2013 Awards for the NYRA Circuit

 

It is time to recognize the best performers on the NYRA circuit, both equine and human. Awards will be given out in the traditional categories of the nationally known end of the year honors. For a nominee to be eligible they must have won a graded stakes race at Aqueduct, Belmont, or Saratoga.

 

Motion pictures have the Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars. Theatre has the Tony Awards and the best in television is recognized with an Emmy. Since I am your NYRA Correspondent on Horse Racing Nation it is only appropriate that our New York racing awards will be known as the AndyScoggin Awards. Some, especially HRN Managing Editor Brian Zipse, will no doubt refer to these awards as the Scoggies.

 

Without further ado, here are the nominees, as selected by me, Matt Shifman, also known as AndyScoggin on Twitter.

 

Two Year-Old Male: Havana, Honor Code, and Strong Mandate

 

Two Year-Old Filly: Artemis Agrotera, Miss Behaviour, Stopchargingmaria, and Sweet Reason

 

Three Year-Old Male: Palace Malice, Revolutionary, Verrazano, Vyjack, and Will Take Charge

 

Three Year-Old Filly: Close Hatches, Midnight Lucky, and Princess of Sylmar

 

Older Male: Alpha, Cross Traffic, Flat Out, Graydar, Last Gunfighter, and Ron the Greek

 

Older Female: Authenticity, Royal Delta, and Tiz Miz Sue

 

Male Sprinter: Clearly Now, Forty Tales, Justin Phillip, Private Zone, and Strapping Groom

 

Female Sprinter: Cluster of Stars, Dance to Bristol, Sweet Lulu

 

Turf Male: Big Blue Kitten, Little Mike, Point of Entry, and Wise Dan

 

Horse of the Year: Flat Out, Princess of Sylmar, and Wise Dan

 

Jockey: Javier Castellano, Joel Rosario, and John Velazquez

 

Trainer: David Jacobson, D. Wayne Lukas, and Todd Pletcher

 

Owner: Drawing Away Stable, Darley Stable, Ken and Sarah Ramsey

 

Although races won by the performers outside of the NYRA tracks will be taken into account, primary consideration will focus on their performance at Aqueduct, Belmont, and Saratoga.

 

Most of the categories have clear cut winners, but a few of them are not without challenge. To start the Juvenile Males is a tough decision between Havana and Honor Code. Havana won the Champagne (G1) and had an admirable second place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Honor Code won the Remsen (G2) after his amazing maiden win and then passing on the Juvenile. Honor Code may have more promise for 2014, but we are not voting on the Kentucky Derby right now.

 

In the Three Year-Old Male division it comes down to Palace Malice and Will Take Charge. They each won one of the big races with Palace Malice taking the Belmont and Will Take Charge the Travers. PM added the Jim Dandy in New York, but WTC is the likely Eclipse Award winner after his performances in the Classic and the Clark.

 

Which horse performed the best in New York? Which horse won the most graded stakes races in New York? Which horse made the biggest impact on the national scene? One is likely to get no Eclipses and the other will again garner many awards. The decision for the AndyScoggin Award as the New York Horse of the Year is a tough one. Weigh in and let me know, should it be Princess of Sylmar or Wise Dan?