Eclipse award predictions and general horse stuff
Since mumtaz did it, I'll do it too:
If I voted in the Eclipse Awards, I'd vote for...
(and in parentheses I will include who I think will actually get the award.)
2yo Male: Street Sense (prediction: Street Sense)
Considering the entire division was doing nothing but trade punches all season, the fact that Street Sense unleashed such an amazing burst of speed in the stretch to leave his rivals behind him, behind even his dust. I believe that was the second largest winning margin of all Breeders Cup races ever run since the series began in 1984.
2yo Female: Dreaming of Anna (prediction: Dreaming of Anna)
What's not to love? She'll run on either surface, she's run against the boys and won, and she's out of a half sister to Kitten's Joy! Plus she was named for her owner's sister, who died of cancer, so she's a living tribute to a beloved person. Can't beat that.
3yo Male: Bernardini (prediction: Bernardini)
Honestly? I can't stand the horse. And the only reason for that really is because I think he's overhyped. He probably is the best three year old to come along in quite a few years, but I don't like the way he was managed (what the hell do you mean "the Belmont is too soon after the Preakness"? Bull shit) and I can't stand his rabid fangirls. Ugh. And the whole furor over whether or not he'd retire, and how he up and retired immediately after the Breeders' Cup just really, really rubs me raw. HOWEVER: no other 3yo has come close to his accomplishments. Yes, he beat third-stringers for the Jockey Club Gold Cup win, but it wasn't his fault that no one wanted to face him. And even if the JCGC was a farce of a race, the Breeders' Cup Classic wasn't. And at the finish line of that race, the only horse in front of him wasn't a three-year-old. I don't like the horse one bit, but I can't deny that he deserves this award. I can't in good conscience give the award to Barbaro even if Barbaro's Kentucky Derby win was the most effortless Derby win I've ever seen. It's just not enough: Bernardini danced more dances and accomplished more on the track, and that's what the award should be given out for. It's not Barbaro's fault, no, but in the end, Bernardini just accomplished more.
3yo Female: Wait a While (prediction: Pine Island)
She was virtually unbeatable until the Breeder's Cup. And she's got G1 money on both surfaces. She was on the board in the Kentucky Oaks, behind the longest shot to win the race in history (I think? I can't remember now, but I think they said Lemons Forever was the longest-priced winner in the history of the race, which amuses me, since the race is just as old as the Derby). However, with the bias tendencies that run against horses who are primarily grass runners, I'm guessing Wait A While's multiple G1s won't be considered in the face of Pine Island's cosmic short career. And Pine Island will also get sympathy points for her tragic death, too. Not that she wasn't a very good filly, but I still think Wait a While deserves some kudos for her big year.
Older Male: Invasor (prediction: Invasor)
Aside from the fact that he's got a fun name to pronounce (I can't get Kenny Mayne's voice out of my head!) he's proven himself to be one hell of a gutsy horse. When he gutted it out with Sun King and still won, that's when I decided he was the real thing. Invasor was my realistic pick to win the Breeders' Cup Classic. I WANTED Lava Man to win, but I had a feeling it was all Invasor's race. Invasor is just... in another dimension, really. But, I think if you put him on Santa Anita, Del Mar or Hollywood at 10f versus Lava Man, you'd probably find that Lava Man can actually keep up with him. Lava Man just doesn't like it outside of California.
Older Female: Fleet Indian (prediction: Fleet Indian)
The Distaff was a complete disaster, really. No disrespect meant to Round Pond for her gutsy win, but the fact that two of the best horses in the race didn't finish, and the fact that catastrophe breakdowns usually really borke a race because they interrupt the usual racing momentum and strategy, I can't say that the race is reflective of the division. I think that Fleet Indian's injury is unfortunate, but shouldn't take away from her dominance. Until that race, she was undefeated on the year. And had she not been injured, she might have ran that streak a race further. Because no one else has been quite as consistent, I think she deserves the award. Round Pond has been spotty, so I don't think she's a valid contender.
Sprinter: Thor's Echo (prediction: Thor's Echo or Henny Hughes)
I dislike Henny Hughes with a passion, and I think that Thor's Echo has been running quite well all year. He was either second or third (I think second) in Dubai in the Golden Shaheen. He's been around, dancing the dances and walking the walks, and in the big shindig, he came through. I know that the Breeders' Cup Sprint has a history of being the weirdest of all Breeders Cup races, but still... I think Thor's Echo is a legitimate candidate. But whether the panel will agree with me is anyone's guess. And NO, I don't think Discreet Cat should get it, he has been dodgy with his races, and his biggest win so far was at a Mile. THAT IS NOT A SPRINT, PEOPLE.
Turf Male: English Channel (prediction: uh.... no idea.)
