HRN Favorites: Our writers' top moments in 2017

The HRN Favorites series continues with a glance at our top moments from 2017, complete with lucky horseshoes, the chance to meet a champion and a run for the ages.

Also check out our earlier list of top 10 races from the year.

Candice Curtis — Gun Runner extra lucky in the Whitney

His rival's horseshoe sprang free in the frenzy of the race and landed in the winner's tail, where it flashed in the sun as the Steve Asmussen trainee powered to victory down the Saratoga stretch.

Nick Costa — Winx wins third straight Cox Plate

History was made Oct. 28 when the sensational Winx dug deep down into her reserves and held off a furious late surge from a game opponent to win by a half-length and capture her third straight Cox Plate at Australia’s Moonee Valley Racecourse. With the thrilling win, the 6-year old wonder mare’s name will be forever etched in history by becoming just the second horse to accomplish the feat in the G1 affair. Winx also set a course record for the distance (2,040 meters) and extended her winning streak to 22 victories in a row, including 15 Group 1s. For any athlete, winning a major event is always sweet. Of course, winning it twice is always going to be harder, but when that athlete succeeds three times in succession — a “three-peat,” if you will — he or she is a true champion. Not only does this daughter of Street Cry deserve the moniker bestowed upon her, she personifies the designation. She is a racehorse of rare distinction, and her achievement in the “land down under” in late October is my HRN moment of the year.

Jarrod Horak — Tricks To Doo wins despite broken rein

Just when you think you have seen it all in horse racing, along comes another improbable sight. In the sixth race at Laurel Park on Oct. 27, 2-year-old Tricks To Doo overcame a broken rein to earn his diploma as the 1-9 favorite, but that is not the end of the story. Right after crossing the wire, he drifted out and started heading back to the paddock, forcing jockey Feargal Lynch to bail. Bigger and better things seemed to be on the horizon, and sure enough, he returned to romp in the Inaugural Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on Dec. 16.

Maddie Jackson — Indiana-bred Buchhero enters Breeders’ Cup

My favorite moment in racing in 2017 was definitely the running of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, where Indiana-bred Bucchero finished forth under Fernando De La Cruz for Tim Glyshaw. Being from Indiana, I had to root for the local fan favorite, and him running fourth made us all back home very proud! It was amazing to see all of the hard work everybody in the Indiana breeding program has put in finally being realized on the world stage. We’re all behind Buchhero wherever he goes next.

Averie Levanti — Songbird Fan Day

Of all racing-related moments in 2017, Taylor Made Farm’s Songbird Fan Day sticks out in my mind. Out of genuine kindness, Taylor Made opened its gates for fans to visit the superstar filly before she was sent off to the Fasig-Tipton November sale. Fans gathered around and snapped pictures of racing’s queen, and Taylor Made supplied bucketfuls of carrots, allowing everyone to feed her a treat and pose for a photo. Songbird bucked and played around her paddock to a crescendo of cheers, and sometimes she would simply stop to admire her gaggle of fans along the rail. It’s not every day that you get to just hang out with your favorite filly, and it’s something I can’t quite put into words. To everyone at Taylor Made who made Songbird Fan Day a possibility, thank you.

Jasen Mangrum — The end of Arrogate's run

For me, racing’s most interesting moment of 2017 happened the second Arrogate crossed the finish line to win the Dubai World Cup. It was a historic effort, as he went from last to first to win by open lengths, adding his fourth straight grade one victory. Immediately anointed the horse of a generation by many, those same experts had no idea it would be the last time they would witness Arrogate’s brilliance. Other horses have returned from Dubai and appeared off, but Arrogate’s arrival home marked a strikingly quick decline to mediocrity, as he never saw the winner’s circle again. Arrogate is the epitome of the adage that horses are flesh and blood, not machines that run to their past performances lines every time without fail.

Olivia Newman — Lady Eli wins the Grade 1 Ballston Spa

My favorite moment was seeing Lady Eli win the Ballston Spa, following her narrow defeat in the same race last year that marked her return from laminitis. She fought so hard to come back and perform at the top level. She is a hero in our sport. 

Christine Oser — Ben’s Cat claims the Vox Populi Award

It was awful to lose Maryland’s racing warrior so soon in his retirement, but Ben’s Cat was an easy, feel-good story I couldn’t help but root for. And I wasn’t alone. He earned the Vox Populi Award, presented by Secretariat.com, in a vote that included fan favorites Gun Runner, Arrogate, Lady Eli, Patch and Songbird.