All hail Havre de Grace, Horse of the Year

All hail Havre de Grace, Horse of the

Year

Havre de Grace made history as the third straight female Horse of the Year (Matt Wooley/EquiSport Photos) HAVRE DE GRACE joined an elite group on Monday as she became the third straight female to earn Horse of the Year honors at the Eclipse Awards ceremony held in Beverly Hills, California. The bay mare won in a landslide, joining last year's Horse of the Year, Zenyatta, and 2009 honoree Rachel Alexandra in defeating her male counterparts as best of 2011. Havre de Grace garnered 166 first-place votes for Horse of the Year, distancing champion older male Acclamation's 26. Game on Dude, runner-up to Acclamation in the older male balloting, found 10 supporters for the Horse of the Year title. Champion turf male Cape Blanco, who earlier in the evening had been revealed as a Horse of the Year finalist along with Havre de Grace and Acclamation, checked in fourth with nine first-place ballots. Havre de Grace comes from the only crop of Saint Liam, the 2005 Horse of the Year, who sadly died after fracturing his hind leg in August 2006. Few could have been bold, or optimistic, enough to predict that one of his unborn foals would go on to become Horse of the Year herself. Saint Liam and Havre de Grace rate as the first sire/offspring Horse of the Year tandem since A.P. Indy (1992) and Mineshaft (2003). As fate would have it, Saint Liam stood alongside both of those paragons at Lane's End near Versailles, Kentucky. Also bequeathed the champion older mare trophy, Havre de Grace captured five races in 2011, with her only off-the-board run coming as a fourth in the November 5 Breeders' Cup Classic. Havre de Grace garnered 245 first-place votes in her division, with archrival Blind Luck getting only two. Trained by Tony Dutrow during her juvenile and sophomore campaigns, Havre de Grace found herself joining the shedrow of conditioner Larry Jones prior to the start of her four-year-old season.

Jones saddled his barn's newest star to an easy 3 1/4-length win

against Blind Luck in the Grade 3 Azeri Stakes to open the

year, then sent her out to a three-quarter length triumph in the Grade 1

Apple Blossom Handicap, both at Oaklawn Park.

Trainer Larry Jones put together a successful Horse of the Year campaign for Havre de Grace (Keeneland/Coady Photography) Those were Havre de Grace's only starts in the spring, but she showed no signs of rustiness when returning on June 11 at Delaware Park in the Grade 3 Obeah Handicap, ridden out to a 2 1/4-length score on that day. Once again facing Blind Luck, this time in the rich Grade 2 Delaware Handicap, Havre de Grace suffered the first of only two losses on the year when just missing by a nose on the wire of that July 16 contest. Jones gave his charge a brief freshening before sending her out to face her toughest trial to date. Havre de Grace was entered against males in the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga on September, 3, but the bay mare proved more than up for the task. Stalking the early running on the backstretch, she surged past the leader in the lane and drew off to a comfortable 1 1/4-length margin on the wire.

The Woodward win easily wrapped up champion older mare honors for the

then four-year-old, and put her into contention for Horse of the Year.

Havre de Grace improved her case in the Grade 1 Beldame Stakes at

Belmont Park on October 1 next out, dragging her motionless rider to the

front exiting the final turn and romping home to a stunning 8 1/4-length

victory.

Havre de Grace solidified her case for Horse of the Year with a nice win against the boys in the Woodward (Debra Kral/Horsephotos.com) Havre de Grace concluded 2011 with a 5-1-0 mark from seven starts and $1,623,000 in earnings. Her overall record stands at 15-8-4-2 with $2,496,175 in career earnings. Owned by Fox Hill Farms, the dark bay ran eight times under Dutrow's tutelage, finishing third in her career opener before breaking her maiden by 4 3/4 lengths at Delaware Park in 2009. Those were her only runs as a juvenile, and Havre de Grace captured her sophomore bow at Philadelphia Park (renamed Parx Racing) on May 10, 2010. She then strung together three agonizingly close runner-up finishes, beginning with a neck second in her stakes debut, the Go for Wand Stakes, back at Delaware. Dutrow stepped his filly up to face the big guns in the Grade 2 Delaware Oaks next out, and a rivalry was born as Havre de Grace and Blind Luck met for the first time. Blind Luck got the best of her challenger by only a nose on that day, then had a neck to spare in the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes. Havre de Grace turned the tables, though, in the Grade 2 Cotillion Stakes next out when a neck better than her adversary.

The duo met up for the 2010 Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic, with Havre de Grace

finishing third to Blind Luck's second in that race. It was more than enough for

Blind Luck to take champion three-year-old honors, but Havre de Grace returned

this season better than ever.

Havre de Grace's tour de force in the Beldame merely padded her resume for the Eclipse as champion older mare (NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photography) Bred by Nancy S. Dillman in Kentucky, Havre de Grace is out of the winning Carson City mare Easter Bunnette, who is herself a daughter of Grade 2-placed stakes victress Toll Fee. Easter Bunnette counts as a half-sister Grade 3-placed The Bink, who is most noted for producing multiple Grade 1 turf queen Riskaverse and Grade 3 heroine Cozzy Corner. Other half-siblings have foaled Grade 3 scorers Bouquet Booth and Tasteyville. Havre de Grace's fourth dam is influential matron Missy Baba, whose descendants include the likes of 1991 Broodmare of the Year Toll Booth and 1992 Broodmare of the Year Weekend Surprise as well as top sire A.P. Indy and successful stallion Summer Squall.

While Havre de Grace has yet to post an official work, Jones already bedded

his five-year-old star down at Fair Grounds in preparation for her fourth season

of racing.

