Horse Racing News is the source of thoroughbred racing information with horse racing odds, betting tips, racing picks, race results, and handicapping. Latest news and articles on top horse racing contenders, jockeys, trainers, three-year-olds, race tracks, and major stakes races such as the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well as the Breeders' Cup races.Big Brown, Curlin, Filly Eight Belles Among 2008 Eclipse Award Finalists
Posted on Thursday, January 8th, 2009
2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown, Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Raven’s Pass, Dubai World Cup winner Curlin and the late filly Eight Belles were among the 2008 Eclipse Award finalists announced Thursday.
Eclipse Award winners will be honored at the 38th annual ceremony on January 26 in Miami Beach, where finalists for 2008 Horse of the Year will be announced.
Big Brown, Santa Anita Derby winner Colonel John and Raven’s Pass were nominated for 3-year-old male honors.
Curlin, nominated along with Commentator and Brazilian-bred Einstein for older male, is expected to be in the running for his second consecutive Horse of the Year honor.
The 4-year-old Curlin set a North American record with career earnings of $10.5 million before being retired in November. Besides the Dubai World Cup, Curlin’s 2008 victories included the Stephen Foster Handicap, the Woodward Stakes and the Jockey Club Gold Cup. Curlin was fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Santa Anita Park’s synthetic surface, the only out-of-the-money finish in his career.
Filly Eight Belles broke both front ankles moments after finishing second to Big Brown in the Kentucky Derby and was euthanized. Along with Music Note and Proud Spell, she was nominated for 3-year-old filly.
Undefeated Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic winner Zenyatta is also a candidate for Horse of the Year. Zenyatta was nominated for older female, along with Chilean-bred Cocoa Beach and Ginger Punch.
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Midshipman, Old Fashioned and Vineyard Haven were nominated for 2-year-old male. Midshipman and Vineyard Haven are preparing for this year’s Triple Crown trail in Dubai.
Jockey Robby Albarado, who rode Curlin in all but one of his career starts, jockey Rafael Bejarano and jockey Garrett Gomez will vie for jockey of the year honors.
Apprentice jockey nominees are Inez Karlsson, Pascacio Lopez and Abel Mariano.
Curlin’s trainer, Steve Asmussen, along with Big Brown trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. and Hall of Fame race horse trainer Bobby Frankel were nominated for trainer of the year.
Other 2008 Eclipse Award finalists:
2-year-old filly: Dream Empress, Maram, Stardom Bound
Male sprinter: Benny the Bull, Midnight Lute, Street Boss
Female sprinter: Indian Blessing, Intangaroo, Ventura
Male turf horse: Conduit (Ireland), Einstein, Grand Couturier (Britain)
Female turf horse: Cocoa Beach, Forever Together, Goldikova (Ireland)
Steeplechase horse: Be Certain, Good Night Shirt, Sovereign Duty
Owner: Godolphin Racing, IEAH Stables, Stronach Stables
Breeder: Adena Springs, Stonerside Stable, WinStar Farm
The Eclipse Awards are voted on by turf writers and horse racing secretaries at National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) tracks.
Horse racing tags: Be Certain, Benny the Bull, Big Brown, Cocoa Beach, Colonel John, Commentator, Conduit, Curlin, Dream Empress, Eight Belles, Einstein, Forever Together, Ginger Punch, Goldikova, Good Night Shirt, Grand Couturier, Indian Blessing, Intangaroo, Maram, Midnight Lute, Midshipman, Music Note, Old Fashioned, Proud Spell, Raven's Pass, Sovereign Duty, Stardom Bound, Street Boss, Ventura, Vineyard Haven, Zenyatta
"Big Brown, Curlin, Filly Eight Belles Among 2008 Eclipse Award Finalists" was posted on Thursday, January 8th, 2009 at 10:55 pm and is filed under Horse Racing Industry, Horses, Jockeys, Owners & Breeders, Trainers, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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