The National Thoroughbred Racing Association, the National Turf Writers
Association and Daily Racing Form announced the finalists for the 2005 Eclipse
Awards on Thursday. The year-end championship honors are named after the great
18th century racehorse and foundation sire Eclipse, who was undefeated in 18
starts, including eight walkovers.
As expected, Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner
SAINT LIAM (Saint Ballado),
Preakness S. (G1) and Belmont S. (G1) winner
AFLEET ALEX (Northern Afleet), and
once-beaten King’s Bishop S. (G1) winner LOST IN THE FOG (Lost Soldier) are
among the finalists for the 35th annual Eclipse Awards that will be presented on
January 23 at the Regent Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills, California.
Saint Liam and Afleet Alex are the leading candidates for champion older male
and three-year-old honors, respectively, and both are expected to vie for the
title of Horse of the Year. The three finalists for that coveted title will not
be announced until the awards dinner, which will be televised live on TVG,
beginning at 8 p.m. (EST).
Many of the award winners appear to be foregone conclusions, but the male
turf horse division is wide open between the first- and second-place finishers
in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) —
ARTIE SCHILLER (El Prado [Ire]) and
LEROIDESANIMAUX (Brz) (Candy Stripes) — and
SHIROCCO (Ger) (Monsun), who won
the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1).
The 2005 Eclipse Award finalists (in alphabetical order) are:
Two-Year-Old Male:
FIRST SAMURAI (Giant’s Causeway),
HENNY HUGHES
(Hennessy),
STEVIE WONDERBOY (Stephen Got Even)
Two-Year-Old Female:
ADIEU (El Corredor),
FOLKLORE (Tiznow),
WILD FIT
(Wild Wonder)
Three-Year-Old Male: Afleet Alex,
FLOWER ALLEY (Distorted Humor),
GIACOMO (Holy Bull)
Three-Year-Old Female:
ROUND POND (Awesome Again),
SMUGGLER
(Unbridled),
SUMMERLY (Summer Squall)
Older Male:
BORREGO (El Prado [Ire]),
ROCK HARD TEN (Kris S.), Saint
Liam
Older Female:
ASHADO (Saint Ballado),
PLEASANT HOME (Seeking the
Gold),
STELLAR JAYNE (Wild Rush)
Sprinter: Lost in the Fog,
SARATOGA COUNTY (Valid Expectations),
SILVER TRAIN (Old Trieste)
Male Turf Horse: Artie Schiller, Leroidesanimaux, Shirocco
Female Turf Horse:
CESARIO (Jpn) (Special Week),
INTERCONTINENTAL (GB)
(Danehill),
MEGAHERTZ (GB) (Pivotal)
Steeplechase:
HIRAPOUR (Ire) (Kahyasi),
MCDYNAMO (Dynaformer),
SUR LA
TETE (Sky Classic)
Owner: Michael Gill, Live Oak Plantation, Melnyk Racing Stables Inc.
Breeder: Adena Springs, Edward P. Evans, Live Oak Stud
Trainer: Steve Asmussen, Robert Frankel, Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Jerry Bailey, Edgar Prado, John Velazquez
Apprentice Jockey: Channing Hill, Justin Stein, Emma-Jayne Wilson