Eclipse Award Finalists

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by Kasept

More of a gut level reaction as opposed to a 'vote'.

Someone had to jab you about Rightly So and Smiling Tiger (to a lesser extent).

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

Someone had to jab you about Rightly So and Smiling Tiger (to a lesser extent).

She wins the Bias Aided Eclipse.

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

Someone had to jab you about Rightly So and Smiling Tiger (to a lesser extent).

Why wouldn't Smiling Tiger be worthy of it? A bob from a Malibu win that arguably guarantees him the award as a 3X G1 winner (plus the good 3rd in the BC Sprint). Majesticperfection ran the best single race in a G1, but why does that lock it up? And Big Drama to me is a cop out selection.

Rightly So was so good in the Ballerina that it left the best impression on me (Suppose that makes her similar to Majesticperfection.) Dubai Majesty is going to win and deserves it. Certainly deserves it more than Big Drama does on the other side. Champagne is a personal fave but tailed off to such an extent that it's hard to embrace her for the Test-Acorn Double only..

[Sightseek]

I would vote Switch before Champagne or Rightly So and am surprised she isn't a choice.


Don't you think you're overrating that Ballerina considering the track that day? Agree that Dubai Majesty will take it, but I can't look it up right now, what was her record away from CHD?

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by Cardus

Tuscan Evening is an audacious selection, Steve (though Proviso was probably a better choice), but Gio Ponti poses a conundrum for me. (Winchester should have been inked.)

Tuscan Evening, as I mentioned on ATR this week, was 6 for 6 before her sad passing from 6.5f to 10f. Proviso viable and Goldikova Ouija Board-style worthy... but for all the genuflecting over a nearly unbeaten mare, why not respect Tuscan Evening given this final opportunity? (And as an aside, would have liked it if Wasted Tears had gotten a little nod.)

Winchester barely edged by Gio Ponti in my mind via the latter's versatility winning the Shadwell and placing being Goldikova. Winchester has finally won my respect though.

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by Cardus

Impressive math skills, Freddy. (I had to check it first, though.)

Where can we find out how many starters the Moss's had in 2010. And how does Midwest TB's not make owner of the year? How many races did they win?

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

Agree that Dubai Majesty will take it, but I can't look it up right now, what was her record away from CHD?

7/2-4-1

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by Kasept

Why wouldn't Smiling Tiger be worthy of it? A bob from a Malibu win that arguably guarantees him the award as a 3X G1 winner (plus the good 3rd in the BC Sprint). Majesticperfection ran the best single race in a G1, but why does that lock it up? And Big Drama to me is a cop out selection.

Rightly So was so good in the Ballerina that it left the best impression on me (Suppose that makes her similar to Majesticperfection.) Dubai Majesty is going to win and deserves it. Certainly deserves it more than Big Drama does on the other side. Champagne is a personal fave but tailed off to such an extent that it's hard to embrace her for the Test-Acorn Double only..

Smiling Tiger beat up on horses that weren't even in the mix for the BC Sprint. He's a nice horse, I really like him going forward, but the best horse he beat in the CA races was Cost of Freedom. Had he made the BC Sprint decision a little bit closer than the argument would carry a bit more water I think. I'd vote for Majesticperfection, even being fully aware that his campaign was cut short. His Iowa Sprint Handicap and Alfred G. Vanderbilt wins were the two best sprinting performances of the year in a landslide.

I wasn't as taken by Rightly So's Ballerina and thought Dubai Majesty slammed the door on everyone in the Breeders' Cup. She won races on synth, dirt, and turf, beat horses who were at the top of their game at the time like West Ocean sprinting on the turf, Secret Gypsy on the dirt at Churchill, Informed Decision on her favorite track and everyone on 11/6.

[Alan07]

Let's remember, we've seen some non-finalists get more votes than actual finalists.

[parsixfarms]

Originally Posted by freddymo

Where can we find out how many starters the Moss's had in 2010. And how does Midwest TB's not make owner of the year? How many races did they win?

According to "Stats Central" at equibase.com, the Mosses had 111 starters in 2010, with a 25-16-19 record, and nearly $2.7 million in purse earnings.

Midwest Thoroughbreds won 310 races.

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by parsixfarms

According to "Stats Central" at equibase.com, the Mosses had 111 starters in 2010, with a 25-16-19 record, and nearly $2.7 million in purse earnings.

Midwest Thoroughbreds won 310 races.

Midwest won approximately 3 times as many races as Moss had starters. Doesn't Zenyatta win 1.2 for the BC Classic? Nothing against Sherriffs I am sure he is a Marvelous horseman , but Trainer of the Year has to go to someone who trains horses for a profession. What is Sherriffs going to do this year have 78 starters that earn 700k?

