March 29, 2024

Flightline headlines 2022 Eclipse Awards finalists

The Eclipse Award trophy (Harold Roth/Horsephotos.com)

The brightest superstar of the 2022 North American racing scene, Flightline, headlines the list of Eclipse Awards finalists announced on Saturday. Winners will be unveiled during the 52nd Eclipse Awards gala at The Breakers Palm Beach on Jan. 26, the Thursday evening prior to the Jan. 28 Pegasus World Cup (G1) at Gulfstream Park.

The Eclipse Awards, named after the unbeaten 18th-century legend and foundation sire Eclipse, are bestowed by voters from the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form (DRF), and National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB). The 246 participating voters (95.3% of the 258 eligible) cast ballots for their first, second, and third choices in each category.

Finalists were tabulated by a points system, with each voter’s top three receiving points on a 10-5-1 scale. Only first-place votes, however, will determine the champions.

Horse of the Year finalists were not publicized in Saturday’s announcement. Their identities will be kept under wraps until Jan. 26.

2022 Eclipse Awards finalists, in alphabetical order by division:

Two-year-old male: Cave Rock, Forte, Victoria Road

Two-year-old female: Leave No Trace, Meditate, Wonder Wheel

Three-year-old male: Epicenter, Modern Games, Taiba

Three-year-old female: Nest, Secret Oath, Tuesday

Older dirt male: Flightline, Life Is Good, Olympiad

Older dirt female: Clairiere, Goodnight Olive, Malathaat

Male sprinter: Cody’s Wish, Elite Power, Jackie’s Warrior

Female sprinter: Caravel, Echo Zulu, Goodnight Olive

Turf male: Modern Games, Nations Pride, Rebel’s Romance

Turf female: In Italian, Regal Glory, War Like Goddess

Steeplechaser: Down Royal, Hewick, Snap Decision

Owner: Peter Brant, Godolphin, Klaravich Stables

Breeder: Godolphin, Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, Summer Wind Equine

Trainer: Steve Asmussen, Chad Brown, Todd Pletcher

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr., Flavien Prat, Joel Rosario

Apprentice jockey: Jeiron Barbosa, Vicente Del-Cid, Jose Antonio Gomez

Media awards and Horseplayer of the Year

The Jan. 26 ceremony will also fete the winners of six media Eclipse categories as well as Horseplayer of the Year David Harrison, who captured the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) last January.

The media winners, selected by panels of judges, were announced on Friday:

Photography – Wendy Wooley – “Elbow Room Please,” The Paulick Report, Oct. 1, 2022.

Writing – Feature/Commentary – Tim Layden – “Beneath the Super Bowl’s Turf: The Ghosts of Hollywood Park,” NBCSports.com, Feb. 8, 2022. 

Writing- News Enterprise – Tom Law – “Big Tally,” Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred, July 1, 2022

Live Television Programming – NBC Sports Breeders’ Cup World Championships Nov. 4-5, 2022; Lindsay Schanzer, NBC Sports Producer of Horse Racing

Feature Television Programming – NBC Sports – “Cody’s Wish” Nov. 5, 2022; Jack Felling, Coordinating Producer

Audio/Multimedia – Horse Racing Radio Network (HRRN) – Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Nov. 5, 2022; Mike Penna, HRRN President