Acclamation -- Champion Older Male

Acclamation's Pacific Classic victory lifted him to an Eclipse Award in the hotly contested older male division (Benoit Photos) Known primarily for his turf prowess, ACCLAMATION parlayed a victory in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic into the Eclipse Award for champion older male, winning by a 25-vote margin over Game on Dude with Tizway another 18 votes back in third. It was the second-closest Eclipse race among Thoroughbreds, with only the three-year-old male category being decided by a narrower margin in 2011. Acclamation finished second by a 172-55 vote to Cape Blanco in the champion turf male division. Campaigned by Peter and Mary Hilvers & Bud and Judy Johnston, the Don Warren-trained Acclamation concluded the season on a tremendous run, winning five straight graded stakes. Four of those came on turf, the exception being the August 28 Pacific Classic on Polytrack, and Acclamation joins Gio Ponti (2009) as only the second horse to win champion older male without a victory on a traditional dirt track. A California-bred son of Unusual Heat, Acclamation posted his first stakes victory in 2010, taking the Grade 2 Jim Murray, and also captured the Grade 1 Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap. He would go back-to-back in those events as a five-year-old, but not before opening 2011 with two straight setbacks.

Acclamation made his seasonal debut off more than a seven-month layoff in the

March 5 Frank E. Kilroe Mile, checking in fifth in the Grade 1 event at Santa

Anita, and then shipped to West Virginia for the $1 million Charles Town Classic

on April 16. The bay horse was never a serious factor in the Grade 3 race,

finishing a well-beaten 10th over the half-mile dirt oval, but that would be his

last defeat.

The front runner returned to the win column with a dominant seven-length

tally in the May 14 Jim Murray, and cruised to a 3 1/2-length decision in the

June 11 Whittingham. However, Acclamation beat up on soft competition each time.

In the Grade 1 Eddie Read on July 23, Acclamation made short work of a much

deeper cast of rivals, defeating the likes of Jeranimo, Smart Bid and

Caracortado in a 3 1/4-length tour de force over Del Mar's turf. The grassy Del

Mar Handicap at the end of the meet loomed as the next logical goal, but

Acclamation's connections opted for the much more ambitious path of the Pacific

Classic. He entered the 1 1/4-mile event winless in five previous starts on

all-weather tracks.

With jockey Pat Valenzuela picking up the mount, Acclamation sprinted to the

fore at the start of Del Mar's centerpiece event and showed the way on a short

lead with Game on Dude chasing in second. Acclamation put away that accomplished

rival on the far turn, but Twirling Candy was still waiting to strike from just

off the pace. He made a determined run at the leader in deep stretch, but

Acclamation dug in courageously to win by a neck.

Acclamation returned to the turf for his final start of the year, comfortably

winning the October 2 Grade 2 Clement L. Hirsch Turf Championship at Santa

Anita, but missed a planned attempt at the Breeders' Cup after heat was

discovered in his right foreleg. He quickly recovered from the minor setback and

will return to the races in 2012, with the eventual goal being the Breeders' Cup

at Santa Anita.

Acclamation has earned $1,628,048 from a 28-9-2-6 career line.

Cape Blanco -- Champion Turf Male

Cape Blanco first took the mantle from two-time turf champ Gio Ponti in the Man o' War (NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photography) The story is just about as old as the United States itself. An enterprising Irish lad lacks opportunity at home, so decides to embark for America, where he works hard and makes a success of himself. That sums up the Eclipse Award campaign of Mrs. Fitri Hay, Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier and Michael Tabor's CAPE BLANCO. In some ways the odd man out in Ballydoyle's older battalion, the Aidan O'Brien charge discovered that the grass was proverbially greener on this side of the Atlantic. Cape Blanco received 172 first-place votes in honor of his perfect three-for-three record in America, well clear of Acclamation's 55 ballots. Ironically, Cape Blanco also bested stablemate St Nicholas Abbey, who had been running in several of Europe's premier events before capturing the Breeders' Cup Turf in his sole U.S. venture, netting him 16 votes. With such highly-regarded comrades as St Nicholas Abbey setting up shop in the 1 1/2-mile bracket, and So You Think monopolizing the 1 1/4-mile targets, Cape Blanco had to find his own niche, and his connections ultimately deduced that it would lie in the United States. In this way a European with a boatload of back class came to plunder an American turf division that lacked strength in depth. Gio Ponti, America's champion turf male of 2009-10, was his admirably consistent self, but vulnerable on less than firm ground. Acclamation carried all before him in Southern California, but the quality of his opposition on turf was dubious, and he never ventured East to face the best on grass.

Last winter, Hay purchased what was described as a "significant

interest" in Cape Blanco from Coolmore. O'Brien continued to train the

four-year-old, but a new addition to the team was jockey Jamie Spencer,

who secured the mount as Hay's contract rider.

Cape Blanco started 2011 by taking a crack at the planet's richest race, the

Group 1, $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 26. Trying synthetic for the only

time in his career, in a tough contest without the benefit of a prep, he

finished a close fourth, beaten a grand total of a length by Victoire Pisa.

Behind him in fifth came Gio Ponti, in

a foretaste of what would transpire later over the summer.

Back in Europe the following month, Cape Blanco returned to action with

another fourth in the Group 1 Prix Ganay on April 30. His performance in defeat

was creditable, but in light of his previous French debacles as a sophomore,

another Parisian junket didn't seem a good idea.

Cape Blanco's subsequent engagement was more questionable. He shortened up to

a mile for the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes on June 14 at Royal Ascot, which was

only the hottest renewal in ages, featuring the showdown between Canford Cliffs

and Goldikova. Cape Blanco tried to capitalize on his stamina by setting a

strong pace down the straight course, but he folded to a distant sixth as if

something were physically amiss. He never raced in Europe again.

His American venture began in the Grade 1 Man o' War Stakes on July 9 at

Belmont Park. Cape Blanco made use of his tactical speed to stalk the pace,

stole a march on two-time defending champion Gio Ponti, and rolled to a 2

1/4-length decision. By dethroning Gio Ponti, he seized pro tempore leadership of the division.

