He won six straight races from December 2013 to May 2014, including the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, and while California Chrome won only once in four races in the second half of the year, Eclipse Award voters found his campaign worthy of Thoroughbred racing’s highest honor, giving him the Eclipse Award for 2014 Horse…
When California Chrome headed to Belmont Park in early June, he looked like a lock for, if not the Triple Crown, at least an Eclipse Award for champion 3-year-old, and maybe Horse of the Year. But after a fourth-place finish in the Belmont, California Chrome went winless in his next two races, finishing sixth in…
In 2009, Rachel Alexandra became at least the fourth three-year-old filly to beat older males when she won the Woodward at Saratoga, an accomplishment that in the minds of many cemented her claim to Horse of the Year honors. That victory provided the opportunity to recall Twilight Tear and Busher, three-year-old fillies who also beat older…
The Eclipse ballot stipulates that voters make three choices in each category; failure to make three choices invalidates the vote for that category. These choices determine the top three finalists in each category; the champion in each category is determined solely by the highest number of first-place votes. In most cases, I spent more time…
The championship lists are how people learn about horses from the past, even prior to the Eclipses. Championships offer limited perspective on racing history . The HOY debate is just further evidence that 98% of the population is clearly insane. It’s not enough, apparently, that the question of who should receive the Horse of the…
In 2009, Rachel Alexandra became at least the fourth three-year-old filly to beat older males when she won the Woodward at Saratoga, an accomplishment that in the minds of many cemented her claim to Horse of the Year honors. That victory provided the opportunity to recall Twilight Tear and Busher, three-year-old fillies who also beat older…
Brooklyn Backstretch 