Eclipse Awards 2017: California Chrome is Horse of the Year

The 2016 Eclipse Awards are underway at Gulfstream Park, and as expected the Horse of the Year, for the second time is California Chrome! 

Horse of the Year:

California Chrome

Race Record: 26-16-4-1 ($14,502,650)

Trainer:  Art Sherman

Owner:   Taylor Made Farm & Perry Martin

Breeder: Steven Coburn & Perry Martin

2016 Career Highlights:

2^nd - Breeders' Cup Classic - Gr. 1

1^st - Awesome Again Stakes - Gr. 1

1^st - Pacific Classic Stakes - Gr. 1

1st - San Diego Handicap - Gr. 2

1^st - San Pasqual Stakes - Gr. 2

*  Also winner of Dubai World Cup – Gr. 1

Voting Totals: California Chrome - 202; Arrogate - 40; Songbird - 5, Highland Reel - 1.

Female Sprinter:  

Finest City

Race Record: 14-4-4-2 ($925,594)

Male Sprinter:    

Drefong

Race Record: 6-5-0-0

Trainer:  Bob Baffert

Owner:   Baoma Corporation

Breeder: Frederick M. Allor, Michael T. Barnett, Anthony M. Warrender

2016 Career Highlights:

1^st - Breeders' Cup Sprint - Gr. 1

1^st - King's Bishop Stakes - Gr. 1

NTRA Moment of the Year:

California Chrome wins the Dubai World Cup.  Trainer Art Sherman remarked,  “We couldn’t be more excited, we’ve had such a great time with Chrome. He’s a once in a lifetime horse and it’s been a hell of a ride.”

Media Awards

Daily Racing Form – Audio/Multi-Media Internet, Jay Hovdey, Molly McGill, and Barbara Livingston “Time Bandits.”

NBC – Television, Live coverage of Breeders’ Cup

E:60 – Television – Feature Barnyard Buddies

Tod Marks, Photography Saratoga Special

John Scheinman, Writing, Feature Commentary – Profile on Andy Beyer

Breeder:

Steeplechase Horse:

Rawnaq (IRE)

2016 Career Highlights:

Award of Merit

Andrew Beyer

The speed figures that bear his name and the handicapping book “Picking Winners” became a game-changing handicapping tool in evaluating horses and became a household name in the sport.

“The recognition of the figures came from other handicappers. I’m hugely indebted to Steve Crist for including the speed figures in the Racing Times, and later, the Daily Racing Form. I’m excited to have this Eclipse Award  ” – Andrew Beyer

Female Turf Horse

Tepin

Race Record: 23-13-5-1 ($4,437,918)

Trainer:  Mark E. Casse

Owner: Robert E. Masterson 

Breeder: Machmer Hall

2016 Career Highlights:

1^st - Woodbine Mile Stakes - Gr. 1

1^st - Jenny Wiley Stakes - Gr. 1

2^nd - Breeders' Cup Mile - Gr. 1

2^nd - First Lady Stakes - Gr. 1

"She's been outstanding, and the only thing she wants in return is a peppermint. Thank you very much. On behalf of Tepin, thank you very much." - R. Masterson

Male Turf Horse

Flintshire (GB)

Race Record: 24-8-12-1 ($9,589,910)

Trainer:  Chad C. Brown

Owner:  Juddmonte Farms Ltd

Breeder: Juddmonte Farms Ltd

2016 Career Highlights:

1^st - Sword Dancer Stakes - Gr. 1

1^st - Woodford Reserve Manhattan Stakes - Gr. 1

2^nd - Breeders' Cup Turf - Gr. 1

1^st - Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes - Gr. 1

“I want to thank the owners and the connections of the other nominees. He’s Juddmonte's all-time leading earner.” Garrett O’Rourke, Juddmonte Farms

Apprentice Jockey:

Luis Ocasio

Ocasio graduated from the Puerto Rico jockey school that has produced many top U.S. riders. The 19-year-old finished second in the jockey standings at Parx and led all apprentices last year with 106 wins and purse earnings of $2.82 million.

Jockey:      

Javier Castellano

His fourth consecutive award, Javier has been a finalist for the past four years. He earned over $26million dollars, 35 stakes races, nine of them at the Grade 1 level. Mounts include Cathryn Sophia in the Kentucky Oaks, New Money Honey in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, and Eclipse Turf Winner Flintshire.

“I’m very proud that my family supports me in my career. I dearly love what I do and it’s a joy to do it every day.”

Horseplayer of the Year:

Paul Matties

“I want to thank Steven Crist for creating this award. The thing I noticed the most is that after I won the check I became a lot more handsome. There’s a misnomer in racing circles that horseplayers don’t care about horses and gamblers just care about numbers. I think this is the farthest thing from the truth. The reason we pick horse racing is that there’s a realization that a horse’s honesty and desire to win makes the form. That realization is the ultimate respect to me.”