Cape Blanco returned to Ireland, but launched another smash-and-grab raid in

the Grade 1 Arlington Million on August 13 to solidify his newfound status.

Uncorking an eye-popping move on the far turn, Cape Blanco put the race away by

the time that Gio Ponti offered a mild rally, and crossed the wire an emphatic 2

1/2-length winner.

After hauling another trophy to Ballydoyle, connections had a bit of a

dilemma. Should Cape Blanco invade the United States for a third time in the

Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational, or should he seek a fresh world to

conquer in Australia's Group 1 Cox Plate? Quarantine issues posed an obstacle

for a time, and the Coolmore brain trust opted for another visit to Belmont Park

on October 1.

The decision might just have clinched the Eclipse for Cape Blanco. After

tracking the pace on yielding ground, that was far heavier than the description

implied, he slogged to the front and opened up by daylight. The exertion of an

early move on unsuitable going, at the 1 1/2-mile trip, sapped him. The

unheralded Dean's Kitten, who was no match for him at Arlington, drew alongside.

But Cape Blanco pinned his ears and fought him off by a desperate nose.

Cape Blanco fractured a knee rather than suffer defeat in the Joe Hirsch (Jessie Holmes/EquiSport Photos) The price of his victory only became apparent later: Cape Blanco suffered a slab fracture to his knee. His Breeders' Cup hopes shattered, he was retired with a 15-9-1-0 career record and $3,855,665 in earnings. Cape Blanco was never a slouch, but he had been overshadowed by St Nicholas Abbey during their juvenile days in 2009. While St Nicholas Abbey garnered rave reviews and breathless quotes from connections, Cape Blanco professionally won all three starts, including the Group 2 Futurity and Group 3 Tyros Stakes. Even when St Nicholas Abbey turned out to be a classic bust and was sidelined by injury, Ballydoyle didn't immediately turn to Cape Blanco for compensation in 2010 -- even though he extended his unbeaten streak with a famous upset of the much-hyped Workforce in the Group 2 Dante Stakes. Indeed, Cape Blanco comprehensively brushed Workforce aside by 3 1/4 lengths, despite aggravating a heel injury. Cape Blanco was noticeably tender-footed coming back to be unsaddled. It was not the last time he would show conspicuous bravery on the track.

Perhaps because of questions about his stamina, Cape Blanco did not get an

opportunity to run in the Group 1 Epsom Derby, and watched from afar as

Workforce ran away with the Blue Riband. Dispatched to Chantilly instead for the

Group 1 Prix du Jockey-Club (French Derby), Cape Blanco threw in a bafflingly

poor effort and checked in 10th.

Cape Blanco was given a chance at 1 1/2 miles in the Group 1 Irish Derby.

Stable rider Johnny Murtagh agonized over whether to stick with him, or jump

ship to another Ballydoyle colt like Jan Vermeer, the beaten favorite at Epsom,

or Midas Touch. O'Brien tipped Cape Blanco, Murtagh stayed aboard, and the

chestnut drove to a workmanlike victory.

Next came an eagerly-anticipated rematch with Epsom conqueror Workforce in

the Group 1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. The two

three-year-olds were blown away by the older Harbinger in course-record time,

but Cape Blanco finished a clear runner-up and had the satisfaction of dusting

Workforce yet again.

Cutting back in trip to 1 1/4 miles for the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes,

Cape Blanco was overlooked in favor of another stable darling, Rip Van Winkle,

the 8-11 favorite with Murtagh. Rip Van Winkle never landed a blow, for Cape

Blanco spread-eagled the field in a devastating display of front running.

His productive 2010 season ended with another fruitless excursion to France,

when he trudged home 13th in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Yet Cape Blanco had

done enough to rank as Europe's champion three-year-old from 9 1/2 to 10 1/2

furlongs, and Ireland's highweight three-year-old in two distance categories,

from 9 1/2 to 11 furlongs and from 11 to 14 furlongs.

Now with an Eclipse Award added to his European championships, Cape Blanco

commences his stallion career at Coolmore's North American establishment,

Ashford Stud, near Versailles, Kentucky. He stands for $17,500, live foal,

stands and nurses.

Cape Blanco is the only son of the mighty Galileo at stud in the United

States. Bred by Jack Ronan and Des Vere Hunt Farm Co., he brought $476,553 as a Goffs

yearling. A half-brother to multiple Grade 2 winner Mr O'Brien, he is out of the

winning Presidium mare Laurel Delight, who is in turn a half-sister to multiple

Group 2-winning sprinter Paris House. Cape Blanco descends from the enduring Number 1 family via Picture Play,

heroine of the 1944 One Thousand Guineas.

Stacelita -- Champion Turf Female

Stacelita was easily the brightest star in a sparse firmament (Jessie Holmes/EquiSport Photos) Just as Alexander the Great was likely felled by a mosquito, so might STACELITA have been undone by a flying clod of turf in the eye. But Eclipse voters didn't dare hold her anticlimactic run in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf against her, judging that the Martin Schwartz colorbearer well and truly earned divisional honors with a pair of dazzling victories. Stacelita's tally was a commanding one, with 158 first-place votes compared to 28 for Filly & Mare Turf upsetter Perfect Shirl. Stacelita's trajectory is strikingly similar to that of champion turf male Cape Blanco, who shipped in from Ireland to lift three Grade 1 victories and an Eclipse Award. Stacelita, in a bold plan crafted by Schwartz, likewise swooped from Europe in midsummer to take control of the filly and mare turf division. There were two notable differences between the pair. Unlike frequent flier Cape Blanco, Stacelita left France permanently and took up residence with Chad Brown. While Cape Blanco had a two-time domestic champion to dethrone in Gio Ponti, Stacelita descended upon a scrambled filly and mare turf picture. The state of the division was summed up by the fact that another European, the dynamic Goldikova, had collected the last two Eclipse Awards. Had Goldikova garnered the Breeders' Cup Mile for the fourth year in a row last November, the Gallic legend would almost certainly have walked away with another statuette. But her third-place finish opened the door for a new champion, and Stacelita was the compelling choice. Stacelita raced just once in France in 2011, finishing third as the defending champion in the Group 3 La Coupe versus males on June 13 at Longchamp. She also took on males in her American debut in the Grade 1 United Nations on July 2 at Monmouth Park, where she was victimized by a poor trip and settled for third. That marked her final start for trainer Jean-Claude Rouget.

