California Chrome headlines 2016 Eclipse Award Finalists
Headlined by North America's all-time leading earner, California Chrome, the finalists for the 2016 Eclipse Awards have been announced. The winners will be handed their hardware on January 21 at Gulfstream Park. Below you will find all the finalists, as well as my prediction for the winners. Perhaps more importantly, I also recognize all those who did not quite make the cut as a finalist, but nonetheless, had fantastic seasons in 2016.
Horse of the Year Finalists:
-Arrogate
-California Chrome
-Songbird
Predicted Winner - California Chrome
Honorable Mention - Beholder, Tepin
********************************
Two-Year-Old Male Finalists:
-Classic Empire
-Not This Time
-Practical Joke
Predicted Winner - Classic Empire
Honorable Mention - Mastery, McCraken
********************************
Two-Year-Old Female Finalists:
-Champagne Room
-Lady Aurelia
-New Money Honey
Predicted Winner - Champagne Room
Honorable Mention - Abel Tasman, Miss Sky Warrior, Valadorna
********************************
Three-Year-Old Male Finalists:
-Arrogate
-Exaggerator
-Nyquist
Predicted Winner - Arrogate
Honorable Mention - Connect, Gun Runner
********************************
Three-Year-Old Female Finalists:
-Cathryn Sophia
-Queen's Trust
-Songbird
Predicted Winner - Songbird
Honorable Mention - Carina Mia, Catch a Glimpse, Time and Motion
********************************
Older Dirt Male Finalists:
-California Chrome
-Frosted
-Lord Nelson
Predicted Winner - California Chrome
Honorable Mention - Melatonin
********************************
Older Dirt Female Finalists:
-Beholder
-Cavorting
-Stellar Wind
Predicted Winner - Beholder
Honorable Mention - Forever Unbridled, I'm A Chatterbox
********************************
Male Sprinter Finalists:
-A.P. Indian
-Drefong
-Lord Nelson
Predicted Winner - Drefong
Honorable Mention - Joking, Masochistic, Mind Your Biscuits
********************************
Female Sprinter Finalists:
-Finest City
-Haveyougoneaway
-Paulassilverlining
Predicted Winner - Finest City
Honorable Mention - Carina Mia, Tara's Tango
******************************
Male Turf Finalists:
-Flintshire
-Highland Reel
-Tourist
Predicted Winner - Flintshire
Honorable Mention - Da Big Hoss, Midnight Storm
********************************
Female Turf Finalists:
-Lady Eli
-Miss Temple City
-Tepin
Honorable Mention - Tepin
Left Out - Catch a Glimpse, Queen's Trust, Time and Motion
********************************
Champion Jockey Finalists:
-Javier Castellano
-Jose Ortiz
-Mike Smith
Predicted Winner - Jose Ortiz
Honorable Mention - Florent Geroux, Irad Ortiz, Jr., John Velazquez
********************************
Champion Trainer Finalists:
-Bob Baffert
-Chad Brown
-Mark Casse
Predicted Winner - Chad Brown
Honorable Mention - Steve Asmussen, Michael Maker, Todd Pletcher
********************************
Other Categories and Eclipse Award Finalists
Steeplechase Horse: Rawnaq, Scorpiancer, Top Striker
Owner: Juddmonte Farms, Inc., Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey, Spendthrift Farm LLC
Breeder: Clearsky Farms, Darley, WinStar Farm, LLC
Apprentice Jockey: Kevin Gomez, Lane Luzzi, Luis Ocasio