Older Dirt Female:   

Beholder

Race Record: 28-16-6-0 ($6,156,600)

Trainer:  Richard Mandella

Owner:   Spendthrift Farm LLC

Breeder: Clarkland Farm

2016 Career Highlights:

1^st - Breeders' Cup Distaff - Gr. 1

1^st - Vanity Mile Stakes - Gr. 1  

1^st - Adoration Stakes - Gr. 3    

2^nd - Pacific Classic Stakes – Gr. 1

2^nd - Zenyatta Stakes – Gr. 1

2^nd - Clement L. Hirsch Stakes - Gr. 1

“She was a great pleasure to train. Mr. Hughes said that was it. I put it off for a couple of weeks, so they stole her in the middle of the night. I can say that my life will never be the same without her.” – Richard Mandella.

Older Dirt Male:  

California Chrome

Race Record: 26-16-4-1 ($14,502,650)

Trainer:  Art Sherman

Owner:   Taylor Made Farm & Perry Martin

Breeder: Steven Coburn & Perry Martin

2016 Career Highlights:

2^nd - Breeders' Cup Classic - Gr. 1

1^st - Awesome Again Stakes - Gr. 1

1^st - Pacific Classic Stakes - Gr. 1

1st - San Diego Handicap - Gr. 2

1^st - San Pasqual Stakes - Gr. 2

*  Also winner of Dubai World Cup – Gr. 1

Award of Merit

Steven Crist

Served on the New York State Advisory Committee to racing from 1992-1994. Worked as Vice President for NTRA from 1994-1997. Partner and Editor of Daily Racing Form since 1998 – 2016.

"I looked over all of the previous winners, and thought someone has made a terrible mistake. But I thank you all for the terrible mistake. I accept this award on behalf of all my wonderful colleges and the horseplayers who keep the game going. Thank you very, very much."

Owner:       

Juddmonte Farms, Inc.

The global racing superpower captured leading owner awards in 1992 and 2003. This year they campaigned Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Arrogate and Eclipse Award Turf winner Flintshire.  

Trainer:   

Chad Brown

The youngest trainer lead the country in purse earnings of over $23 million dollars. He earned his 1,000 win during the Saratoga meet. His top horses include Flintshire, Lady Eli, and Practical Joke.

3-Year-Old Filly:

Songbird

Race Record: 12-11-1 ($3,712,000)

Trainer: Jerry Hollendorfer

Owner:  Fox Hill Farms, Inc.

Breeder: John Antonelli

2016 Career Highlights:

1^st - Santa Anita Oaks - Gr. 1

1^st - Coaching Club American Oaks Stakes - Gr. 1

1^st - Alabama Stakes - Gr. 1

1^st - Cotillion Stakes - Gr. 1

"If we had to lose, we couldn’t have picked a more classy trio of B. Wayne Hughes, Dick Mandella, and Beholder. I want to thank God for allowing me to be here tonight and through my health issues." – Rick Porter.

3-Year-Old Male:

Arrogate

Race Record: 6-5-0-1 ($4,084,600)

Trainer:  Bob Baffert

Owner:   Juddmonte Farms, Inc.

Breeder: Clearsky Farms

2016 Career Highlights:

1^st - Breeders' Cup Classic - Gr. 1

1^st - Travers Stakes - Gr. 1

2-Year-Old Filly

Champagne Room

Race Record: 5-2-1-1 ($1,286,600)

Trainer: Peter Eurton

Owner:  Ciaglia, Exline-Border, Gulliver Racing, Christensen, R., Legan D., Alesia, S. 

Breeder:  Respite Farm

2016 Career Highlights:

1^st - Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies - Gr. 1

3^rd - Del Mar Debutante Stakes - Gr. 1

1^st - Sorrento Stakes - Gr. 2

“We’re very proud of our horse. From the day we saw her in Ocala, we just thought she was the real deal.”  Peter Ciaglia 

2-Year-Old Male:     

Classic Empire

Race Record: 5-4-0-0 ($1,485,920)

Trainer:  Mark E. Casse

Owner:   John C. Oxley

Breeder: Steven Nicholson & Brandi Nicholson

2016 Career Highlights:

1^st -  Breeders’ Cup Juvenile – Gr. 1

1^st -  Claiborne Breeders' Futurity - Gr. 1

1^st -  Bashford Manor Stakes - Gr. 3

“I’ve often heard it said that without the bettors and the horses, we wouldn’t have our sport. Without our owners, we wouldn’t have our horses. And there’s no better owner than John Oxley.”  -  Mark E. Casse