Reverting to distaff company and picking up Ramon Dominguez, Stacelita

flaunted her superiority as the class of the field in two normally competitive

Grade 1 events. In the August 13 Beverly D. at Arlington Park, the elegant bay

made short work of leading Southern Californian Dubawi Heights and the

globetrotting South African River Jetez. The October 1 Flower Bowl Invitational

was a positive stroll in the park at Belmont, despite a wide trip off a slow

pace.

Unfortunately, like Cape Blanco on the same day, Stacelita didn't leave

Belmont unscathed. In the course of her cakewalk, Stacelita was struck in the eye

by a clod of soft turf. She developed an eye inflammation that required

treatment, and needed a protective eye covering while training for, and running

in, the Breeders' Cup. Although Brown was convinced that the hiccup was trivial,

Stacelita ran an uncharacteristically flat 10th as the 9-5 favorite in the Filly

& Mare Turf. She reportedly exited the race with a gashed foreleg, which didn't

help either.

It was an unsatisfying end to an otherwise stellar career, which began with

six straight victories. Initially campaigned by Ecurie Monastic, Stacelita

scored in her lone outing as a juvenile at Salon de Provence. Rouget kept her in

the provinces for her three-year-old debut, a conditions event in early 2009 at

Toulouse, and she again hacked up.

Stacelita has the pedigree to become a fantastic broodmare (Jessie Holmes/EquiSport Photos) Now ready for the big leagues, Stacelita romped by four lengths in the Prix Rose de Mai and by six lengths in the Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary. At this point Schwartz bought into the hot prospect and campaigned her in partnership with Ecurie Monastic. Stacelita made it five in a row with another tour de force in the Group 1 Prix de Diane (French Oaks), dominating by four lengths. The aura of invincibility dissipated when she tried 1 1/2 miles in the Group 1 Prix Vermeille. Though beaten narrowly, Stacelita was awarded the victory upon the controversial disqualification of Dar Re Mi. Still officially perfect entering the Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Stacelita forged clear in the stretch, only to weaken late and confirm the impression that 12 furlongs was a tad beyond her. She was hardly disgraced in her dead-heat seventh to the sublime Sea the Stars. At the conclusion of the year, Stacelita ranked as France's highweight sophomore from 9 1/2 to 11 furlongs.

Stacelita kicked off 2010 in the Group 1 Prix d'Ispahan, showing that she

needed the race when a no-show fourth behind Goldikova. Successful over males

next out in the La Coupe, Stacelita almost caught Midday napping in the Group 1

Nassau, but the Juddmonte star came again to prevail. Stacelita added the Group

1 Prix Jean Romanet to her trophy case, and an early move might have cost her

another in the Group 1 Prix de l'Opera, where she was just collared late. She

wrapped up her four-year-old season with an eighth against males in the Group 1

Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin. Schwartz then bought out Ecurie Monastic's share and

owned Stacelita outright, in order to point for a five-year-old campaign.

Shortly after the Breeders' Cup, Stacelita was purchased by Teruya Yoshida of

Shadai Farm. The newly-turned six-year-old, who bankrolled $2,372,268 from her

18-10-2-2 record, will begin her new life as a broodmare by visiting Smart

Strike.

Bred by Jean-Pierre Dubois in France, the daughter of Monsun thus becomes the latest coup for Japanese

bloodstock interests. In addition to her accomplishments on the track, Stacelita

offers a power-packed pedigree. Her German family has been producing top-class

performers for generations. Her dam, the Group 3-placed stakes winner Soignee,

by Dashing Blade, descends from the exalted line of Schwarzgold, ancestress of

Slip Anchor, Sagace, Steinlen, and Japanese standouts Manhattan Cafe and Buena

Vista.

Hansen - Champion Two-Year-Old Male

Hansen's gutsy Breeders' Cup Juvenile win over Union Rags propelled him to the two-year-old title (Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography) Like his immediate predecessor Uncle Mo, HANSEN ran his way into a juvenile colt championship with an undefeated three-race campaign in 2011, culminated by a victory in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs. However, his route to Louisville was an unconventional one and his manner of victory in the nation's premier event for two-year-olds left some observers skeptical of his claim to divisional honors. Bred and campaigned by Dr. Kendall Hansen and trained by Mike Maker, the gray son of Tapit debuted over Polytrack at Turfway Park on September 9 in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight. In a sign of things to come, Hansen opened up early on the opposition and won as he pleased by 12 1/4 lengths under Victor Lebron. The catch-me-if-you can attitude was on display again two weeks later in the $95,000 Kentucky Cup Juvenile over 1 1/16 miles. Won in the past by divisional champions Vindication and Boston Harbor and classic winners Point Given and Editor's Note, the Kentucky Cup Juvenile had seen its status decline with the revoking of its Grade 3 ranking and a two-year period (2009-10) when it was not run. But the race received a shot in the arm due to Hansen's theatrics. Sent early by Lebron to a wide lead while setting a moderately quick tempo, Hansen toyed with his seven rivals and drew away to an emphatic 13 1/4-length score.

With his prowess on dirt unknown and his running style clearly

one-dimensional, there was much more skepticism among bettors for the Breeders'

Cup Juvenile on November 5. There was also Union Rags, the New York-based colt

who had established divisional leadership with wide-margin victories in the

Grade 2 Saratoga Special Stakes and Grade 1 Champagne Stakes, whom the crowd

backed to even-money favoritism. Hansen, who had won at odds of 4-5 and 1-2 in

his two wins at Turfway, was sent off at 7-1 in the Juvenile.

