Standings In Horse Racing

It’s that time of year again where I like to point out that the standings in this sport are possible, and would be helpful.  The TBA has been compiling standings for 8 years, and in that time our standings have more often than not had the 3 Eclipse finalists and have had the winner on top.  All this while I admit our standings are not perfect.   Our standings are a hypothesis that some form of cumulative points in the sport are possible.  Again, I don’t claim them to be perfect; I just claim that they show standings are possible vehicle to frame races in a way a casual fan can easily understand, and that some tweaks made by someone *cough*AGSC*cough would greatly change the perception of our sport.   Blame, Zenyatta, Blind Luck, Gio Ponti, Big Drama, Dubai Majesty, Uncle Mo: It’s not hard to come up with those Eclipse winners after the year they had.  And every year there are a handful of horses who are obvious winners, but standings are even more useful during the course of the year, before the Breeders’ Cup.  Standings can help shape a race and show a casual fan why a race in July is important and why they should watch.   Racing is greatly lacking context for every prep race sans the Road to the Roses, and standings are an obvious solution. Win & You're In is a joke of a series, and while I once embraced it, I'm now embarrassed by it.  Gr II winnners, winners from every continent, yet nothing to help contextualize the races here in America.  Why the hostility to standings? If you ask me it's $$$.  By putting an actual number next to all these horses names on the catalogue page it'll become harder to sell studs w/ 5 race careers and 1 big win.  But that's just me. Happy New Year everyone.

TBA vs The Eclipse Awards

That's an unfair title really, because no one is out to win the TBA standings, and there are a lot of other differences, but again the TBA standings this year prove that standings in this sport can and do work. Let's go category by category and see what the TBA missed and more likely what the Eclipse missed.  Older Horse Richard's Kid vs Dakota Phone = Eclipse got it right w/ Richard's Kid.  The TBA has Dakota Phone eligible w/ his Gr I win in the BC Dirt Mile.  But really we're arguing over nothing here.  Best of the rest, who cares. 3yo Colt Eskendereya vs Super Saver = Hard to say really, it's hard not seeing the Derby winner on the Eclipse ballot who did have a decent first half of the year.  Eskendereya 2 big wins came over Jackson Bend, I'm just sayin. 3yo Filly Harve De Grace vs Switch = I like Switch here.  Especially since she didn't get a look in the F&M Sprinter category.  A game second to Zenyatta and a LaBrea score vs one win over Blind Luck.  The West Coasters have a right to complain about this one. Turf Dangerous Midge vs Court Vision = Hard to say, I'm not a fan of rewarding a horse who ran 1 time here, and only 2 times this season, is that right? Sprint Majesticperfection vs EZ's gentleman = The Sprint division was god awful this year. F&M Sprint = See Above.  I won't even say who has it "wrong" just give the award to the horse that wins the BC, there's no rhyme or reason to the category other than that.  Switch does deserve a bit of a look here though. What is up with American Sprinters these last few years? 2yo Colt Jaycito vs To Honor and Serve = TBA has this one right, give me a Gr I winner over a two time Gr II winner any time.  2yo Filly Turbulent Descent vs Wickedly Perfect = All about what have you done for me lately I guess Again the fact remains with a standings system in place the Graded Stakes could become the "professional league" of our sport and easier niche to market.  It would allow flexibility for a TV product.  The entry barrier for understanding what is on the line for a race is lower.  Any idea that is "super" Gr I, or a selection of specific races is just a non-starter for everyone.  The Graded Stakes have been in place forever, everyone is "ok" with them, trainers & owners understand the season; the list goes on.