The 43rd annual Eclipse Awards ceremony will be held this evening at Gulfstream Park from 6:00 p.m. to midnight. Mort Fink homebred Wise Dan (Wiseman's Ferry) is among the equine stars likely to take home hardware, as the GI Breeders' Cup Mile hero bids to repeat in the Horse of the Year, champion older male and champion turf male categories. The Charlie LoPresti trainee is up against Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's GI Breeders' Cup Classic and GI Awesome Again S. winner Mucho Macho Man (Macho Uno); as well as champion 3-year-old favorite Will Take Charge (Unbridled's Song), who carried Willis Horton's colors to victory in the GI Travers S. and GI Clark H. and who was beaten just a nose in the Breeders' Cup Classic.
One of the most contentious Eclipse categories is for champion 3-year-old female. While Ed Stanco homebred Princess of Sylmar (Majestic Warrior) appeared to be running away with the award when she strung together four Grade I wins in the Kentucky Oaks, Coaching Club American Oaks, Alabama and Beldame Invitational S., Spendthrift Farm's 2012 champion 2-year-old filly Beholder (Henny Hughes) staked her claim with smashing successes in the GI Zenyatta S. and GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at the end of the season.
Honors for 2-year-old male are also up for grabs. The Coolmore partners' speedy Havana (Dunkirk) held off well-regarded Honor Code (A.P. Indy) in the GI Champagne S. in October, but could do no better than second with a tough trip behind Gary and Mary West's New Year's Day (Street Cry {Ire}) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. While Shared Belief (Candy Ride {Arg}) missed the Breeders' Cup, he made up for lost time with romps in the GIII Hollywood Prevue S. and GI CashCall Futurity.
In the human categories, Ken and Sarah Ramsey could receive awards for both top breeder and owner, thanks in large part to the exploits of their superstar sire Kitten's Joy. Already two-time Eclipse-winning owners, the Ramseys' season on the track was highlighted by a three Grade I win day with homebreds by Kitten's Joy in August. The Ramseys also edged Frank Stronach, three-time outstanding owner and eight-time outstanding breeder, for 2013 breeder earnings with a total of $12,175,837. Stronach's Adena Springs and Mort Fink are also finalists for breeder, while Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms and Richard and Karen Papiese's Midwest Thoroughbreds round out the leading owner hopefuls.
The three leading trainer finalists already boast 11 Eclipse Awards between them. Todd Pletcher's (five) powerhouse stable again topped the earnings race at $25.2 million–fellow finalist Bob Baffert (three) was second with $15.3 million in earnings. Among Pletcher's leading performers in 2013 were Princess of Sylmar, Cross Traffic (Unbridled's Song), Graydar (Unbridled's Song) and Verrazano (More Than Ready). Baffert put an exclamation point on his season in the Breeders' Cup, with wins by New Year's Day and Secret Circle (Eddington), a finalist for champion sprinter. Hall of Famer Bill Mott (three), who took home the Eclipse two years ago, saddled likely champion older mare Royal Delta(Empire Maker), as well as Grade I winners Flat Out (Flatter), Ron the Greek (Full Mandate), Close Hatches (First Defence) and Emollient (Empire Maker).
Jockey Javier Castellano broke the single-season earnings record in 2013 with $26,213,507, while GI Kentucky Derby and G1 Dubai World Cup-winning pilot Joel Rosario was second in 2013 with earnings of $21,585,941 despite missing time due to injury. In his first year back in the saddle, Hall of Famer Gary Stevens's winning mounts last season included the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, GI Breeders' Cup Distaff and GI Preakness S.
For the complete list of Eclipse Award finalists, click here.
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