Now racing for a partnership that included Dr. Hansen and Sky Chai Racing,

the colt was allowed to run the way he wanted under new rider Ramon Dominguez.

Though he again established a comfortable lead, there would be no daylight

gap against a much tougher field. Hansen's longest lead was two lengths at

the first call and it would progressively decline as the race wore on.

While Hansen attempted to buck a trend that generally saw speed as a

liability over the Churchill main track on Breeders' Cup weekend, his running

style helped him avoid some of the bad luck experienced by his rivals. Union

Rags, in particular, was forced to race four-wide much of the way after breaking

from post 10. When the Michael Matz trainee finally got within a few feet of

taking over the lead from Hansen in the stretch, he drifted out and lost

momentum. Union Rags came on again at the finish, but Hansen held on by a

desperate head to claim the victory.

While some pundits thought Union Rags best given his record in more

prestigious events and a less-than-ideal Breeders' Cup trip that arguably cost

him the win, it was difficult for most voters to deny Hansen the title after a

courageous and hard-fought battle to remain undefeated. In addition to the

various hardware accumulated, Hansen also bankrolled a nifty $1,153,305 in less

than two months of work.

Hansen is gearing up for his sophomore campaign in south Florida, with the

Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park on January 29 a probable first

outing. The remaining Gulfstream preps -- the Grade 2 Fountain of the Youth

Stakes on February 26 and the Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 31 -- might also be

long-term goals, though Polytrack preps like the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes at

Turfway on March 24 and the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 14

are lucrative options.

Bred in Kentucky, Hansen was produced by the winning Sir Cat mare Stormy

Sunday. The juvenile champ has a winning full brother named Tapanna and an

unraced two-year-old half-brother by Corinthian. Hansen is the first stakes

winner reared by any of his first five dams.

My Miss Aurelia -- Champion Two-Year-Old Filly

My Miss Aurelia became the second straight undefeated champion two-year-old filly when taking the BC Juvenile Fillies (Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography) MY MISS AURELIA was a lock for champion two-year-old filly honors following her three-length romp in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. That score moved her record to a perfect four-for-four and made the bay lass an early favorite for the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks in 2012. My Miss Aurelia's dominance on the track was reflected in the voting, for she was the nearly-unanimous choice when garnering 247 of 248 first-place ballots cast. The lone dissenter backed Stephanie's Kitten. Garnering the Eclipse Award was a slightly bittersweet moment for Barbara Banke of Stonestreet Stables and George Bolton. Stonestreet Stable, who also bred the champion miss, saw founder Jess Jackson lose his battle with cancer last April. The operation gained fame when campaigning three straight Horses of the Year -- Curlin in 2007 and 2008, and Rachel Alexandra in 2009. "I know it would mean the world to him to win this one with a homebred because he was always interested in breeding a race horse, not just horses for sale, but horses that would win at the track," Jackson's wife, Barbara Banke, said following the Breeders' Cup.

My Miss Aurelia began her perfect season with a stylish maiden debut win at

Saratoga, easily defeating the likes of Stopshoppingmaria, who would go on to

break her maiden by 9 3/4 lengths and run second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile

Fillies Turf. The pair met up once again two races later at Belmont Park, when

My Miss Aurelia drew off under a hand ride in the Grade 1 Frizette Stakes.

Stopshoppingmaria was 5 1/2 lengths back in second on that occasion.

My Miss Aurelia will attempt to stay perfect in 2012 (Breeders' Cup Ltd.) My Miss Aurelia also posted a neck victory in the Grade 2 Adirondack Stakes at Saratoga prior to the Frizette, and was the clear 2-1 choice in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies on November 4. That contest saw the daughter of Smart Strike stalk the early pace before moving up to take command past the five-sixteenths marker. She easily turned back a late move from Grace Hall, drawing off to score by three lengths. The Kentucky-bred filly, named after co-owner Bolton's mother and conditioned by Steve Asmussen, banked $1,380,000 during 2011. My Miss Aurelia is out of the Sea of Secrets mare My Miss Storm Cat, who placed in the 2003 Grade 3 Landaluce Stakes before going on two years later to capture the Desert Stormer Handicap. Her first registered foal, Albergatti, ran second in last year's Northern Spur Stakes.

My Miss Storm Cat is a half-sister to Grade 2 victor Soul Warrior, and My

Miss Aurelia's family also includes dual Grade 1 heroine Cheval Volant, Group 1

One Thousand Guineas diva Lahan and multiple Grade 3 queen Chaldea.

Animal Kingdom -- Champion Three-Year-Old Male

Derby hero Animal Kingdom just prevailed by a razor-thin margin over sprinter-miler Caleb's Posse (Jessie Holmes/EquiSport Photos) In the evening's closest contest, ANIMAL KINGDOM captured champion three-year-old male at Monday's Eclipse Awards, edging Caleb's Posse by a three-vote margin (114-111). The runner-up compiled a strong resume with five stakes wins, including the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and Grade 1 King's Bishop, but Animal Kingdom's convincing victory in the division's biggest race, the May 7 Kentucky Derby, was ultimately the deciding factor for a plurality of voters. In a season that spanned less than 80 days, from March 3 to June 11, Animal Kingdom became the first divisional champion whose last stakes win occurred on the first Saturday in May. Trained by horseman Graham Motion, the Team Valor International homebred opened his 2011 campaign in an optional claimer over Gulfstream Park's turf, recording a fast-finishing second in the one-mile event. That served as a prep race for his first foray into stakes competition, the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park on March 26.

A maiden winner over Keeneland's Polytrack in his juvenile finale, Animal

Kingdom made a terrific transition to Turfway's Polytrack, circling rivals on

the far turn with a dynamic turn of foot en route to a 2 3/4-length decision.

