Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta to meet in 2010?

On Monday night, Rachel Alexandra edged out fellow filly Zenyatta for the Eclipse Award as horse racing’s 2009 Horse of the Year, but the real news may have come over the weekend in that these two stars might finally face off on the track in 2010.

As for the Horse of the Year voting, Rachel Alexandra won the vote of media members in a surprisingly decided fashion, 130-99. Of course she won the Preakness last year, the first filly in 85 years to do so, just two weeks after crushing the field in the Kentucky Oaks by 20 lengths. Later in the year, she won impressively against male horses.

Zenyatta finished her 5-year-old career with 14 wins in 14 starts – with No. 14 coming in the Breeders’ Cup Classic in a memorable race. She was the first filly or mare to win that race. Rachel Alexandra did not compete in the Breeders’ Cup because her owner, Jess Jackson, does not like synthetic racing surfaces.

Overall, Rachel Alexandra had the longer campaign, winning more races (eight, to five for Zenyatta) and defeating males three times, as opposed to once for Zenyatta.

On Saturday, Zenyatta’s owners, Jerry and Ann Moss, announced they had changed their minds and would campaign Zenyatta into her 6-year-old year. Rachel Alexandra’s owners had announced months ago that their horse would race as a 4-year-old.

Game on!

Jerry Moss said this over the weekend: “We’ll run our campaign and they’ll run theirs and we could very well meet along the way. … Zenyatta’s never lost. She’s perfect. Nobody’s beaten her on the racetrack. So they beat her by proxy as far as I’m concerned. … Someday we’ll meet, and we’ll decide at that time who is the best.”

Said Rachel Alexandra owner Jess Jackson: “It couldn’t be arranged that they would meet last year, (but) we’re hoping that each horse … may win their way to an ultimate match and maybe we can work toward that.”

2009 Eclipse Award Winners

Horse of the year: Rachel Alexandra

2-year-old male: Lookin At Lucky

2-year-old filly: She Be Wild

3-year-old male: Summer Bird

3-year-old filly: Rachel Alexandra

Older male: Gio Ponti (4 years old)

Older female: Zenyatta (5)

Female sprinter: Informed Decision (4)

Male sprinter: Kodiak Kowboy (4)

Male turf horse: Gio Ponti (4)

Female turf horse: Goldikova (4)

Steeplechase horse: Mixed Up (10)

Owner: Godolphin Racing

Breeder: Juddmonte Farms

Jockey: Julien Leparoux

Apprentice jockey: Christian Santiago Reyes

Trainer: Steve Asmussen

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