Kentucky Derby winner California Chrome took home the top prize Saturday night at the 44th Annual Eclipse Awards, presented by the Daily Racing Form, Breeders' Cup, and Stronach Group, when he was awarded the title of Horse of the Year. He was also named 3-Year-Old Champion Male.
The Eclipse Awards, held at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Fla., honors horse racing’s elite. The Eclipse Award nominees are selected by members of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers And Broadcasters. Each voter selects a first, second and third choice in 17 categories. The horse receiving the most first-place votes in a category is crowned champion when the awards are presented.
California Chrome, a homebred for owners Steve Coburn and Perry Martin, is trained by Art Sherman, The 3-year-old son of Lucky Pulpit won six of nine starts for the year, including the Cal Cup Derby, San Felipe Stakes (G1), Santa Anita Derby (G1), Kentucky Derby (G1), Preakness Stakes (G1) and the Hollywood Derby (G1). Sherman has the colt back in training and has alluded to possibly sending California Chrome to Dubai to compete in the $10 Million Dubai World Cup on March 28.
California Chrome received 143 of 265 votes for Horse of the Year. Main Sequence received 53; Bayern, 36; Shared Belief, 12; Untapable, 11; Wise Dan, 6; Adelaide (IRE), 1; and Take Charge Brandi, 1. Two voters abstained.
Voting in the category of Champion 3-Year-Old Male was more decisively in California Chrome's favor. He received 193 of the votes while Bayern received 56 and Shared Belief received 15. One voter abstained.
The full listing of the night's winners includes:
· Two-Year-Old Male: American Pharoah
· Two-Year-Old Filly: Take Charge Brandi
· Three-Year-Old Male: California Chrome
· Three-Year-Old Filly: Untapable
· Older Male: Main Sequence
· Older Female: Close Hatches
· Male Sprinter: Work All Week
· Female Sprinter: Judy the Beauty
· Male Turf Horse: Main Sequence
· Female Turf Horse: Dayatthespa
· Steeplechase Horse: Demonstrative
· Owner: Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey
· Breeder: Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey
· Trainer: Todd Pletcher
· Jockey: Javier Castellano
· Apprentice Jockey: Drayden Van Dyke
· Horse of the Year: California Chrome
Photo: Courtesy KentuckyDerby.com/Power Creative/Dan Dry
