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 | |