Eclipse Picks
Here are my picks for this year's Eclipse Awards from the three finalist
in each category:
Two-year-old male: Circular Quay, Nobiz Like Shobiz, Street Sense
Should win: Any of the above. Will win: Street Sense
Really, all three are worthy of this award, it will be interesting to see Nobiz Like Shobiz and Circular Quay go head-to-head at all during prep season, or if they wait to meet on Derby Day.
Two-year-old filly: Dreaming of Anna, Octave, Point Ashley
Should win: Dreaming of Anna. Will win: Dreaming of Anna.
This one seems obvious to me.
Three-year-old male: Barbaro, Bernardini, Discreet Cat
Should win: Bernardini. Will win: Barbaro
No need to bring up the Bernardini vs. Barbaro debate yet again.
Three-year-old filly: Bushfire, Pine Island, Wait a While
Should win: Wait a While. Will win: Pine Island
Sympathy will deliver this award to Pine Island, although Wait a While had a more impressive year in my eyes.
Older male: Invasor, Lava Man, Premium Tap
Should win: Invasor (with a nod to Lava Man). Will win: Invasor.
If Lava Man could win outside of California, this wouldn't be such an open-and-shut case.
Older female: Asi Siempre, Fleet Indian, Round Pond
Should win: Fleet Indian. Will win: Round Pond.
I don't think a pick for Fleet Indian here is sympathy, after winning six races in a row in 2006.
Sprinter: Discreet Cat, Henny Hughes, Thor's Echo
Should win: Anyone but Discreet Cat. Will win: Henny Hughes.
Why in the world is Discreet Cat in this? Does Mike Watchmaker have that much influence on the rest of the horse racing world that Discreet Cat is actually being considered for this award? So a one-turn mile is a sprint now? I'm disgusted.
Male turf horse: English Channel, Miesque's Approval, The Tin Man
Should win: English Channel. Will win: English Channel
Had The Tin Man run in the Breeders' Cup Turf, this award might not go to English Channel.
Female turf horse: Gorella, Ouija Board, Wait a While
Should win: ALL of the above. Will win: Ouija Board.
Perhaps the best finalist panel assembled today. I only wish we could have seen them all run against each other.
Steeplechase: McDynamo, Mixed Up, Sur La Tete
Should win: McDynamo. Will win: McDynamo.
I've seen both McDynamo and Sur La Tete race twice and each time Sur La Tete has finished above McDynamo (McDynamo unseated his rider the last time and DNF). Regardless, Sur La Tete only raced twice this year to McDynamo's four, so it has to go to McDynamo -- who also beat Mixed Up at his last three outings. (Yes, that's more analysis than I expected for hurdles too).
Owner: Darley Stable, Lael Stables, Shadwell Stable
Should win: Shadwell. Will win: Darley.
Invasor and Jazil is enough of an argument for me.
Breeder: Adena Springs, Darley, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Jackson
Should win: NOT Darley. Will win: Darley.
Darley doesn'tob breed it's horses, it buys them For more see: Beyer, A. (2006, October, 31). Sheiks' Dollars Trump Horse Sense. Washington Post, p. E8.
Trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin, Doug O'Neill, Todd Pletcher
Should win: Todd Pletcher. Will win: Kiaran McLaughlin
I think the record number of winners and entries Pletcher had this year are more impressive than training Invasor and Jazil.
Jockey: Russell Baze, Garrett Gomez, Edgar Prado
Should win: Garrett Gomez. Will win: Russell Baze.
Prado will get the Barbaro vote, Baze will get the all-times win vote. Garrett Gomez had a hell of a year, and he did so relatively quietly.
Apprentice jockey: Martin Garcia, Julien Leparoux, Rosie Napravnik
Should win: Leparoux or Napravnik. Will win: Leparoux.
I love Leparoux and Rosie, but I think that day-to-day better calibre of racing that Julien saw in Kentucky will give him an edge over a jockey who is based out of Maryland. Rosie is a great jockey, I'd love to see her move to a better circuit, perhaps in New York, Florida, or Kentucky this spring.
