10 furlongs is THE classic distance in the US, just as 12 furlongs is in Europe.
That's why the 2 most important races run in the US, the KY Derby and the BC Classic are at 10 furlongs.

Accelerate is not competing with Gun Runner for HOTY.

Yes facts matter. It was not called the Eclipse HOTY Award back then but the year when Omaha won the Triple Crown (1935), Discovery was considered the Horse of the Year. Just as Sir Barton is considered the 1st TC winner though it did not exist as such back then.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americ...se_of_the_Year

Even the most dyed in the wool figure maker knows that just the a figure does not represent the totality of a horse's performance. Accelerate pressed a hot pace that was a set up for closers while wide on both turns.

As Triple Crown winners go, Justify wasn't one of the more impressive ones, but I wouldn't hold his speed figures against him too much.

1. A few of his races had fast paces that no doubt impacted his figure and helped bottom out some of the horses chasing him.

2. The figures for Triple Crown horses have been declining in recent years. There may be a few reasons for that, but I think the Beyer team made a logical case that the horses are so much more lightly raced and unseasoned now, they develop later. (Of course if that's true it argues that giving horses more races at 2 and 3 to develop them quicker might be a better strategy). Justify was VERY lightly raced and probably had a lot of improving to do (just like American Pharoah)

As older horses go, Accelerate had a monster year. He was 6 for 7 with 5 Grade 1s in some of the biggest races of the entire year. His only loss was a big effort against City of Light who is now also a BC Winner.

SA Handicap
SA Gold Cup
Pacific Classic
Awesome Again
Breeder's Cup Classic

I don't think this was the best crop of older horses, but it was still a huge year for him.

In most years Accelerate would be a no brainer for HOTY, but I think a Triple Crown winner almost has to get it.

I voted for Justify because I think they will give it to him for winning the TC. If I had a vote, it would be for Accelerate. He had the better year, and is the best horse to race this year.

My guess is that Justify will win it but Accelerate would get my vote. I don't care what the figure was for the Classic, Accelerate was wide throughout, won convincingly, and beat a much better field than anything Justify ever faced. Plus he ran big in all of his starts this year, all against top company.

Give it to Accelerate, show the industry that racing, and dominating, as a 5 year old still matters.

thanks for the information

I do think there will be a certain percentage that use that as kind of a tie breaker.

If Justify doesn't get it a lot will have to do with Baffert who in many peoples opinion including mine believe he's the "Lance Armstrong" of Horse Racing.

He's as shady as come. The way his horses freak and then run like cows is not normal. Another trainer like this is Jason Servis.

That's a good point.

Well there's Pink Lloyd up in Canada. It still matters in Canada. Too bad Canada doesn't matter.