The smashing performance earned him a berth in the Kentucky Derby, which would

serve as the chestnut's dirt debut.

Animal Kingdom signaled his readiness for the main track with a sharp

six-furlong work under the Twin Spires a week beforehand, but was still

overlooked at 20-1 by the betting public due to his dirt inexperience. With new

rider John Velazquez in the irons, the Kentucky-bred closed powerfully down the

center of the track to win the 137th running of the Run for the Roses, scoring

easily by 2 3/4 lengths in front of a record crowd of 164,858 at Churchill

Downs.

As a result of his convincing Derby win, Animal Kingdom was favored in the

Preakness Stakes two weeks later, but the late runner left himself too much to

do in the stretch at Pimlico and finished a half-length short of the

front-running Shackleford. The betting public did not lose confidence in the

classy colt, though, sending him off as the favorite once again in the final leg

of the Triple Crown three weeks later at Belmont Park.

In fact, the 1 1/2-mile Belmont Stakes' distance appeared to be a perfect fit

for Animal Kingdom, whose bloodlines are laced with stamina influences, but the

son of the Brazilian-bred Leroidesanimaux lost all chance when he stumbled badly

after being interfered with soon after the start. He exited the sixth-place

effort with a slab fracture in his left hind leg that cost him the rest of his

sophomore season.

An earner of $1,938,700 from a 7-3-3-0 career line, Animal Kingdom recently

returned to serious training with Motion. His first major goal of 2012 is the

$10 million Dubai World Cup on March 31.

Royal Delta -- Champion Three-Year-Old Filly

Royal Delta has already begun preparations to defend her title in the BC Ladies' Classic (Breeders' Cup Ltd.) Despite breaking her maiden by 12 lengths as a juvenile, ROYAL DELTA opened her sophomore campaign with a dismal ninth-place showing in the Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. The Bill Mott trainee soon proved that one to be a fluke as she went on to rack up a 4-1-1 line from seven starts and wrap up the year with a scintillating 2 1/2-length win in the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic. That was more than enough for Eclipse voters, who named the Empire Maker filly champion three-year-old for 2011 by a lopsided margin. Royal Delta attracted 243 first-place votes. Unbeaten Awesome Feather, the 2010 champion juvenile filly who raced only twice at three due to injury, was the top choice of two voters, tying with Plum Pretty. Royal Delta's maiden debut score was her only start as a two-year-old, and the near five-month layoff may have proven too much for the lass as she posted a dull effort in her season opener on March 12. Mott never lost faith in the Palides Investments NV Inc. homebred, though, saddling her next out at Keeneland, where she captured an allowance by three lengths. One month and about 540 miles later, Royal Delta showed up at Pimlico and ran away with the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes.

The dark bay filly suffered only the second loss of her career next out at

Saratoga, returning from a two-month break to be third in the Grade 1 Coaching

Club American Oaks, but asserted her dominance over the three-year-old filly

ranks in the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes at that same venue on August 20. Royal Delta

tracked the pace behind Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks winner Plum Pretty and CCA Oaks

victress It's Tricky on that day, before flying past in the stretch to be 5 1/2

lengths clear on the line.

Royal Delta lit up the Keeneland sales ring four days after her Ladies' Classic score when bringing $8.5 million (Wendy Wooley/EquiSport Photos) Older rivals awaited Royal Delta for the first time in her penultimate start of the year, as the lass shipped to Belmont Park for the Grade 1 Beldame Invitational. She ran into a juggernaut named Havre de Grace in that event, falling 8 1/4 lengths short, but was easily best-of-the-rest when taking second by 5 3/4 lengths. Royal Delta would take on the best of her crop as well as her elders in the Ladies' Classic, grinding out the win after running widest of all rounding the turn into the lane. The filly pushed her seasonal earnings to $1,657,400 with that victory and boosted her career mark to read 8-5-1-1, $1,694,600. The following Tuesday, Royal Delta sold for a sale-topping $8.5 million at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. Benjamin Leon's Besilu Stables had the winning bid, which was the most ever paid for a horse in training at Keeneland November and the most paid for any horse at the sale since broodmare Playful Act brought $10.5 million in 2007. The previous Keeneland record for a horse in training was the $6.1 million paid by Aaron Jones for the graded stakes-winning colt Half Ours in 2006. The Kentucky homebred is descended from a black-type rich family as a daughter of the A.P. Indy mare Delta Princess. That one would capture six stakes, including three Grade 3 contests, during her time on track while racking up nearly $750,000 in earnings. Royal Delta's second dam is Group 2 victress Lyphard's Delta, who would go on in the breeding shed to produce Grade/Group 1 winners Biondetti and Indy Five Hundred.

Lyphard's Delta is herself a daughter of Proud Delta, who was honored as

champion handicap mare in 1976, and counts as a full brother Grade 3 hero and

sire Proud Debonair.

Royal Delta has continued the championship tradition in her family and is

already preparing for her 2012 campaign, posting her first work as a

four-year-old on January 10 when going a bullet three furlongs in :36 at Payson

Park Training Center. Her major early-season goal is the Group 1 Dubai World Cup

on March 31.

Amazombie -- Champion Male Sprinter

Amazombie clinched the sprint championship with late-season wins in the Ancient Title (shown) and Breeders' Cup Sprint (Benoit Photos) The versatile California-bred gelding AMAZOMBIE was a stakes performer on dirt, turf and synthetic during 2011, and late-season triumphs in a pair of Grade 1 events -- the Ancient Title Stakes and Breeders' Cup Sprint -- propelled him to divisional honors among the nation's male sprinters. Owned in partnership by Thomas Sanford and trainer Bill Spawr, Amazombie spent the first two seasons of his career in the overnight ranks, working his way through his allowance conditions and even dipping a couple times into high-end claimers. His introduction to stakes company, in the January 29 Sunshine Millions Sprint at Santa Anita, could not have turned out better. Settled off an insanely fast pace of :20 4/5 and :42 3/5, Amazombie arrived late on the scene to edge the oft-unlucky Apriority by a head at odds of 11-1. Second by a half-length in the grassy Sensational Star Handicap for state-breds in his next start, Amazombie went back to dirt for the Grade 2 Potrero Grande Stakes on April 3. Much like the Sunshine Millions and in several races to come, Amazombie measured his late charge with great precision to get up in the final yards by a head.

