Eclipse preview: See who may win the 17 awards for 2021
The formal name of the event is the 51st annual Eclipse Awards. In reality it is a going-away party for Knicks Go.
Now retired to a breeding career with Taylor Made Stallions, the five-time Grade 1 winner is widely expected to be named the 2021 Horse of the Year on Thursday.
That honor and 16 others will be announced during the annual awards show being held this year in the Champions Chalet at Santa Anita. The live telecast on TVG and the Racetrack Television Network begins with a “green carpet” preview at 7:30 p.m. EST followed by the awards themselves from 8:30 p.m. until about 10 p.m. – a half-hour later than originally planned. The show also will be streamed live on the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and Santa Anita websites.
If the unanimous votes of Horse Racing Nation’s seven members of the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters are any indication of a broader trend, Knicks Go may win in a landslide in two categories – Horse of the Year and best older dirt male.
RELATED: HRN voters make their cases for Eclipse Awards.
The HRN ballots also may indicate there were more contentious contests for the 235 voters, including:
3-year-old male: Essential Quality 4, Medina Spirit 3.
Male sprinter: Aloha West 2, Jackie’s Warrior 2, Flightline 1, non-finalists 2.
Female sprinter: Gamine 4, Ce Ce 3.
Male turf horse: Domestic Spending 3, Space Blues 2, Yibir 2.
Female turf horse: Loves Only You 3, War Like Goddess 2, Santa Barbara 1, non-finalist 1.
Not counting abstentions, HRN also voted unanimously in seven other categories for:
2-year-old male: Corniche.
2-year-old filly: Echo Zulu.
3-year-old filly: Malathaat.
Older dirt female: Letruska.
Steeplechase horse: The Mean Queen.
Jockey: Joel Rosario.
Apprentice jockey: Jessica Pyfer.
Although they were not unanimous votes, the majority of HRN ballots were cast for:
Owner: Godolphin.
Breeder: Godolphin.
Trainer: Brad Cox.
These were the first-place votes from each of the HRN members of the NTWAB (finalists were announced after ballots were cast):
| Eclipse Awards | Ed DeRosa | Ron Flatter | Mark Midland | Brad Stephens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horse of the Yr | Knicks Go | Knicks Go | Knicks Go | Knicks Go |
| 2-yr-old male | - abstain - | Corniche | Corniche | Corniche |
| 2-yr-old filly | Echo Zulu | Echo Zulu | Echo Zulu | Echo Zulu |
| 3-yr-old male | Essential Quality | Essential Quality | Essential Quality | Essential Quality |
| 3-yr-old filly | Malathaat | Malathaat | Malathaat | Malathaat |
| Older dirt male | Knicks Go | Knicks Go | Knicks Go | Knicks Go |
| Older dirt female | Letruska | Letruska | Letruska | Letruska |
| Male sprinter | Golden Pal* | Flightline | Aloha West | Aloha West |
| Female sprinter | Ce Ce | Gamine | Ce Ce | Gamine |
| Male turf | Space Blues | Domestic Spending | Space Blues | Yibir |
| Female turf | Loves Only You | War Like Goddess | Loves Only You | Althiqa* |
| Steeplechase | - abstain - | - abstain - | The Mean Queen | The Mean Queen |
| Owner | Klaravich | Godolphin | Godolphin | Godolphin |
| Breeder | Stonestreet | Godolphin | Godolphin | Godolphin |
| Jockey | Joel Rosario | Joel Rosario | Joel Rosario | Joel Rosario |
| Apprentice | - abstain - | - abstain - | Jessica Pyfer | Jessica Pyfer |
| Trainer | Brad Cox | Brad Cox | Steve Asmussen | Brad Cox |
| *Not a finalist. |
| Eclipse Awards | Chip Gehrke | Tom Pedulla | Laurie Ross |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horse of the Yr | Knicks Go | Knicks Go | Knicks Go |
| 2-yr-old male | Corniche | Corniche | Corniche |
| 2-yr-old filly | Echo Zulu | Echo Zulu | Echo Zulu |
| 3-yr-old male | Medina Spirit | Medina Spirit | Medina Spirit |
| 3-yr-old filly | Malathaat | Malathaat | Malathaat |
| Older dirt male | Knicks Go | Knicks Go | Knicks Go |
| Older dirt female | Letruska | Letruska | Letruska |
| Male sprinter | Jackie's Warrior | Dr. Schivel* | Jackie's Warrior |
| Female sprinter | Gamine | Gamine | Ce Ce |
| Male turf | Domestic Spending | Yibir | Domestic Spending |
| Female turf | War Like Goddess | Loves Only You | Santa Barbara |
| Steeplechase | The Mean Queen | The Mean Queen | The Mean Queen |
| Owner | End Zone Athletics* | Godolphin | Godolphin |
| Breeder | Calumet Farm | Godolphin | Godolphin |
| Jockey | Joel Rosario | Joel Rosario | Joel Rosario |
| Apprentice | Jessica Pyfer | Jessica Pyfer | Jessica Pyfer |
| Trainer | Steve Asmussen | Brad Cox | Todd Pletcher* |
| *Not a finalist. |