An early look at Eclipse Awards
Several categories up for grabs after Breeders’ Cup
Upsets at the Breeders’ Cup have made some Eclipse Awards more competitive than they were a couple of weeks ago. Gun Runner (older dirt male), Lady Eli (female turf horse), Roy H (male sprinter) and Abel Tasman (three-year-old filly) look like sure winners in their respective categories. In the other four non-juvenile categories, however, the winner is not quite so obvious.
Note: There are still over 40 graded races yet to be run this year, including nearly 10 Grade 1s, enough to potentially influence Eclipse Award voting.
Older female
Eclipse voters will be choosing between a mare who raced only four times in 2017 (Stellar Wind) and one who raced only three (Forever Unbridled). With three straight Grade 1 wins coming into the Breeders’ Cup, Stellar Wind appeared to have this award locked up. Unfortunately, the only Distaff result that could deny her a second championship (Forever Unbridled winning the race and Stellar Wind finishing last) is exactly what transpired.
Chances are that voters will give more weight to Forever Unbridled’s relatively recent Personal Ensign/ Distaff double than to Stellar Wind’s three Grade 1 scores back in the spring and early summer — especially given Stellar Wind’s last-place finish in the Distaff.
Three-year-old male
When Always Dreaming reeled off decisive victories in his first