Division Rankings: 2020 Eclipse Awards' early frontrunners

As we turn the page from 2019 to 2020, a surprising number of familiar names have stayed in training to run this season.

Of last year's 10 divisional Eclipse Award winners, only three have retired: Bricks and Mortar, Mitole and Vino Rosso. On top of several champions returning to training are many of the finalists, too.

These rankings, typically updated on a weekly basis, are meant to sort out the various age groups over different surfaces and give a sense of who's leading the way throughout the season in the Eclipse Awards races. This early on, it's difficult to base the rankings fully on Eclipse ramifications given many of the horses listed haven't run in the new year. So we'll break from the format a bit and rely on what can be expected of some top horses.

So let's take a look at the front-running equine contenders...

The reigning 3-year-old champ Maximum Security is the obvious favorite in the Older Dirt Male category as well as Horse of the Year. Having finished behind only one horse in his nine-race career, he will get his season started in a little over three weeks in the new $20 million Saudi Cup.

I would argue that Maximum Security has been one of the more underrated horses we have seen in quite some time. Sure, he won the Eclipse, but controversy on the track has made him a villain to some. In my opinion, the gap was quite large between him and the rest of the sophomore class last season.

In a way, the disqualification in the Kentucky Derby likely ensured him staying in training as a 3-year-old. Had stewards not moved to take the victory, he likely would have gone on to the Preakness Stakes as the race favorite. Who knows what could have happened from there, with his value potentially skyrocketing. Should Maximum Security stay healthy, I believe he has a realistic shot to make history this year on several fronts.

Midnight Bisou is the clear choice to repeat as the Older Dirt Female Eclipse winner. That is easier said than done. She ran a full season in 2019, and her connections have her ambitiously placed next out with her first start of 2020 scheduled to come against the males in the Saudi Cup. By the time she gets back to the U.S. for a race, half the season may already be in the books. Look for one of the top 3-year-old fillies from 2019 to possibly step up. 

Covfefe won two Eclipse awards in 2019, one as the top 3-year-old filly and the other as the top female sprinter. She is odds-on to repeat as the Female Sprint champion, but I can't, however, see her contending for the Older Dirt Female Eclipse. A sprinter has never won that award. Don't sleep on Come Dancing, either, as she had a stellar 2019 campaign that ended with a clunker in the Breeders' Cup in California. She is a legitimate contender for the Female Sprint Eclipse too.

What about the star-studded Female Turf division? All three finalists are back in 2020. The last two Eclipse winners in this division, Uni and Sistercharlie, while Got Storm is expected to kick off her campaign this weekend at Tampa Bay downs. Outside of the glamour division for 3-year-old males, this battle could provide the most excitement.

With that, here's an initial look at the 2020 division rankings:

Older Dirt Males

1.  Maximum Security - The newly minted Champion 3-Year-Old Male inherits top spot in this division as he prepares for the Saudi Cup.

2.  McKinzie – The Breeders' Cup Classic runner-up will open his 5-year-old season in the Saudi Cup, too.

3.  Mucho Gusto - He ran a big race in a watered down Pegasus World Cup (G1) to earn a trip to the Saudi Cup and, possibly, Dubai.

4.  Code of Honor - This inconsistent colt did win the Travers Stakes (G1) last season but was up the track in the Breeders' Cup Classic. Will likely get his chance this year against Maximum Security, with whom he is 0-2 against so far.

5.  Gift Box - Won the San Antonio Stakes (G2) in late December for the second year in a row and showed up Wednesday on the Saudi Cup list.

Next 5: Tom's d'Etat, Spun to Run, Tacitus, Sir Winston, Game Winner.


Older Dirt Females

1.  Midnight Bisou – The Eclipse winner in this division last year, she was sensational winning seven graded stakes. Will be in very tough for her 2020 debut in the Saudi Cup against males.

2.  Lady Apple - Started the season off with a win in the Houston Ladies Classic (G3) defeating her rivals from last season, Serengeti Empress and Street Band.

3.  Serengeti Empress - She followed her strong third place finish in the Breeders' Cup Distaff by just fading from the pace in the Houston Ladies Classic.

4.  Dunbar Road - Last year's Alabama Stakes (G1) winner, excelling over various distances, should contend for the top spot this season.

