The exploits of Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta on the racetrack and their immense popularity among racing fans was selected by the editors and staff of THOROUGHBRED TIMES as the most significant story of 2009 and named the pair the publication’s Newsmaker of the Year. The Newsmaker of the Year is reported in THOROUGHBRED TIMES weekly issue of December 19, 2009.

Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta, who never faced each other on the racetrack, both completed their 2009 seasons undefeated and with legions of fans. Rachel Alexandra dominated her three-year-old filly division, with victories in the Kentucky Oaks and Mother Goose Stakes, and defeated males on three separate occasions, winning the classic Preakness Stakes, Haskell Invitational Stakes, and Woodward Stakes, the latter against older males. Zenyatta, champion older female a year ago, bested Racing Hall of Fame mare Personal Ensign’s 13-race undefeated career record by winning all 14 of her starts. In 2009, Zenyatta dominated the older female division on the West Coast and culminated her career with a historic win over males in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

The vote to decide the 2009 Horse of the Year figures to come down to the two outstanding females, who are virtually assured of claiming championships in their respective divisions. Horse of the Year and the other divisional championships will be announced during the 39th annual Eclipse Awards ceremony on January 18, 2010, at the Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills, California.

The headlines generated by Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta topped a year that also included such prominent stories as the struggling economy and its affects on the bloodstock markets and pari-mutuel handle at racetracks, Magna Entertainment Corp.’s bankruptcy, a memorable Triple Crown season, and debates over racing surfaces.

A complete recap of the Newsmaker of the Year will be available on the Thoroughbred Times website, www.thoroughbredtimes.com, along with a recap of the other leading news stories of 2009.

For more information, contact THOROUGHBRED TIMES Managing Editor Tom Law, (859) 260-9800 or [email protected].

About Thoroughbred Times

Thoroughbred Times Company publishes the THOROUGHBRED TIMES, a weekly newsmagazine for owners, breeders, trainers, and racing enthusiasts worldwide. Thoroughbred Times also publishes an annual Stallion Directory, the Buyer’s Guides for auctions, an annual Auction Review, the daily electronic newsletter THOROUGHBRED TIMES TODAY, and maintains a comprehensive website at http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com  .