| NTRA’s 41st Eclipse Award Nominees |
The NTRA (National Thoroughbred Racing Association) in America is hosting its annual 41st Eclipse Awards from the 2011 racing season. The ceremony will be held in Beverly Hills, California on January 16, 2012. They have also made the voting open to the public and if you visit the following website you can cast your vote for each category.
A very exciting nomination from a local perspective has a KZN-Breeders link, the Eclipse Male Turf Award. Winchester, by Theatrical out of Run Charger by Spectrum is trained by Christophe Clemente. This grand-son of Spectrum (currently standing at Koos and Lorraine de Klerk’s Yellow Star Stud) won the Grade 1 Sword Dancer Invitational from Rahy’s Attorney on 13 August and at the end of November ran a third in the Grade 2 WL McKnight.
Drosselmeyer, the winner of this year’s Breeders Cup Mile Grade 1, was recently retired to Winstar Farm to begin his stud career, whilst Royal Delta sold at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale for a massive $8.5 million after winning the Breeders Cup Ladies Classic Grade 1 a few weeks before.
Another favourite horse amongst American racegoers is Uncle Mo, who has also been retired to Ashford Stud after a disappointing run in the Breeders Cup – with blood tests revealing post race that he had enzyme problems and a decision was made to retire him.
The Kentucky Derby winner, Animal Kingdom, is back in work with his preparations for the 2012 Dubai World Cup on target after being injured. He had surgery on his left hindleg for a hairline fracture at the end of June.
The following nominations are:
HORSE OF THE YEAR
Acclamation
Blind Luck
Drosselmeyer
Game On Dude
Havre de Grace
My Miss Aurelia
Rapid Redux
Royal Delta
TWO YEAR OLD MALE
Creative Cause
Currency Swap
Drill
Dullahan
Gemologist
Hansen
O’Prado Again
Overdriven
Sabercat
Secret Circle
State of Play
Union Rags
Vexor
Wrote (IRE)
TWO YEAR OLD FEMALE
Disposablepleasure
Grace Hall
Millionreasonswhy
My Miss Aurelia
Now I Know
On Fire Baby
Stephanie’s Kitten
Weemissfrankie
THREE YEAR OLD MALE
Animal Kingdom
Archarcharch
Brilliant Speed
Caleb’s Posse
Coil
Dialed In
Midnight Interlude
Mucho Macho Man
Nehro
Ruler On Ice
Shackleford
Stay Thirsty
Toby’s Corner
To Honor and Serve
Uncle Mo
THREE YEAR OLD FEMALE
Awesome Feather
Buster’s Ready
It’s Tricky
Lilacs and Lace
Plum Pretty
R Heat Lightning
Royal Delta
St. John’s River
Turbulent Descent
Zazu
OLDER MALE
Acclamation
Afleet Again
Drosselmeyer
First Dude
Flat Out
Game On Dude
Giant Oak
Pool Play
Tizway
Twirling Candy
Wise Dan
OLDER FEMALE
Aruna
Ask the Moon
Awesome Maria
Blind Luck
Havre de Grace
Miss Match (ARG)
Switch
Ultra Blend
MALE SPRINTER
Amazombie
Caleb’s Posse
Euroears
The Factor
Force Freeze
Giant Ryan
Jackson Bend
Morning Line
Regally Ready
Sean Avery
Smiling Tiger
Trappe Shot
FEMALE SPRINTER
Great Hot (BRZ)
Her Smile
Hilda’s Passion
Holiday for Kitten
Irish Gypsy
Musical Romance
Pomeroys Pistol
Sassy Image
Shotgun Gulch
Switch
Tar Heel Mom
Turbulent Descent
MALE TURF
Acclamation
Cape Blanco (IRE)
Courageous Cat
Court Vision
Fluke (BRZ)
Get Stormy
Gio Ponti
Mission Approved
St Nicholas Abbey (IRE)
Sanagas (GER)
Teaks North
Treasure Beach (GB)
Turallure
Ultimate Eagle
Western Aristocrat
Wigmore Hall (IRE)
Winchester
FEMALE TURF
Aruna
Cambina (IRE)
Cozi Rosie
C.S. Silk
Dubawi Heights
Malibu Pier
Miss Keller (IRE)
Nereid
Never Retreat
Perfect Shirl
Sarah Lynx (IRE)
Stacelita (FR)
Star Billing
Summer Soiree
Together (IRE)
Winter Memories
Zagora (FR)
STEEPLECHASE HORSE
Black Jack Blues (IRE)
Decoy Daddy
Divine Fortune
Mabou
Tax Ruling
OWNER
Midwest Thoroughbreds, Inc.
Ramsey, Kenneth L. and Sarah K.
WinStar Farm LLC
Hall, George and Lori
Zayat Stables, LLC
Repole Stable
Magnier, Mrs. John, Tabor, Michael and Smith, Derrick
Live Oak Plantation
Maggi Moss
TRAINER
Todd A. Pletcher
Steven M. Asmussen
Bob Baffert
William I. Mott
H. Graham Motion
Mark E. Casse
Jerry Hollendorfer
Dale L. Romans
John W. Sadler
JOCKEY
Ramon A. Dominguez
John R. Velazquez
Javier Castellano
Joel Rosario
Rafael Bejarano
Julien R. Leparoux
Luis Contreras
Garrett K. Gomez
Jose Lezcano
Information courtesy www.drf.com