Although I can appreciate Carpenter’s passion for the sport and for racehorses everywhere, I challenge her (and supporters) to consider the very nature of SI’s poll, as well as the subsequent polls that formed shortly after Serena Williams was named Sportsperson of the Year. This was my take on the L.A. Times poll https://medium.com/p/cfa78fa18d5a Consider that while the amazing accolades and focused, friendly manner of American Pharoah are listed for the readers, Carpenter’s piece aids in the legacy of humanizing an animal over a woman — in this case, a woman who has faced scrutiny for her physique and overall Blackness. Furthermore, Carpenter’s choice of embedded tweets from users expressing disappointment, reinforced this history of dehumanizations. American Pharoah is magnificent, but “deserving” is usually an adjective applied to humans. The other side of the debate should have been presented — at least briefly — so readers could fully understand the context of “just a horse.” Then (perhaps) Carpenter’s case and expertise could be respected by those unfamiliar to horse racing and other equestrian sports.