January, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

2020 Eclipse Awards: Authentic Voted Horse Of The Year In A Landslide

Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic winner Authentic was named Horse of the Year for 2020 in the 50^th annual Eclipse Awards hosted by Spendthrift Farm on Thursday evening but held virtually with no live audience because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

A 2017 foal sired by Into Mischief out of Flawless, by Mr. Greeley, Authentic was bred in Kentucky by Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, Inc., owned by Spendthrift Farm LLC, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables LLC and Starlight Racing, and trained by Bob Baffert. After a maiden victory in his career debut as a 2-year-old in 2019, Authentic won five of seven starts in 2021, including three Grade 1 stakes: the TVG.com Haskell Stakes, Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve, and Longines Breeders' Cup Classic.

He also won the G3 Sham Stakes and G2 San Felipe Stakes at his home base at Santa Anita Park. Authentic's lone defeats came in the G1 Santa Anita Derby and G1 Preakness (to 3-year-old filly champion Swiss Skydiver.

Authentic got 224 first-place votes for Horse of the Year, with Monomoy Girl receiving seven, Swiss Skydiver six and Vekoma one.

Authentic was retired to Spendthrift, where he will stand alongside his sire.

The complete list of 2020 Eclipse Awards winners appears below:

Horse Of The Year: Authentic
Two-Year-Old Male: Essential Quality
Two-Year-Old Filly: Vequist
Three-Year-Old Male: Authentic
Three-Year-Old Filly: Swiss Skydiver
Older Dirt Male: Improbable
Older Dirt Female: Monomoy Girl
Male Sprinter: Whitmore
Female Sprinter: Gamine
Male Turf Horse: Channel Maker
Female Turf Horse: Rushing Fall
Steeplechase Horse: Moscato (GB)
Owner: Godolphin, LLC
Breeder: WinStar Farm LLC
Jockey: Irad Ortiz,
Apprentice Jockey: Alexander Crispin
Trainer: Brad Cox

In voting that concluded January 4, 2021, Eclipse Awards voters cast their ballots to rank the top three horses and individuals in each Championship division on a 10-5-1 point system.

This voting established the top three finalists in each division, whose names were released on Jan. 16, 2021.

The tallies below represent only first-place votes from members of the consolidated voting entities, NTRA, Daily Racing Form, and National Turf Writers And Broadcasters.

Voter participation rate: 238/249 = 95.58%

Two-Year-Old Male
Essential Quality, 231; Jackie's Warrior, 6; Fire At Will, 1.

Two-Year-Old Filly
Vequist, 212; Aunt Pearl (IRE), 24; Malathaat, 1; Voter Abstention, 1.

Three-Year-Old Male
Authentic, 236; Tiz the Law, 2.

Three-Year-Old Filly
Swiss Skydiver, 218; Gamine, 20.

Older Dirt Male
Improbable, 218; Knicks Go; 8, Vekoma, 5; Maximum Security, 4; Global Campaign, 1; Tom's d'Etat, 1; Whitmore, 1.

Older Dirt Female
Monomoy Girl, 234; Midnight Bisou, 4.

Male Sprinter
Whitmore, 132; Vekoma, 83; Volatile, 16; Charlatan, 4; C Z Rocket, 3.

Female Sprinter
Gamine, 219; Serengeti Empress, 13; Frank's Rockette, 4; Guarana, 1; Voter Abstention, 1.

Male Turf Horse
Channel Maker, 180; Zulu Alpha, 17; Order of Australia (IRE), 15; Factor This, 7; United, 7; Gufo, 4; Domestic Spending (GB), 3; Arklow, 2; War of Will, 1; Voter Abstentions, 2.

Female Turf Horse
Rushing Fall, 115; Tarnawa (IRE), 106; Magical (IRE), 8; Audarya (FR), 5; Starship Jubilee, 2; Newspaperofrecord (IRE) 1; Sharing, 1.

Steeplechase Horse
Moscato (GB), 155; Snap Decision, 28; Rashaan (IRE), 21; Iranistan,2; Voter Abstentions, 32.

Owner
Godolphin, LLC, 78; Spendthrift Farm, LLC, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables LLC, and Starlight Racing, 56; Klaravich Stables Inc., 47; Gary Barber, 23; Sackatoga Stables, 7; End Zone Athletics Inc., 6; Peter Callahan, 4; Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables, LLC, The Elkstone Group LLC, and Bethlehem Stables, 3; Calumet Farm, 1; Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, 1; M and M Racing, 1; Maggi Moss, 1; Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey 1; Gary and Mary West, 1; Voter Abstentions, 8.

Breeder
WinStar Farm, LLC, 128; Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, LLC, 52; Calumet Farm, 45; Godolphin, 6; Charles Fipke, 1; Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC, 1; Voter Abstentions, 5.

Trainer
Brad Cox, 106; Bob Baffert, 69; Steve Asmussen, 44; Chad Brown, 8; Christophe Clement, 1; Michael Maker, 1; Peter Miller, 1; Ron Moquett, 1; Bill Mott, 1; Barclay Tagg, 1; Wesley Ward, 1; Voter Abstentions, 4.

