Zipse: Predicting winners of the 2020 Eclipse Awards

No fans in the stands, a jumbled Triple Crown schedule, and weeks of racing lost at some of America’s best known tracks were a big part of the story this year, but in the end, excellence on the racetrack prevailed.

In a little over a month, the 2020 Eclipse Award winners will be announced. American racing once again will celebrate the best of the best with a virtual ceremony streamed live on multiple outlets on Jan. 28.

The following would not necessarily all be my picks to win, but rather who I expect to take home the awards:

Champion Two-Year-Old Colt – Essential Quality

On the strength of three dominant graded stakes wins in New York, Jackie’s Warrior came into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile as all the rage, but at Keeneland, and going around two turns, he was not able to stand up to the pressure. Instead it was the unbeaten Essential Quality who was best down the stretch. Not only did he earn his second Grade 1 victory, but the Godolphin homebred also pinned down a championship as America’s best juvenile male.

Champion Two-Year-Old Filly – Vequist

She couldn’t catch Dayoutoftheoffice in the Frizette, but Vequist turned the tables on her rival on the right afternoon when she shot through an opening on the rail to a convincing score in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Based at Parx and trained by Butch Reid, the daughter of Nyquist will win the Eclipse Award off that victory as well as a romping win in Saratoga’s Spinaway (G1). Dayoutoftheoffice and the budding turf star Aunt Pearl should round out the finalists.

Champion Three-Year-Old Male – Authentic

Tiz the Law had a very good year, but when everything was on the line, Authentic proved best in both the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Only tough losses in the Preakness and Santa Anita Derby prevented a perfect season for the son of Into Mischief, who ran in seven graded stakes from January through November. Look for Authentic to lead a brigade of Eclipse Awards for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.

Champion Three-Year-Old Filly – Swiss Skydiver

This category will be another easy answer as no horse ran in more big races this year than the Kenny McPeek-trained star. She didn’t win them all, but she proved herself time and again, and she did it across the nation. Her win in the Alabama (G1) at Saratoga was commanding, but it was the Preakness, of course, when she truly proved her mettle. The stirring and hard-fought win over Authentic was a historic victory that likely will be remembered as the finest race of 2020. It’s a shame she suffered bad luck in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, but no matter, this filly is a champ.

Champion Older Dirt Male – Improbable

There's no drama here, either. Any doubts as to who was the top older male in the nation were erased when Improbable came home a good second behind Authentic in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. He also began the season with a good second at Oaklawn Park, but it was what he did in the meat of the season that stands out. The son of City Zip was dominant in three consecutive Grade 1 races coast to coast, easily taking home the top prize in the Hollywood Gold Cup, Whitney and Awesome Again.

Champion Older Dirt Female – Monomoy Girl

While many were ready to hand the award over to Midnight Bisou after a scintillating win in the Fleur de Lis, it was her old rival Monomoy Girl who had all the right moves in the second half of the season. Returning from an extra long layoff, the Brad Cox-trained star never missed a beat as she picked up right where she left off in her championship season of 2018. The daughter of Tapizar only knows how to win so it was fitting that she capped off a perfect 2020 with a second victory in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. She now will add a second Eclipse Award.

Champion Sprinter – Whitmore

While one-turn specialists Vekoma and Volatile were arguably more brilliant in 2020, it was the old warrior Whitmore who came rolling down the stretch at just the right time. In his fourth attempt at the division’s most important race, the 7-year-old veteran overcame a speed-favoring track to rally home a decisive and popular winner of the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. A few nice stakes wins at Oaklawn Park earlier in the season should give his resume just enough substance to earn his first Eclipse Award.

Champion Female Sprinter – Gamine

Fading to third in the Kentucky Oaks was a disappointment, but it pushed the talented daughter of Into Mischief into the right Breeders’ Cup race. In the Filly & Mare Sprint, she proved herself a true sprinting superstar. Joining the Acorn and the Test, it was the third ultra-impressive victory of the year for the Baffert-trained filly in a Grade 1 race and more than enough to clinch a championship. It can be easily said that she was the best sprinter of either gender in 2020.

Champion Male Turf Horse – Channel Maker

While there are many standout winners this year, the male turf division is clearly on the other side of the spectrum. Zulu Alpha, United, Mo Forza, Arklow and Order of Australia all had their moments in 2020, but in the end I believe the award will fall to Channel Maker. He did little in his first five starts of the year and beat very suspect fields in his two Grade 1 wins, but his good showing in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, when third behind the girls, might be enough to take home an Eclipse. In a dull division, at least the Bill Mott-trained gelding finished the season well.

Champion Female Turf Horse - Rushing Fall

The very consistent Rushing Fall suffered her first defeat of the season in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, but the game runner-up finish behind the invading Audarya was further proof of what a nice race mare she is. Her three stakes wins previous to that in 2020, including a pair of Grade 1s, were excellent, and I believe she has finally earned her first Eclipse Award in what has been a sensational career. Tarnawa was dazzling in beating Magical and the boys in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, but her one race in America likely will not be enough to overtake the Chad Brown-trained Rushing Fall.

Horse of the Year – Authentic

While Monomoy Girl, Improbable and Swiss Skydiver had strong campaigns in 2020, I believe the season of Authentic trumps them all. What he did in seven graded stakes starts over the calendar year was extremely consistent and at times spectacular. Wins in big races earn championships, and Authentic authored his best performances when the stakes were the highest. Clear-cut victories in the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders’ Cup Classic should push him over the top as the 2020 Horse of the Year to close out a career which ended a bit too soon.