After a more comfortable 2 3/4-length score in the Tiznow Stakes for state-breds

at Hollywood Park on Gold Rush Day, his only race of the year without regular

pilot Mike Smith, Amazombie was controversially disqualified from first and

placed third in the Grade 3 Los Angeles Handicap after bulling his way into

contention in the stretch and inadvertently bumping with M One Rifle. Though

arguably best, it would be the first of three straight losses for Amazombie.

A distant third to Smiling Tiger in the Grade 1 Triple Bend Handicap in his

next start, Amazombie occupied the same slot behind Euroears in the Grade 1 Bing

Crosby Stakes in his lone start at Del Mar. Rested for more than two months to

await the Ancient Title at Santa Anita, Spawr and company saw that strategy pay

off as Amazombie turned on the afterburners to win by three parts of a length.

Among the vanquished was The Factor, a leading three-year-old contender for

divisional honors most of the season.

Overlooked a bit at nearly 8-1 in the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Churchill

Downs, Amazombie once again benefited from a fast pace. Proving to be no

provincial wonder in his first ever start outside California, Amazombie hooked

the dueling Force Freeze inside the final eighth and edged past that rival to

win by a neck. His record now stands at 23-10-4-5, $1,525,708.

Amazombie remains in training this season to defend his championship crown.

In what should be of significant importance, the Breeders' Cup Sprint will be

held at his home track of Santa Anita on November 3. The Grade 2 Palos Verdes

Stakes this Saturday could mark his first race of the year.

Bred by the late Gregg Anderson, Amazombie is the first stakes winner

produced by the winning In Excess mare Wilshe Amaze, herself a half-sister to

the multiple stakes winner Flom's Prospector.

Musical Romance -- Champion Female Sprinter

Showing up and winning the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint made all the difference for Musical Romance's title hopes (Breeders' Cup Limited) An upset victory in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Churchill Downs proved to be the title-clinching performance for MUSICAL ROMANCE as champion female sprinter of 2011. The Florida-bred daughter of Concorde's Tune, owned by Pinnacle Racing Stable and trainer William Kaplan, had earned a mere $154,751 entering 2011, but became a millionaire after an extensive campaign of 14 starts. She handily prevailed in the polling over Sassy Image and Hilda's Passion, who dominated divisional races over the spring and summer but were sidelined due to injury prior to the Breeders' Cup. Musical Romance was unplaced in her first four stakes outings of the year, though three were at distances of one mile or longer. The closest beat of the quartet was in the six-furlong Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Sprint at Gulfstream, where she finished fourth by less than a length. After another bad beat in a one-mile allowance at Gulfstream, Musical Romance got down to business and would hit the board in each of her final nine starts of the year. Second to Grade 3 winner Cherokee Queen in the Hollywood Wildcat Handicap on Calder's turf course in late April, Musical Romance returned to sprinting on the main track and took both the Ema Bovary, a 5 1/2-furlong overnight stakes, and the U Can Do It Handicap at Calder. Both served as lead-ins to the Grade 1 Princess Rooney Handicap on July 9, where Musical Romance started at 7-1 against nine rivals including the aforementioned Sassy Image, who was coming off victories in the Grade 3 Winning Colors Stakes and Grade 1 Humana Distaff. Rallying from eighth, Musical Romance grabbed a short lead in the stretch but was overtaken in the final yards by Sassy Image, who had dropped well off the pace and made an improbable bid while racing close to the outer rail.

Musical Romance returned to the overnight stakes ranks for her next two

starts, winning the Barb's Dancer and finishing second in the Connie Ann on

turf. Only then did she take off from the friendly confines of Calder to wrap up

divisional honors with three strong efforts against graded foes. Her path to the

Breeders' Cup -- the Grade 2 Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes and the Grade 2

Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes -- had been a fertile one recently as the

last two divisional honorees, Dubai Majesty and Informed Decision, won or placed

in both prior to clinching their respective Eclipse Awards with victories in the Filly &

Mare Sprint.

In the Presque Isle Downs Masters on Tapeta, Musical Romance tracked in third

for more than half a mile before wearing down Ariana D by a neck at 8-1. A month

later in the Thoroughbred Club of America, Musical Romance used similar tactics

only to come up a neck short of Holiday for Kitten over Keeneland's Polytrack.

The decision was then made to supplement Musical Romance to the Breeders' Cup

for $100,000.

With Sassy Image and Hilda's Passion both sidelined, Musical Romance was

rather overlooked at 20-1 in the November 4 Filly & Mare Sprint. Enjoying a

ground-saving journey throughout, Musical Romance advanced between rivals in the

stretch and drew off to a 1 1/4-length score over Switch, who came too late

after falling far behind early. Another who encountered a bad trip was the

three-year-old favorite Turbulent Descent, who was bumped hard at the start and

failed to sustain her rally after making the lead at the eighth-pole.

Musical Romance stays in training in 2012, with the Sunshine Millions Filly &

Mare Sprint or Grade 1 Santa Monica Stakes as a first target. Both races are

scheduled for January 28. She will enter her five-year-old season with a career

mark of 33-9-5-7, $1,217,850.