Jockey
Irad Ortiz, Jr., 162; Joel Rosario, 54; John Velazquez, 14; Florent Geroux, 3; Tyler Gaffalione, 2; Flavien Prat, 1; Luis Saez, 1; Voter Abstention, 1.

Apprentice Jockey
Alexander Crispin, 79; Yarmarie Correa, 74; Luis Cardenas, 38; Charlie Marquez, 15; Cristian Torres, 3; Sunday Diaz, Jr. 1; Voter Abstentions, 28.

Media Eclipse Awards
Media Eclipse Awards also are given in the categories of photography, audio and multi-media Internet, news/enterprise writing, feature/commentary writing, television–feature, and television–live racing programming to recognize members of the media for outstanding coverage of Thoroughbred racing. The 2020 Media Eclipse Awards winners, determined by a judges' panel for each category and previously announced, are:

Photography – Alex Evers, Paulick Report, “A Derby Without Fans,” Sept. 21, 2020.

News/Enterprise Writing – Natalie Voss, Paulick Report – Multi-part Series: “A Decade In, How Are We Doing With Thoroughbred Aftercare?” Dec. 2, 2019; “Emptying The Ocean With A Teaspoon: The Challenges Of Aftercare,” Dec. 3, 2019; and “Aftercare Should Not Be An Afterthought: Solutions For The Future,” Dec. 4, 2019.

Feature/Commentary Writing – Natalie Voss, Paulick Report, “'An Angel On His Shoulder': This Thoroughbred's Fate Was Written In Ink,” May 13, 2020.

Television – Feature – NBC Sports, “Riders Up: The World's First Sports Bubble,” Oct. 2, 2020 on NBCSN; Produced by the Hennegan Brothers.

Television – Live Racing Programming – NBC Sports, “The Breeders' Cup World Championships,” Nov. 7, 2020; Billy Matthews and Lindsay Schanzer, producers.

Audio/Multi-Media Internet – Thoroughbred Daily News (TDN), “To Hell and Back: Belmont Marks A Deserved Triumph for New York City,” June 19, 2020; Joe Bianca, writer and narrator, Patty Wolfe, producer.

The Eclipse Awards are sponsored by Spendthrift Farm, Roberts Communications, Four Roses Bourbon, Daily Racing Form, Breeders' Cup, FanDuel Group, The Stronach Group, TVG, Dean Dorton, Stonestreet Farm, Keeneland, Racetrack Television Network, Jackson Family Wines, Florida HBPA, Runhappy, Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, Hallway Feeds, and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.

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Godolphin Named Outstanding Owner

For the first time in nine years and for the third time overall, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid al Maktoum's Godolphin LLC was recognized at the Eclipse Award ceremonies as America's Outstanding Owner.

Horses carrying Godolphin's royal blue colors got their pictures taken 80 times in 2020, good for a remarkable strike rate of 22.2%. The operation was represented by no fewer than a joint-best eight winners at the graded stakes level (tied with Gary Barber) for a broad swath of conditioners, highlighted by the Brad Cox-trained champion Essential Quality (Tapit), who won the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity and the GI TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile a handful of furlongs away from Darley America's base at Jonabell Farm. Another Godolphin homebred Fair Maiden (Street Boss), closed the season on a high note with an upset victory in Santa Anita's GI La Brea S. for trainer Eoin Harty. Godolphin's three top-level wins was good for a second-place tie behind Klaravich Stables' four Grade I tallies. 'TDN Rising Star' Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) and Pixelate (City Zip) were trained by Mike Stidham to victories in the GII Jim Dandy S. and GII Del Mar Derby, respectively, while Brendan Walsh sent out the comebacking Maxfield (Street Sense) to win the GIII Matt Winn S. Darley America's aforementioned Eclipse Award-winning juvenile was also responsible for Shared Sense, who annexed the GIII Indiana and Oklahoma Derbys for Eclipse Award winner Cox.

Essential Quality is likely to begin his assault on this year's Triple Crown in the GIII Southwest S. at Oaklawn Feb. 15, while Maxfield has races like the $20-million Saudi Cup and G1 Dubai World Cup as potential targets.

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Rushing Fall and Channel Maker Win Eclipse Awards in Turf Divisions

Second in the balloting for champion 2-year-old filly of her generation in 2017, 'TDN Rising Star' Rushing Fall (More Than Ready) joined the likes of former Chad Brown stablemates Lady Eli (Divine Park, 2017), Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}), 2018) and Uni (GB) (More Than Ready) to become the stable's fourth Eclipse Award-winning turf female in a row and second in succession for her legendary sire. To do so, she outpointed GI Breeders' Cup Turf heroine Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) and Audarya (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who defeated Rushing Fall by a neck in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

Sportingly kept in training at five by Bob Edwards's e Five Thoroughbreds, the $320,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga steal got this year's delayed Belmont meet off to a rousing start, handily taking the GIIII Beaugay S. June 3 before becoming just the second horse to win consecutive runnings of the GI Coolmore Jenny Wiley S. at Keeneland. That victory made her a top-level scorer for the fourth year in a row and tied Rushing Fall with Take Charge Lady on four Keeneland stakes successes. The bay continued her winning ways in the GI Diana S. at Saratoga Aug. 23, just reeling in front-running Mean Mary (Scat Daddy) and only a letter-perfect steer Pierre-Charles Boudot atop Audarya cost her a perfect season.
Rushing Fall made the short drive from Keeneland to Fasig-Tipton for the 2020 Night of the Stars sale and sold for $5.5 million to Jamie McCalmont, agent for M.V. Magnier, from the Indian Creek draft. Rushing Fall is set to be covered by Galileo (Ire) in 2021.