Man, what a disaster this whole Turf division has been! English Channel has been far from dominating, and yet I still think he's been the best turf horse this year. He's been going head to head with the best turf horses again and again, and has given a good accounting of himself pretty much each time. He hasn't been as inconsistent as Better Talk Now, and he finished third in the Breeders' Cup Turf, behind Better Talk Now and a European horse who was making his only start here in the States. Red Rocks came out of nowhere to win that race. He wasn't dominant over in Europe, it's not like he was bringing a big reputation with him to put on the line. I don't think that Red Rocks deserves the title just because he won the Turf. For that reason, I hope English Channel gets some consideration, but truly I don't know what'll happen.
Turf Female: Ouija Board (prediction: Ouija Board)
Even though Wait a While has been dominant stateside, and even though Ouija Board raced only once this year here, she's been in our news constantly with all her globe trotting exploits, and quite frankly, I think she deserves it. I really, really admire Lord Derby for keeping her in training so long. She's an awesome mare, I've said that for a long time. I was sold on her as a racer waaaaay back when she won the Oaks in 2004. She was my pick in the F&M Turf that year, as well as last year and this year. She's just been so damned GOOD. Especially when she gets a jock who knows what he's on about. Frankie Dettori doesn't get intimidated like Jaime Spencer.
Horse of the Year: Invasor (prediction: Invasor)
Let's face it: Invasor just owned the year. Except for the UAE Derby, every time he stepped on the track, he mastered his competition, but he did so courageously. I prefer those kinds of victories to the coasting barely-breaking-a-sweat victories that Bernardini was getting. When your horse is so clearly outclassing his competition, it's cuz he's in the wrong race!
Steeplechaser: McDynamo (prediction: McDynamo)
He made history this year with his Breeders Cup Steeplechase victory. He's been pretty consistent, and has lately been putting the smackdown on Hirapour and Sur La Tete. I think this is pretty much a foregone conclusion.
Owner: Roy and Gretchen Jackson's Lael Stables. (Prediction: Darley or Shadwell)
Roy and Gretchen have proven to be, in some ways, the heirs-apparent to Bob and Beverly Lewis. They have embodied the spirit of the devoted horse owner. Their entire relationship with their trainers and their horses is admirable for such successful owners. You can tell that they love Barbaro for who he is, not who he's by or out of, nor for how much he's worth. Even if he had lost the Derby, even if he was a gelding, they would still be fighting tooth and nail to save him after his catastrophic injury. And they haven't been trying to cash in on their horse's fame quite like other Derby winners in recent years have been *cough*Sackatoga*cough**cough*Chapmans*cough*. However, Darley and Shadwell have dominated the big races lately. Darley got the Preakness, Shadwell got the Belmont. Darley got the Travers, Jockey Club Gold Cup, Princess Rooney, and a slew of other G1s. Shadwell got the Breeders Cup Classic, Whitney, Pimlico Special, Suburban.... and a number of others.
Breeder: Lael Stables (Prediction: no idea.)
Lael Stables produced not only Barbaro, but also George Washington, who won some major races over in Europe. Aside from that, I haven't paid much attention to the breeders of winners.
Trainer: Todd Pletcher (prediction: Todd Pletcher)
Despite getting shut out on Breeders' Cup day and in the Triple Crown, Pletcher has been setting record after record, and has been accumulating all the necessary points towards a championship trophy. What is a trainer hired to do? Train the horse to win. So when a trainer's horses win, the trainer is a good trainer. And the more money a trainer's horses win, the better the trainer. Thus, Pletcher is the best trainer this year. Even if he did miss out on all the biggest dances ;)
Jockey: Edgar Prado (prediction: Edgar Prado or Garrett Gomez)
Edgar showed himself to be a true sportsman and gentleman with the spectacular rise and catastrophe injury of Barbaro. I don't recall if he's gotten an Eclipse award before, but I rather think he hasn't, and I think he deserves one now. He's been the top of the food chain all year, and yet he hasn't taken anything for granted. However, I should point out that Garrett Gomez is one awesome dude too. He has come back from obscurity to become the nation's leading rider by purses won
Apprentice Jockey: Julien Leparoux (prediction: Julien Leparoux)
Honestly, how many apprentice jocks can hold their own with the big guns? Julien Leparoux is the leading rider IN THE NATION by number of races won. I wonder if Rosie Napravik is eligible for this award (I can't figure out if she was an apprentice this year or not), though? Man, talk about the reincarnation of Julie Krone! Rosie is just unreal. She just bagged her 300th win of the calendar year, I think.
Also, have you guys seen the new layout for Thoroughbred Times' website? EWWW! God, I hope Blood-Horse doesn't change it's layout too! Equibase, DRF and TTimes have all changed the configuration of their websites, and I don't like any of them!
