Champions to be Crowned Tonight

America’s Thoroughbred racing champions will be crowned tonight at the 44th annual Eclipse Awards ceremony, which will be held at Gulfstream Park beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET with the Horse of the Year announcement scheduled for 10:30 p.m.. Steve Coburn and Perry Martin’s GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness S. hero California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) has a very good chance to take home some hardware after following those Classic victories with a win on the turf in the GI Hollywood Derby. The flashy chestnut is nominated in both the Horse of the Year and 3-year-old male divisions. 

“It’s really an honor for this horse, but he is up against some good horses, so we’ll just have to wait and see how it plays out,” trainer Art Sherman said. “It’s all about the horse and what the horse has brought to racing with his fan base.” 

California Chrome faces tough competition in both categories from GI Breeders’ Cup Classic and GI Haskell Invitational S. victor Bayern (Offlee Wild). The sophomores are joined by MGISW turf star Main Sequence (Aldebaran) in the Horse of the Year category, and last year’s champion juvenile Shared Belief (Candy Ride {Arg})–winner of the GI Pacific Classic, GI Awesome Again S. and GI Malibu S.–in the 3-year-old male category. 

Main Sequence is the heavy favorite in the turf male division and is also a finalist in the older male division, where he faces GI Met Mile winner Palace Malice (Curlin) and reigning two-time Horse of the Year, champion older male and champion turf male Wise Dan (Wiseman’s Ferry). Wise Dan also made the top three for turf male honors along with GI Breeders’ Cup Mile upsetter Karakontie (Jpn) (Bernstein). 

Headlining the older female division is GI Apple Blossom H. and GI Personal Ensign S. heroine Close Hatches (First Defence), who beat what was arguably the best field of older females assembled this year in the GI Ogden Phipps H.
Don’t Tell Sophia (Congaree), who upset Close Hatches in the GI Juddmonte Spinster S., looks to spoil the party again here, and GI Breeders’ Cup F/M Turf victress Dayatthespa (City Zip) completes the trifecta. Also victorious in the GI First Lady S., Dayatthespa is favored to take home divisional honors in the turf female category, and is opposed by GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup heroine Crown Queen (Smart Strike) and GI Flower Bowl S. winner Stephanie’s Kitten (Kitten’s Joy). 

Winchell Thoroughbreds’ GI Kentucky Oaks and GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff heroine Untapable (Tapit) should be a unanimous choice in the 3-year-old female division. Sweet Reason (Street Sense), winner of the GI Acorn S. and GI Test S., and GI Alabama S. victress Stopchargingmaria (Tale of the Cat) round out that category. Sweet Reason also faces GI Breeders’ Cup F/M Sprint winner Judy the Beauty (Ghostzapper) and GI Ballerina S. heroine Artemis Agrotera (Roman Ruler) in the female sprinter division. 

Willis Horton, who gave a memorable acceptance speech at last year’s Eclipse Awards when Will Take Charge (Unbridled’s Song) took home 3-year-old male honors, is very likely to be behind the microphone again this year thanks to GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies upsetter Take Charge Brandi (Giant’s Causeway). The D. Wayne Lukas pupil stamped herself as the leader of this division when she followed her Breeders’ Cup win with victories in the GIII Delta Downs Princess S. and GI Starlet S. Challenging the chestnut in this category is undefeated GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf victress Lady Eli (English Channel) and runaway GI Spinaway S. winner Condo Commando (Tiz Wonderful). 

The juvenile male category is a little more open with dual Grade I winner American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) facing both GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile victor Texas Red (Afleet Alex) and GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf hero Hootenanny(Quality Road), who also impressed in Europe. Top male sprinter is also up for grabs between repeat GI Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Goldencents (Into Mischief), GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint upsetter Work All Week (City Zip) and GI Cigar Mile hero Private Zone (Macho Uno). 

In the human categories, Todd Pletcher is likely to clinch his seventh Eclipse Award after topping the trainers standings in earnings. Hall of Famer Bob Baffert seeks his fourth win in this category and Chad Brown looks for his first. Ken and Sarah Ramsey look to repeat as both top breeder and owner after topping the earnings standings in both divisions. They are challenged by Kaleem Shah and Midwest Thoroughbreds in the owner category, and Winchell Thoroughbreds and Adena Springs in the breeder category. Legendary NYRA announcer Tom Durkin will be honored with the Eclipse Award of Merit, and Michael Blowen’s Old Friends will receive a Special Eclipse Award for its contributions to the sport.