It's not how you start. It's how you finish.

After a lackluster first half of 2020, Channel Maker (English Channel) ended the year in career form, posting back-to-back Grade I victories and a strong third–beaten only a length–in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Nov. 7, good for three straight Beyer Speed Figures of 108 and the trophy for champion male turf horse.
Off the board in his first four starts of the season, including a fourth-place finish in the GI Manhattan S. July 4, he crossed the wire fourth once again in the GII Bowling Green S. Aug. 1, and was moved up to third via disqualification.

The chestnut continued his affinity for a soft going with a powerful, front-running score in the GI Sword Dancer S. at Saratoga Aug. 29, then added his second career victory in Belmont's GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic S. Oct. 3, this time over firm turf.

He gave his backers a good run for their money at odds of 9-1 in the Championships at Keeneland, gamely leading the field of 10 into the final furlong after enjoying a clear advantage into the stretch. He just got nosed out for second by the classy, globe-trotting MG1SW Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

Adam Wachtel and Gary Barber purchased Channel Maker privately as a 2-year-old prior to the 2016 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. R.A. Hill Stable and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing later joined the ownership line in the fall of 2018.

Channel Maker, Canada's champion 3-year-old colt and a full-brother to fellow Canadian champion Johnny Bear, has remained in training at Mott's Payson Park base for a 7-year-old campaign and is being aimed at the $1-million Middle Distance Turf Cup on the Saudi Cup undercard Feb. 20.

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Gamine Easily Tops Female Sprinters, Whitmore Rides BC Win to Eclipse

'TDN Rising Star' Gamine (Into Mischief) proved the fleetest of the fleet among female sprinters in 2020, becoming the second consecutive of her all-conquering sire's daughters to take home the hardware in the Female Sprinter division (Covfefe, 2019). The $1.8-million sales-topper at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale easily outdistanced the hard-knocking, dual-division finalist Serengeti Empress (Alternation) and GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint victress Glass Slippers (GB) (Dream Ahead). Gamine was second to Swiss Skydiver for the 3-year-old filly Eclipse.

A successful pinhook, having brought $220,000 as a Keeneland September yearling in 2018, Gamine joined stablemates Nadal (Blame) and Charlatan (Speightstown) as early-season 'Rising Stars' with a first-out romp Mar. 7, then crossed the line first in a two-turn Oaklawn allowance only to later be disqualified for a drug positive. She decimated her rivals in her next two starts, both around one turn, scoring by a Rachel Alexandra-like 18 3/4 lengths in the GI Longines Acorn S. going a mile at Belmont June 20 and again in the seven-furlong GI Longines Test S. at Saratoga Aug. 8, following in Covfefe's hoofprints.

Gamine failed to see out the nine-furlong trip in the postponed GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, finishing third to Eclipse finalist Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) and champion Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil), but was back to her brilliant best in the F/M Sprint, sitting off the pace for the first time in her career before shooting past Serengeti Empress to take it by a record-setting margin of 6 1/4 lengths.

The hard-knocking Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect) is a balm for the souls of all race fans who long for the good old days of fan-favorite war horses. The cantankerous gelding recorded the biggest victory of his career with a resounding late-running score in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint. It was the then 7-year-old's fourth effort in the Breeders' Cup.

Whitmore's early 2020 campaign followed a familiar pattern, as the chestnut won a third renewal of the Hot Springs S. while making his fourth start in the six-furlong event at the Oaklawn Park winter base of trainer Ron Moquett. The following month, he earned his third win in the GIII Count Fleet H.

Whitmore was second behind fellow Eclipse sprint finalist Volatile (Violence) in the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. in July and, after off-the-board finishes in the GI Forego S. and GII Phoenix S., the Breeders' Cup crowd dismissed the gritty gelding at 18-1 on championship weekend.

Well back behind a fast pace, Whitmore enjoyed a rail-skimming ride which put him in striking distance at the top of the lane. He tipped out for running room in upper stretch and the expectation of what was to come was palpable as track announcer Kurt Becker proclaimed, “Here's Whitmore. Here's Whitmore. Here's Whitmore,” with increasing urgency.

Here indeed was Whitmore, who strode to the lead with authority and kicked away to win by 3 1/4 lengths.

Neither of his fellow sprint finalists, two-time Grade I winner Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}) nor Volatile, raced beyond July and both made just three starts in 2020. Eclipse voters rewarded both Whitmore's flashy Breeders' Cup win and his longevity with a championship statue.

Whitmore is back in Arkansas and readying for another campaign.

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