If I voted in the Eclipse Awards, I'd vote for...
(and in parentheses I will include who I think will actually get the award.)
2yo Male: Street Sense (prediction: Street Sense)
Considering the entire division was doing nothing but trade punches all season, the fact that Street Sense unleashed such an amazing burst of speed in the stretch to leave his rivals behind him, behind even his dust. I believe that was the second largest winning margin of all Breeders Cup races ever run since the series began in 1984.
2yo Female: Dreaming of Anna (prediction: Dreaming of Anna)
What's not to love? She'll run on either surface, she's run against the boys and won, and she's out of a half sister to Kitten's Joy! Plus she was named for her owner's sister, who died of cancer, so she's a living tribute to a beloved person. Can't beat that.
3yo Male: Bernardini (prediction: Bernardini)
Honestly? I can't stand the horse. And the only reason for that really is because I think he's overhyped. He probably is the best three year old to come along in quite a few years, but I don't like the way he was managed (what the hell do you mean "the Belmont is too soon after the Preakness"? Bull shit) and I can't stand his rabid fangirls. Ugh. And the whole furor over whether or not he'd retire, and how he up and retired immediately after the Breeders' Cup just really, really rubs me raw. HOWEVER: no other 3yo has come close to his accomplishments. Yes, he beat third-stringers for the Jockey Club Gold Cup win, but it wasn't his fault that no one wanted to face him. And even if the JCGC was a farce of a race, the Breeders' Cup Classic wasn't. And at the finish line of that race, the only horse in front of him wasn't a three-year-old. I don't like the horse one bit, but I can't deny that he deserves this award. I can't in good conscience give the award to Barbaro even if Barbaro's Kentucky Derby win was the most effortless Derby win I've ever seen. It's just not enough: Bernardini danced more dances and accomplished more on the track, and that's what the award should be given out for. It's not Barbaro's fault, no, but in the end, Bernardini just accomplished more.
3yo Female: Wait a While (prediction: Pine Island)
She was virtually unbeatable until the Breeder's Cup. And she's got G1 money on both surfaces. She was on the board in the Kentucky Oaks, behind the longest shot to win the race in history (I think? I can't remember now, but I think they said Lemons Forever was the longest-priced winner in the history of the race, which amuses me, since the race is just as old as the Derby). However, with the bias tendencies that run against horses who are primarily grass runners, I'm guessing Wait A While's multiple G1s won't be considered in the face of Pine Island's cosmic short career. And Pine Island will also get sympathy points for her tragic death, too. Not that she wasn't a very good filly, but I still think Wait a While deserves some kudos for her big year.
Older Male: Invasor (prediction: Invasor)
Aside from the fact that he's got a fun name to pronounce (I can't get Kenny Mayne's voice out of my head!) he's proven himself to be one hell of a gutsy horse. When he gutted it out with Sun King and still won, that's when I decided he was the real thing. Invasor was my realistic pick to win the Breeders' Cup Classic. I WANTED Lava Man to win, but I had a feeling it was all Invasor's race. Invasor is just... in another dimension, really. But, I think if you put him on Santa Anita, Del Mar or Hollywood at 10f versus Lava Man, you'd probably find that Lava Man can actually keep up with him. Lava Man just doesn't like it outside of California.
Older Female: Fleet Indian (prediction: Fleet Indian)
The Distaff was a complete disaster, really. No disrespect meant to Round Pond for her gutsy win, but the fact that two of the best horses in the race didn't finish, and the fact that catastrophe breakdowns usually really borke a race because they interrupt the usual racing momentum and strategy, I can't say that the race is reflective of the division. I think that Fleet Indian's injury is unfortunate, but shouldn't take away from her dominance. Until that race, she was undefeated on the year. And had she not been injured, she might have ran that streak a race further. Because no one else has been quite as consistent, I think she deserves the award. Round Pond has been spotty, so I don't think she's a valid contender.
Sprinter: Thor's Echo (prediction: Thor's Echo or Henny Hughes)
I dislike Henny Hughes with a passion, and I think that Thor's Echo has been running quite well all year. He was either second or third (I think second) in Dubai in the Golden Shaheen. He's been around, dancing the dances and walking the walks, and in the big shindig, he came through. I know that the Breeders' Cup Sprint has a history of being the weirdest of all Breeders Cup races, but still... I think Thor's Echo is a legitimate candidate. But whether the panel will agree with me is anyone's guess. And NO, I don't think Discreet Cat should get it, he has been dodgy with his races, and his biggest win so far was at a Mile. THAT IS NOT A SPRINT, PEOPLE.
Turf Male: English Channel (prediction: uh.... no idea.)
