However, there are some outrageous votes for these awards so why can't I have my say? Case in point: In 2011 someone voted for Drosselmeyer for Turf Male. He raced on the turf once in 2011, finishing 7th in the Sword Dancer. Another laugher was Court Vision for Horse of the Year. Ok.
Here is a list of who I think should win and who will likely win.
2yo Filly
Who Will Win: Take Charge Brandi
Who Should Win: Lady Eli
Lady Eli is by far the best and most talented two-year old I saw racing this year. She got a good trip in the Juvenile Fillies Turf but her turn of foot was amazing and she was massively impressive in her wins. However, she will be penalized in voting because: (1) She is a turf horse, (2) Take Charge Brandi is trained by D. Wayne Lukas and (3) Take Charge Brandi won her last three races, all since November 1st, so she is fresh in the voters' minds. There is no question in my mind of who the most talented and best horse two-year-old filly was. I just think most people will see Take Charge Brandi as having a better campaign. Depends on how you look at things.
Watch and dream:
Lady Eli is the horse I am most excited to see in 2015.
2yo Colt
Who Will Win: American Pharaoh
Who Should Win: American Pharaoh
Only other possibility is Texas Red but he lost the head-to-head in the Frontrunner. Pharaoh won two Grade Is. Done.
3yo Filly
Who Will Win: Untapable
Who Should Win: Untapable
If anybody votes for any other horse in this category they should be stripped of their vote for all eternity. They should be ridiculedand forced to eat at Arby's for the rest of their life. I am sure that Drosselmeyer will receive a vote in this category even though he is a seven-year-old male.
3yo Colt
Who Will Win: California Chrome
Who Should Win: Bayern
This is where the chorus of boos will start. Don't care. Unfortunately, California Chrome will win this award and I can't argue with people who will vote for him. However, he is not as good as Bayern or Shared Belief. Bayern won 2 to 1 in head-to-head races. He won he B.C. Classic and had memorable races in the Woody Stephens and Haskell. Don't care what your view of the B.C. Classic and stewards' decision was. Shared Belief is overlooked in this category even though I believe he is the best horse in training.
Older Female
Who Will Win: Close Hatches
Who Should Win: Close Hatches
She was less than stellar at the end of the year but there is no other competition and she was very very good during the middle of the year. Deserving winner.
Older Male
Who Will Win: Palace Malice
Who Should Win: Palace Malice
Who else would you vote for in this category? He didn't race the last part of the year but won the Met Mile and the New Orleans Handicap. The only other option is Goldencents who ended his career in smashing fashion in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, but he is seen as a Sprinter/Miler rather than the tradition older horse.
**Note: I didn't include Main Sequence. My thought is that this category should be changed to Older Dirt Male to make voting easier. Main Sequence was clearly the best older horse in the country last year but most people will vote for him in the turf category rather than the older male category. This has caused confusion the last few years as Wise Dan has won this category along with HOY and Turf Male.
Turf Male
Who Will Win: Main Sequence
Who Should Win: Main Sequence
Slam dunk. Championship
Turf Female
Who Will Win: Dayatthespa
Who Should Win: Dayatthespa
She won the B.C. If Stephanie's Kitten would have won the B.C. she would have been the deserving winner.
Male Sprinter
Who Will Win: Work All Week
Who Should Win: Not Sure
Can you give an Eclipse Award to a horse that lost the Addison Cammack handicap?
Your other options are Private Zone and Goldencents. Both of who I believe are better horses than Work All Week at 6 to 7 Furlongs. Problem is that Private Zone's big win was the Cigar Mile but that was not a sprint. He won the Grade 1 Vosburgh and then finished 3rd in the B.C. Sprint. Goldencents did not win a G1 under a mile this year (He won the Pat O'Brien, a Grade 2 at 7 Furlongs). I guess you could consider Palace, but he is light on the resume.
Female Sprinter
Who Will Win: Judy The Beauty
Who Should Win: Judy the Beauty
Slam dunk.
Owner
Who Will Win: Ramsey
Who Should Win: Ramsey
I will not be on the ballot this year even though I have 10% in No Claim Will Do. Despite being overlooked in this category, I would give my vote to Ramsey for winning a massive amount of money at a high level.
Breeder
Who Will Win: Ramsey
Who Should Win: Ramsey
Incredible faith in Kitten's Joy continues to award Ramsey. Faith in a stallion works...sometimes. We don't hear of the non-success stories.
Trainer
Who Will Win: Art Sherman
Who Should Win: Chad Brown
Art Sherman, Todd Pletcher and Bob Baffert could be the finalists. Sherman may win based on one horse. I really think Chad Brown has been exceptional this year with the campaigns of Lady Eli, Dayatthespa, and Bobby's Kitten -- all won Breeders Cup races. He really should win this.
Jockey
Who Will Win: Castellano
Who Should Win: Castellano
He has been the best jockey for the last two years.
Horse of the Year
Who Will Win: California Chrome
Who Should Win: (1) Main Sequence, (2) Bayern, (3) Shared Belief (4) California Chrome
I am not going to debate this because there is nothing I can do about California Chrome winning this award. I disagree and I could go into the reasons, but what is the point? I would vote for Main Sequence, but very timidly. He was undefeated winning four Grade 1s and beating horses that placed in the Arc in the Breeders Cup Turf. I am timid because his campaign lasted from July to November, he did not beat the strongest fields in the non-BC races. Bayern had a campaign that lasted from January to November. Problem with Bayern is that he boated pretty badly in the Preakness and the Travers. I would not blame anyone for voting for him. Shared Belief is the overlooked horse. He lost one race in which he had trouble. Other than that he was perfect. The problem is that he raced exclusively against older horses except for the troubled BC Classic race and the Malibu will not be looked at (ridiculous) because it came so late in the year. When all is said and done you can't blame people who just watch the Triple Crown to vote for California Chrome.
Always Love Your Animals,
Will
1 comment:
Will, you are the best
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