the ultimate prize. The fact that Rachel ran very well on polytrack makes her case even slimmer. She was kept out only because Curlin lost. Pure and simple. Curlin also lost on the grass. Horses get beat. I would defend them skipping the Breeders’ Cup had Curlin remained in training this year. He didn’t like the surface. Good argument for him, not so much for Rachel.

Giving the Horse of the Year award to Rachel Alexandra, weakens the Breeders’ Cup as does splitting the award. It sets a bad precedent.

Lets keep the Breeders’ Cup what it was designed to be, the World Championships of racing.

Happy holidays to all and a wonderful new year!

Reprinted from EquineProject.com