5.  Come Dancing – Was great sprinting last year but also showed she could run longer as evidenced by her runner-up finish to Midnight Bisou in the Ogden Phipps (G1) on Belmont day. 

Next 5:  Covfefe, Guarana, Street Band, Ollie's Candy, Monomoy Girl.

 
3-Year-Old-Males

1.  Tiz the Law - Nice win in the Holy Bull (G3) last weekend made him the early Kentucky Derby favorite.

2.  Storm the Court - The Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner and recently named champ is training toward his 3-year-old debut in Sunday's San Vicente (G2) at Santa Anita.

3.  Independence Hall - The Nashua (G3) winner at age 2, he is unbeaten in three starts after taking his 3-year-old debut in the Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct. He also runs this weekend in the Sam F. Davis (G3).

4.  Dennis' Moment - Disappointed as the favorite in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile but remains highly regarded with big things expected at age 3.

5.  Thousand Words - Unbeaten in three starts, he took the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita in his 3-year-old debut.

Next 5: Eight Rings, Anneau d'Or, Maxfield, Structor, Ete Indien.

3-Year-Old-Females

1.  British Idiom - Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and Eclipse winner will get her season started in Fair Grounds' Rachel Alexandra (G2).

2.  Bast - Has won two graded stakes since her third-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

3.  Donna Veloce - She has been a close runner-up in two Grade 1 races in just three career starts.

4.  Finite - Won the Golden Rod (G2) at age 2 and started her 3-year-old season off with a win at the Fair Grounds in the Silverbulletday Stakes. Lifetime, she is 4-for-6 with two runner-up finishes.

5.  Taraz - Started her season off with a win at Oaklawn in the Martha Washington Stakes. She is 3-for-3 so far in her career with talk of facing the boys at some point.

Next 5: Tonalist's Shape, Perfect Alibi, Wicked Whisper, Frank's Rockette, Inspiressa.

Turf Males

1.  Zulu Alpha - Now age 7, he ran the biggest race of his career in the Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1). Prior to that effort he was fourth in the Breeders' Cup Turf.

2.  Annals of Time - Winner of the Sword Dancer (G1) last year, he could be the one to beat in this division if he stays healthy.

3.  United - Almost pulled off a shocking upset in the Breeders' Cup Turf, losing to the eventual Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar by a head. Won the San Marcos (G2) last weekend to get his season underway. Dubai could be next.

4.  Sadler’s Joy – This closer won the Red Smith (G3) last fall and most recently was sixth in the Pegasus World Cup Turf.

5.  Arklow - Winner of the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) at Belmont Park last fall, he disappointed in the Pegasus World Cup Turf when fifth.

Next 5: Instilled Regard, Bowies Hero, Mo Forza, Sacred Life, Dot Matrix.

Turf Females

1.  Uni – Not much separates this one and Sistercharlie from holding this top spot. Her first big target of 2020 looks like the Just a Game (G1) on Belmont Day. 

2.  Sistercharlie – Has only lost one race since June of 2018, in last November's Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Great that her connections decided to run her another season.

3.  Got Stormy – Runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Mile to Uni, she came right back a month later to take the Matriarch (G1) at Del Mar.

4.  Rushing Fall – Was off the the board for the first time in her career in the First Lady (G1) last fall and has been on break since. 

5.  Magic Wand – Globetrotting mare again ran another big race in the Pegasus World Cup Turf, finishing second, and is in for the Saudi Cup to mark her dirt debut.

Next 5:  Cambier Parc, Beau Recall, Juliet Foxtrot, Mirth, Concrete Rose

Male Sprinters

1.  Imperial Hint – Handed Mitole his only loss of 2019. He will start his season off in Saudi Arabia in the new sprint stakes.

2.  Shancelot - Breeders' Cup Sprint runner-up seems like he could be the one to beat in this division. He could take over No. 1 with a victory in Saudi Arabia.

3.  Firenze Fire – Has won two stakes since fifth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint effort. Can be counted on to give his best every time.

4.  Whitmore - Gelding was third in the Cigar Mile and Breeders' Cup Sprint. He will get his season started Saturday at Oaklawn Park, his home base.

5.  Mind Control - Given a break after taking the Allen Jerkins (G1) at age 3, he kicked things off in 2020 with a win in the Toboggan Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct.

Next 5:  Cistron, Bobby's Wicked One, Roy H, Landeskog.