by Tom Law

Spend enough time at any place where one might see horses—sales grounds, a U.S. racetrack, or a simulcast facility—and the topic of Horse of the Year for 2009 is bound to come up.

Everyone—from rival owners and trainers to high rollers and $2 bettors to program sellers and mutuel clerks—has an opinion. The so-called experts have also weighed in on the debate as thousands of column inches and blog posts have been filled by America’s racing writers seeking to sort out and weigh the credentials of the two female stars of the American Turf in 2009.

Rachel Alexandra or Zenyatta?

Zenyatta or Rachel Alexandra?

The two female superstars both put up undefeated records in 2009—Rachel Alexandra with eight victories and Zenyatta with five—but unlike most championship games or races that often settle things on the field of play, racing’s most prestigious title will come down to a vote. The Horse of the Year title will be decided over the next few weeks as nearly 280 eligible voters cast their votes for the 2009 Eclipse Awards.

Barring the mathematically possible but highly improbable tie in the vote, there will be only one Horse of the Year.

Who it will be remains in doubt.

Jess Jackson, who campaigns Rachel Alexandra in partnership with Harold McCormick, and Jerry and Ann Moss, the owners of Zenyatta, do not have an official vote in the process. They do have opinions, however, and agreed to state their cases here for the enjoyment of THOROUGHBRED TIMES readers.

To read Jackson’s opinion, click here.

To read Moss’s opinion, click here.

Tom Law is managing editor of Thoroughbred Times