Havre de Grace voted fans' Horse of the Year

Daily Racing Form (DRF) and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA)

announced Friday the results of the 2011 Eclipse Horse of the Year Fan Vote

Sweepstakes. The free-to-enter sweepstakes required fans to select the horse

they felt deserved to win the 2011 Horse of the Year Award, which will be

announced Monday in Beverly Hills, California, at the 41st annual

Eclipse Awards presented by Daily Racing Form, The Stronach Group and the

Breeders' Cup.  Fans were also encouraged to cast their votes in 14 other

Eclipse Award categories. 

In the Horse of the Year category, fans made the multiple Grade 1 winner Havre

de Grace their top pick with 4,249 votes. Rapid Redux, who will receive a

Special Eclipse Award on Monday night after going a perfect 19-for-19 in 2011,

received 2,213 votes. Breeders' Cup Classic winner Drosselmeyer checked in third

with a vote count of 1,236. 

Measured by percentage, the closest race in

the voting was in the category of Male Sprinter, with Caleb's Posse (652 votes)

prevailing over Amazombie (640) and non-Eclipse Award finalist Smiling Tiger

(566).

More than 12,000 votes were received in balloting conducted between December 16

and January 3 at the special DRF

website. Fans could also cast their votes in 14

categories other than Horse of the Year, though they were not required to do so.

As part of the Sweepstakes. voter Megan Tracy of College Station, Texas, was

selected at random as the winner of a trip for two -- including airfare, hotel

accommodations, ground transportation and event tickets -- to Monday's Eclipse

Award ceremony. The prize includes box seats and VIP access for a day of racing

at nearby Santa Anita Park.

"From the enthusiastic response to our fan poll, it's clear there's a ton of

excitement building for Monday night," DRF CEO John Hartig said.

"For 118 years, DRF has been the voice of the fan, and now more than ever we

need to be fan-centric if we're to stimulate growth in Thoroughbred racing. We look forward to hosting Megan and her guest for what will assuredly be a

memorable weekend."

Results of the fan balloting were:

Horse of the Year		Votes
Havre de Grace		4,249
Rapid Redux		2,213
Drosselmeyer		1,236

Two-Year-Old Male		Votes
Hansen		1,082
Union Rags		718
O'Prado Again		82

Two-Year-Old Filly		Votes
My Miss Aurelia		1,269
On Fire Baby		708
Stephanie's Kitten		194

Three-Year-Old Male		Votes
Animal Kingdom		1,119
Caleb's Posse		717
Shackleford		453

Three-Year-Old Filly		Votes
Royal Delta		1,166
Plum Pretty		188
Awesome Feather		179

Older Male		Votes
Drosselmeyer		560
Tizway		513
Game On Dude		438

Older Female		Votes
Havre de Grace		1,507
Blind Luck		328
R Betty Graybull		57

Male Sprinter		Votes
Caleb's Posse		652
Amazombie		640
Smiling Tiger		566

Female Sprinter		Votes
Hilda's Passion		992
Turbulent Descent		459
Musical Romance		351

Male Turf Horse		Votes
Cape Blanco		668
Gio Ponti		367
Acclamation		282

Female Turf Horse		Votes
Stacelita		479
Winter Memories		316
Perfect Shirl		193

Steeplechase		Votes
Black Jack Blues		456
Mabou		343
Tax Ruling		297

Jockey		Votes
Ramon A. Dominguez		214
John Velazquez		127
Javier Castellano		55

Trainer		Votes
William I. Mott		110
H. Graham Motion		96
Todd A. Pletcher		86

Owner		Votes
Ken & Sarah Ramsey		84
WinStar Farm LLC		77
Midwest Thoroughbreds		53