Man, what a disaster this whole Turf division has been! English Channel has been far from dominating, and yet I still think he's been the best turf horse this year. He's been going head to head with the best turf horses again and again, and has given a good accounting of himself pretty much each time. He hasn't been as inconsistent as Better Talk Now, and he finished third in the Breeders' Cup Turf, behind Better Talk Now and a European horse who was making his only start here in the States. Red Rocks came out of nowhere to win that race. He wasn't dominant over in Europe, it's not like he was bringing a big reputation with him to put on the line. I don't think that Red Rocks deserves the title just because he won the Turf. For that reason, I hope English Channel gets some consideration, but truly I don't know what'll happen.
Turf Female: Ouija Board (prediction: Ouija Board)
Even though Wait a While has been dominant stateside, and even though Ouija Board raced only once this year here, she's been in our news constantly with all her globe trotting exploits, and quite frankly, I think she deserves it. I really, really admire Lord Derby for keeping her in training so long. She's an awesome mare, I've said that for a long time. I was sold on her as a racer waaaaay back when she won the Oaks in 2004. She was my pick in the F&M Turf that year, as well as last year and this year. She's just been so damned GOOD. Especially when she gets a jock who knows what he's on about. Frankie Dettori doesn't get intimidated like Jaime Spencer.
Horse of the Year: Invasor (prediction: Invasor)
Let's face it: Invasor just owned the year. Except for the UAE Derby, every time he stepped on the track, he mastered his competition, but he did so courageously. I prefer those kinds of victories to the coasting barely-breaking-a-sweat victories that Bernardini was getting. When your horse is so clearly outclassing his competition, it's cuz he's in the wrong race!
Steeplechaser: McDynamo (prediction: McDynamo)
He made history this year with his Breeders Cup Steeplechase victory. He's been pretty consistent, and has lately been putting the smackdown on Hirapour and Sur La Tete. I think this is pretty much a foregone conclusion.
Owner: Roy and Gretchen Jackson's Lael Stables. (Prediction: Darley or Shadwell)
Roy and Gretchen have proven to be, in some ways, the heirs-apparent to Bob and Beverly Lewis. They have embodied the spirit of the devoted horse owner. Their entire relationship with their trainers and their horses is admirable for such successful owners. You can tell that they love Barbaro for who he is, not who he's by or out of, nor for how much he's worth. Even if he had lost the Derby, even if he was a gelding, they would still be fighting tooth and nail to save him after his catastrophic injury. And they haven't been trying to cash in on their horse's fame quite like other Derby winners in recent years have been *cough*Sackatoga*cough**cough*Chapmans*cough*. However, Darley and Shadwell have dominated the big races lately. Darley got the Preakness, Shadwell got the Belmont. Darley got the Travers, Jockey Club Gold Cup, Princess Rooney, and a slew of other G1s. Shadwell got the Breeders Cup Classic, Whitney, Pimlico Special, Suburban.... and a number of others.
Breeder: Lael Stables (Prediction: no idea.)
Lael Stables produced not only Barbaro, but also George Washington, who won some major races over in Europe. Aside from that, I haven't paid much attention to the breeders of winners.
Trainer: Todd Pletcher (prediction: Todd Pletcher)
Despite getting shut out on Breeders' Cup day and in the Triple Crown, Pletcher has been setting record after record, and has been accumulating all the necessary points towards a championship trophy. What is a trainer hired to do? Train the horse to win. So when a trainer's horses win, the trainer is a good trainer. And the more money a trainer's horses win, the better the trainer. Thus, Pletcher is the best trainer this year. Even if he did miss out on all the biggest dances ;)
Jockey: Edgar Prado (prediction: Edgar Prado or Garrett Gomez)
Edgar showed himself to be a true sportsman and gentleman with the spectacular rise and catastrophe injury of Barbaro. I don't recall if he's gotten an Eclipse award before, but I rather think he hasn't, and I think he deserves one now. He's been the top of the food chain all year, and yet he hasn't taken anything for granted. However, I should point out that Garrett Gomez is one awesome dude too. He has come back from obscurity to become the nation's leading rider by purses won
Apprentice Jockey: Julien Leparoux (prediction: Julien Leparoux)
Honestly, how many apprentice jocks can hold their own with the big guns? Julien Leparoux is the leading rider IN THE NATION by number of races won. I wonder if Rosie Napravik is eligible for this award (I can't figure out if she was an apprentice this year or not), though? Man, talk about the reincarnation of Julie Krone! Rosie is just unreal. She just bagged her 300th win of the calendar year, I think.
Also, have you guys seen the new layout for Thoroughbred Times' website? EWWW! God, I hope Blood-Horse doesn't change it's layout too! Equibase, DRF and TTimes have all changed the configuration of their websites, and I don't like any of them!