Last updated: 12/16/10 1:17 PM
Many of the year’s most memorable races took place at Aqueduct, Belmont Park
and Saratoga, and beginning Thursday through January 15, fans may choose from
among five thrilling races and cast their ballots for the New York Racing
Association’s (NYRA) “Race of the Year.”
The five races are highlighted by NYRA Handicapper Andy Serling in an
exclusive video available at
www.nyra.com,
www.facebook.com/thenyra and NYRA’s official YouTube channel,
www.youtube.com/nyravideo.
The five nominees, in chronological order, are:
Wood Memorial (G1) at Aqueduct on April 3 was a standout among
three-year-old performances in 2010. Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by
John Velazquez, the chestnut stormed to the lead on the turn and pulled
clear to a 9 3/4-length win over Jackson Bend, covering the 1 1/8 miles in
1:49.97 in a gallop.
in the country with her hard-fought win over Shared Account and two-time
winner Forever Together in the Diana S. (G1) at Saratoga. The five-year-old
mare, a Juddmonte Farms homebred who is trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott,
prevailed by a head in a blanket finish under Mike Smith for her third
consecutive Grade 1 win.
and win the Whitney H. (G1) at Saratoga by a head in a thrilling finish. It
was the fifth straight win for Blame, who became the first horse to gain an
automatic berth in a race he would eventually win — the Breeders’ Cup
Classic (G1) on November 6 at Churchill Downs.
last to first as she edged a game Havre de Grace in the 130th running of the
Alabama S. (G1) at Saratoga. The victory, her fifth career Grade 1,
established the Jerry Hollendorfer-trained miss atop the three-year-old
filly division as favored Devil May Care finished fourth.
dramatic finishes in the 141-year history of the Travers S. (G1), as the 6-1
shot matched strides with Fly Down through the stretch before prevailing by
a diminishing nose on the wire. So close was the photo finish that it took
five minutes before the race was made official, giving trainer Jimmy Jerkens
his first victory in the “Mid-Summer Derby” and jockey Javier Castellano,
who had won in 2006 with Bernardini, his second.
Fans can vote on NYRA’s “Race of the Year” on
www.nyra.com.