How is Nick Zito not inked for Trainer of Year. He was at every dance from Jan thru Nov(not just one mare), he was a 1/2 a length a way in total in crushing virtually every significant race. He has a ton of starters at every level, and is a great ambassador to the sport (not that that should count)..

[Puddle Jumper]

Originally Posted by Kasept

Tuscan Evening, as I mentioned on ATR this week, was 6 for 6 before her sad passing from 6.5f to 10f. Proviso viable and Goldikova Ouija Board-style worthy... but for all the genuflecting over a nearly unbeaten mare, why not respect Tuscan Evening given this final opportunity?...

[Travis Stone]

Originally Posted by Alan07

Let's remember, we've seen some non-finalists get more votes than actual finalists.

When?

[DaTruth]

Originally Posted by Kasept

but for all the genuflecting over a nearly unbeaten mare

It drives me crazy that many who have publicly stated they have voted for Blame feel compelled to apologize for not voting for Zenyatta.

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by Cardus

It's embarrassing, really.

Not to mention how egregious the rationale used by some voters among the DRF writers has been for voting for her. I had stopped thinking about it for a month but now that it's getting close the stupidity is flowing in full force.

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by Alan07

• Steeplechase Horse: Arcadius, Percussionist, Slip Away

This is probably the category that people care least about but it's interesting (well I think it is) because there are only 5 G1s and each one of these horses won one this past year.

I'm wondering why Arcadius and Percussionist are here and not Tax Ruling (won the Iroquois) and Sermon of Love (won the NY Turf Writers Cup at Toga). I mean it seems almost random to me but what do I know?

I don't know if it's fair to judge who should win by a single race (you gotta base it on something though), but I think my vote would go to Slip Away cause of his win in the Colonial Cup. He won by something like 25 or 26 lengths and that's after the 2 and 3/4ths of a mile.

Arcadius beat him this year... by a length at Monmouth. It was his first G1 win and it was special cause it was the 1,000th steeplchase win for Sheppard.

Percussionist, who a lot of people here probably know from when he ran in England (he's actually a big star in Scandinavia. He lives in Denmark but since there's no jump racing there they bring his over to Norway and I think Sweden. Whatever the biggest race in Norway is? He won that one.) won the Grand National which I think is the race with the biggest purse.

Anyway it'll be interesting to see which one wins.

Oh yeah and I agree with the Hollendorfer posts. He should be a nominee...

[Princess Doreen]

Last chance - get your predictions in. No redboarding allowed.

[my miss storm cat]

I don't really know how to say this but I'll try.

This is my dilemma... I'm trying to figure out if I'm a hyprcrite on one level and just a horrible person on another (and for God sake that is no ones hint to say oh no you're not).

Am I a hyprcrite for agreeing that the award if for the year and not the career?

That sounds like I'm rooting for Blame, who I think will win.

I love Zenyatta for the record.

And Goldikova.

All three.

They are the three horses of the year as far as I'm concerned and award or no award it's my truth, just like last year with Rachel AND Zenyatta.

So that said, understanding what the award is, am i hyprocritical for hoping that Tuscan Evening wins... that's what I wonder.

How can sentiment dictate what one hopes for one but not another?

Issue number 2...

This.

http://www.derbytrail.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40400

This makes me sick.

It's not the horses fault and I know Percussionist is really good BUT I don't want those owners rewarded and that's becaue of their connection to the trainer.

I KNOW this is unfair and I mean I'm not rooting against this horse but it just bothers me so much that they might have known / been in on it and besides Slip Away was much much much the best this year.

All of that said, it really doesn't matter.

I guess my pennance for always going against Gio might be to root for him but I do like Winchester a lot...

No predictions except that the fashion police will be out in force as usual (as well they should!).

[OldDog]

• Horse of the Year: Zenyatta

• Two-Year-Old Male: Uncle Mo
• Two-Year-Old Filly: Awesome Feather

• Three-Year-Old Male: Lookin At Lucky
• Three-Year-Old Filly: Blind Luck

• Older Male: Blame
• Older Female: Zenyatta

• Male Sprinter: Big Drama
• Female Sprinter: Champagne d’Oro

• Male Turf Horse: Gio Ponti
• Female Turf Horse: Goldikova (IRE)

• Steeplechase Horse: Slip Away

• Owner: Claiborne/Dilschneider

• Breeder: Claiborne/Dilschneider

• Trainer: Todd Pletcher

• Jockey: Ramon Dominguez
• Apprentice Jockey: Omar Moreno

[Travis Stone]

I think who is going to win is different than who should win. If I had a vote, I would have voted for Blame.