Eclipse Awards Finalists Announced
Horse racing superstars Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra, who dominated thoroughbred racing, were the only horses receiving votes for Horse of the Year, however, there were 3 finalists in each of the other 16 Eclipse Award categories.
Eclipse Award winners will be announced on January 18 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.
Either Rachel Alexandra or Zenyatta will become the first female to win the Horse of the Year honor since Azeri in 2002. They are virtual locks to win divisional championships.
Rachel Alexandra is a finalist for 3-year-old filly after going 8-0 with a Preakness Stakes win, one of three victories over males. Careless Jewel and Flashing are the other nominees.
The 5-year-old Zenyatta is a finalist for older female after a 5-0 campaign capped by a win over males in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. The other nominees are her stablemate Life Is Sweet, who won the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic, and Music Note.
Rachel Alexandra is scheduled to compete as a 4-year-old this year, while Zenyatta has been retired for breeding.
The Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird, the Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird and Florida Derby winner Quality Road are the 3-year-old male Eclipse Award finalists.
Gio Ponti and Kodiak Kowboy are finalists in two divisions. Both are up for an Eclipse as top older male, with Gio Ponti also a finalist for best male turf horse, and Kodiak Kowboy also a finalist for best male sprinter.
Ventura also is a finalist in two categories–female sprinter and female turf horse.
The top three finishers in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile–Vale of York, Lookin at Lucky and Noble’s Promise–are finalists for champion 2-year-old colt or gelding.
Zenyatta owners Jerry and Ann Moss and her trainer, John Shirreffs, are finalists in their respective categories. The other trainers up for the Eclipse are Steve Asmussen (Rachel Alexandra) and Bob Baffert (Lookin at Lucky). Godolphin Racing and Juddmonte Farms are the other finalists for owners.
The jockey finalists are Ramon Dominguez, Garrett Gomez and Julien Leparoux. Jockey Garrett Gomez topped the national purse earnings list for the fourth consecutive year with $18,571,171.
Complete List of Eclipse Awards Finalists
- Horse of the Year
- Rachel Alexandra
- Zenyatta
- Two-Year-Old Male
- Lookin at Lucky
- Noble’s Promise
- Vale of York
- Two-Year-Old Filly
- Blind Luck
- Hot Dixie Chick
- She Be Wild
- Three-Year-Old Male
- Mine That Bird
- Quality Road
- Summer Bird
- Three-Year-Old Filly
- Careless Jewel
- Flashing
- Rachel Alexandra
- Older Male
- Einstein (BRZ)
- Gio Ponti
- Kodiak Kowboy
- Older Female
- Life Is Sweet
- Music Note
- Zenyatta
- Male Sprinter
- Dancing in Silks
- Kodiak Kowboy
- Zensational
- Female Sprinter
- Informed Decision
- Music Note
- Ventura
- Male Turf Horse
- Conduit
- Gio Ponti
- Presious Passion
- Female Turf Horse
- Goldikova
- Midday
- Ventura
- Steeplechase Horse
- Mixed Up
- Red Letter Day
- Spy in the Sky
- Owner
- Godolphin
- Juddmonte Farms
- Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Moss
- Breeder
- Adena Springs
- Juddmonte Farms
- Dolphus C. Morrison
- Trainer
- Steve Asmussen
- Bob Baffert
- John Shirreffs
- Jockey
- Ramon Dominguez
- Garrett Gomez
- Julien Leparoux
- Apprentice Jockey
- Luis Batista
- Christian Santiago Reyes
- Luis Saez
Voting is done by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, the National Turf Writers Association and the Daily Racing Form.
"Eclipse Awards Finalists Announced" was posted on 6 January 2010 11:58 PM under Horse Racing News, Horses, Jockeys, Owners & Breeders, Special Features
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