The Eclipse Awards: Very Early Predictions
While the racing world eagerly awaits to find out who will, and who will not, be voted in as the 2012 Eclipse Award winners, I’ve decided to put a little different spin on things. I’ve fired up the ZATT time machine and jumped forward just a little bit. Call it a fool’s mission if you must, but I’m only trying to have a little fun with some reasonably well thought out projections for the 2013 racing season.
Clearly my juvenile picks are shots in the dark, but they represent a couple of yearlings that I was very impressed with at their respective sales…
Champion Two-Year-Old Colt – (Curlin – Leslie's Lady, by Tricky Creek)
Champion Two-Year-Old Filly – (Street Sense – Charming Lauren, by Meadowlake)
Going against conventional thought here, but I believe Power Broker was the best two-year-old I saw this year, and I'm looking for the good looking son of Pulpit to come back even better in the spring for trainer Bob Baffert as he puts it all together. Speaking of Pulpit, I did not give a second thought to tabbing my favorite juvenile filly of this year, Sign, as my choice to win the Kentucky Oaks and then just keep on going in 2013.
Champion Three-Year-Old Male – Power Broker
Champion Three-Year-Old Filly – Sign
Admit it ... you want to be a Mucho Macho Man too. I expect the big boy to be at his very best as a now fully mature five-year-old. No grade 1 wins yet? No problem, just watch his dust in '13, including going one better than his BC Classic runner-up finish at Santa Anita. I gave strong consideration to My Miss Aurelia on the female side, but in the end, R.D. is just too good.
Champion Older Male Horse – Mucho Macho Man
Champion Older Female Horse – Royal Delta
No surprises on the female set, as I already felt that Groupie Doll was the finest sprinter of either gender this year. It will be hard to knock her off her throne next year. On the male side, this may surprise many, but I believe Comma to the Top is close to breaking through in a big way next year as a professional sprinter and a five-year-old geding.
Champion Sprinter – Comma to the Top
Champion Female Sprinter – Groupie Doll
After watching his powerful close in the Breeders' Cup Turf, I am now of the belief that Point of Entry has the potential to be America's best 1 1/2 mile turf horse in many years. Keeping in mind that the World Championships will once again be in Southern California next year, I could not go against Lady of Shamrock, who was close to being the best this year as a sophomore.
Champion Male Turf Horse – Point of Entry
Champion Female Turf Horse - Lady of Shamrock
You already know my early pick for the Breeders’ Cup Classic…
Horse of the Year – Mucho Macho Man
There you have it, eleven predictions sure to entertain a least a ghost of a chance for 2013 glory. Don’t laugh, this was not easy … Have any very early predictions of your own?