The older males ran relays at the 3-year-old filly, with Da' Tara, Past the Point and Bullsbay each taking his best shot at her. Rachel Alexandra never got a breather on the lead and she never weakened, but inside the sixteenth pole came a final challenge from deep closer Macho Again. For a few strides, it looked as if she might crack, but she hung on by a head. Not bad for a girl.

In Saratoga's 136 years, no crowd could have been louder. The fans unleashed so much joy - and relief - it was as if they had just seen a child narrowly escape a pack of alligators.

The exhausting, exhilarating Woodward climaxed an 8-for-8 season at seven tracks for an Amazon princess who became a cult figure. But because she was held out of the Breeders' Cup and the undefeated Zenyatta became the first female to win the Classic, Rachel Alexandra might lose the virtual match race for Horse of the Year. The votes are in - from the Daily Racing Form, National Thoroughbred Racing Associations and National Turf Writers Association - and Monday night in Beverly Hills, Calif., the envelope will be opened. No matter who wins, controversy will be inevitable. Nothing's fair in this mean old world, especially in horse racing.

Rachel Alexandra was the first filly since 1924 to take the Preakness Stakes. Without ever being asked to run by Calvin Borel, she dominated the Kentucky Oaks and the Mother Goose by 20¼ and 19¼ lengths, both records. She crushed the top 3-year-old colt, Summer Bird, by six lengths in the Haskell, and the Woodward made her 3-for-3 against the boys. On that early September day, I couldn't imagine her not being the Horse of the Year. All right, maybe if Zenyatta won the Classic, but that wasn't going to happen.

A month earlier, the 5-year-old mare was fully extended to beat so-so females at Del Mar. If her connections were smart, they'd take the path of least resistance in the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic. Why risk Zenyatta's perfection? When owner Jerry Moss and trainer John Shirreffs opted for the Classic, few alleged experts, including me, agreed. Not fast enough . . . too big a class jump.

Approaching Santa Anita's stretch, the huge, dark bay was ninth of 11, 6¾ lengths behind, and I felt sure she wouldn't even finish in the money. But after Mike Smith swung her outside into the clear, she blasted past everybody to win going away by a length. As the delirious crowd rocked the Great Race Place, suddenly Horse of the Year was very much in play.

The Girl Power Debate began immediately. Based on history, Zenyatta's backers had an open-and-shut case. How can you vote against a 14-for-14 world-beater, and the first female to win the Classic in its 26 runnings?

Well, that's what I did. I voted for Rachel. You can criticize me for deciding after the Woodward that no matter what happened in the fall, nothing could change my mind.

In any other year, Zenyatta would have been a unanimous choice, but Rachel Alexandra's body of work eclipsed hers, even if she did skip the Classic because owner Jess Jackson hates synthetic tracks. Her average margin was 8.1 lengths, and only in the Preakness and Woodward was she fully extended. Zenyatta's average margin was 1.3 lengths, and only in the Classic did she challenge males and a strong field. Rachel went everywhere but to California; Zenyatta never left there. Both perfect ladies did great things, but Rachel did many more of them.

But with Saturday's announcement that Zenyatta will race again this year, maybe they can finally settle it on the racetrack.

It's too bad that a future Hall of Famer will have the ultimate accolade missing from her plaque. Best Candidate Ever Denied Horse of the Year won't be a consolation prize. It will be as bad a beat as racing ever handed out.

Get the latest news and more great videos at NewsdayTV Credit: Newsday

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