Two-year-old male: Circular Quay, Nobiz Like Shobiz, Street Sense
Should win: Any of the above. Will win: Street Sense
Really, all three are worthy of this award, it will be interesting to see Nobiz Like Shobiz and Circular Quay go head-to-head at all during prep season, or if they wait to meet on Derby Day.
Two-year-old filly: Dreaming of Anna, Octave, Point Ashley
Should win: Dreaming of Anna. Will win: Dreaming of Anna.
This one seems obvious to me.
Three-year-old male: Barbaro, Bernardini, Discreet Cat
Should win: Bernardini. Will win: Barbaro
No need to bring up the Bernardini vs. Barbaro debate yet again.
Three-year-old filly: Bushfire, Pine Island, Wait a While
Should win: Wait a While. Will win: Pine Island
Sympathy will deliver this award to Pine Island, although Wait a While had a more impressive year in my eyes.
Older male: Invasor, Lava Man, Premium Tap
Should win: Invasor (with a nod to Lava Man). Will win: Invasor.
If Lava Man could win outside of California, this wouldn't be such an open-and-shut case.
Older female: Asi Siempre, Fleet Indian, Round Pond
Should win: Fleet Indian. Will win: Round Pond.
I don't think a pick for Fleet Indian here is sympathy, after winning six races in a row in 2006.
Sprinter: Discreet Cat, Henny Hughes, Thor's Echo
Should win: Anyone but Discreet Cat. Will win: Henny Hughes.
Why in the world is Discreet Cat in this? Does Mike Watchmaker have that much influence on the rest of the horse racing world that Discreet Cat is actually being considered for this award? So a one-turn mile is a sprint now? I'm disgusted.
Male turf horse: English Channel, Miesque's Approval, The Tin Man
Should win: English Channel. Will win: English Channel
Had The Tin Man run in the Breeders' Cup Turf, this award might not go to English Channel.
Female turf horse: Gorella, Ouija Board, Wait a While
Should win: ALL of the above. Will win: Ouija Board.
Perhaps the best finalist panel assembled today. I only wish we could have seen them all run against each other.
Steeplechase: McDynamo, Mixed Up, Sur La Tete
Should win: McDynamo. Will win: McDynamo.
I've seen both McDynamo and Sur La Tete race twice and each time Sur La Tete has finished above McDynamo (McDynamo unseated his rider the last time and DNF). Regardless, Sur La Tete only raced twice this year to McDynamo's four, so it has to go to McDynamo -- who also beat Mixed Up at his last three outings. (Yes, that's more analysis than I expected for hurdles too).
Owner: Darley Stable, Lael Stables, Shadwell Stable
Should win: Shadwell. Will win: Darley.
Invasor and Jazil is enough of an argument for me.
Breeder: Adena Springs, Darley, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Jackson
Should win: NOT Darley. Will win: Darley.
Darley doesn'tob breed it's horses, it buys them For more see: Beyer, A. (2006, October, 31). Sheiks' Dollars Trump Horse Sense. Washington Post, p. E8.
Trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin, Doug O'Neill, Todd Pletcher
Should win: Todd Pletcher. Will win: Kiaran McLaughlin
I think the record number of winners and entries Pletcher had this year are more impressive than training Invasor and Jazil.
Jockey: Russell Baze, Garrett Gomez, Edgar Prado
Should win: Garrett Gomez. Will win: Russell Baze.
Prado will get the Barbaro vote, Baze will get the all-times win vote. Garrett Gomez had a hell of a year, and he did so relatively quietly.
Apprentice jockey: Martin Garcia, Julien Leparoux, Rosie Napravnik
Should win: Leparoux or Napravnik. Will win: Leparoux.
I love Leparoux and Rosie, but I think that day-to-day better calibre of racing that Julien saw in Kentucky will give him an edge over a jockey who is based out of Maryland. Rosie is a great jockey, I'd love to see her move to a better circuit, perhaps in New York, Florida, or Kentucky this spring.