Bred by Ocala Stud, Musical Romance was a $22,000 OBS two-year-old in

training purchase. A daughter of the winning Slew Gin Fizz mare Candelightdinner,

Musical Romance is a half-sister to Puerto Rican champion Vuelve Ruben M. Her

extended family includes Grade 1 winners Collect the Cash, Timely Victor and

Rigoletta, as well as Grade 3 winners Nome, Dr. Bobby A. and Gourmet Dinner.

Black Jack Blues -- Champion Steeplechaser

In a year that witnessed Irish shipper Cape Blanco and recent French

transplant Stacelita dominate the turf and filly and mare turf divisions,

respectively, Irvin S. Naylor's

BLACK JACK BLUES made it a clean sweep on grass for the new immigrants by

winning the Eclipse Award as champion steeplechaser.

Until September, the Irish-bred gelding was based in Wales with up-and-coming

trainer Rebecca Curtis, for whom he won three of his final four starts for

novice chasers. He was then sold privately to Naylor, arrived stateside, and

joined Joseph W. Delozier III on the eve of the October 1 Dorothy F. Smithwick

Memorial Hurdle.

Black Jack Blues was the type to thrive in American conditions, as a

good-ground performer with the ability to race forwardly. Yet both of his U.S.

outings came on yielding going, which he still handled with aplomb.

His admirable qualities were on display in his American debut in the

aforementioned Dorothy F. Smithwick. Taking early command of that restricted

event at Middleburg, Virginia, the eight-year-old pulled away by 4 1/4 lengths.

Rider Ross Geraghty employed the same tactics on a much bigger stage, and

against elite company, in the NSA Grade 1 Grand National Hurdle at Far Hills,

New Jersey. Black Jack Blues ran the proverbial gauntlet by repelling a series

of challengers before powering to a seven-length decision. Among his badly

beaten rivals was Tax Ruling, the winner of the NSA Grade 1 Iroquois Hurdle, who

wasn't in the hunt when he was pulled up.

Black Jack Blues was set to bid for a hat trick in the NSA Grade 1 Colonial

Cup, but had to miss the grand finale because of a respiratory infection. In his

absence, Tax Ruling bounced back, and stated his Eclipse case as the season's

only two-time Grade 1 winner.

Whichever way the vote went, Naylor had cornered the market, for he also owns

Tax Ruling. The Eclipse electorate preferred Black Jack Blues, honoring him with 137

first-place votes to Tax Ruling's 80.

Black Jack Blues had already taken home the National Steeplechase

Association's Lonesome Glory Champions Award, as the season's top earner

with $171,000. The son of Definite Article, who commenced his career at the age

of six, has compiled an overall mark of 22-10-4-1 and approximate earnings just

shy of $250,000.

Bred by B.J. Griffiths, Black Jack Blues' pedigree has a pronounced National

Hunt flavor. He was produced by the Strong Gale mare Melody Maid, twice

stakes-placed over hurdles in England.

Bill Mott -- Champion Trainer

Hall of Famer Bill Mott turned the BC Classic/Ladies' Classic double (Churchill Downs Photography/Reed Palmer) After garnering top honors in 1995 and 1996, Hall of Famer Bill Mott won his third Eclipse Award for leading trainer in 2011. The 58-year-old conditioner was a factor all season in stakes races, but it was his strong finish late in the year that catapulted him to the title over fellow finalists Bob Baffert and Todd Pletcher. Mott posted six graded stakes wins in November, recording major victories in the Breeders' Cup Classic with Drosselmeyer and the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic with Royal Delta. He also won the Grade 1 Cigar Mile Handicap with To Honor and Serve; the Grade 3 Turnback the Alarm and Grade 3 Falls City with Arena Elvira; and the Grade 3 Cardinal with Deluxe. He compiled a total of 24 stakes wins in 2011, including 15 graded events, and his first Grade 1 victory last season came with Courageous Cat in the Shoemaker Mile in July. With purse earnings of $10,731,249, Mott ranked fourth among trainers in North America. He saddled 101 winners from 578 starters, a win rate of 17 percent, and also accounted 82 second and 81 thirds. A native of Mobridge, South Dakota, Mott was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998, becoming the second-youngest trainer ever inducted at age 45. His career started at bush-league tracks in South Dakota and after a stint working for Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg, Mott struck out on his own in 1978.

Mott is perhaps best-known for training the legendary Cigar, who won 16

straight races as well as Horse of the Year honors in 1995 and 1996. His lone

Triple Crown race win came via Drosselmeyer in the 2010 Belmont Stakes.

Ramon Dominguez -- Champion Jockey

Ramon Dominguez enjoyed a banner year in New York (NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photography) After taking home his first Eclipse Award for leading jockey in 2010, Ramon Dominguez made it two in a row at Monday night's ceremonies, winning by an overwhelming 197-30 margin over runner-up John Velazquez. A native of Venezuela, the 35-year-old Dominguez led all North American riders by money won in 2011, with his mounts earning more than $20 million, and connected at a 24 percent clip with 348 wins from 1,424 starters. His top mounts included Eclipse Award finalists Havre de Grace, Hansen and Stacelita as well as Grade 1 winners Gio Ponti, Get Stormy and Grace Hall. Dominguez, who registered his second Breeders' Cup race win with Hansen in the Juvenile, also led the New York riding colony by wins and earnings in 2011, capturing a total of three riding titles at Belmont Park (spring/summer) and Aqueduct (winter and fall).

Dominguez began riding horses at 16 and came to the United States from

Venezuela in 1995, riding his first winner at Hialeah in March 1996.

Kyle Frey -- Champion Apprentice Jockey

Kyle Frey made an impact in his first full season of riding in 2011, winning

155 races, and the 19-year-old jockey wound up being recognized by Eclipse Award

voters on Monday evening as champion apprentice.

Frey, who was based primarily at Parx Racing in 2011, defeated runner-up Ryan

Curatolo by a 77-57 margin.

A native of Tracy, California, he hails from a Thoroughbred racing family.

His grandfather, the recently deceased Paul Frey, was one of the leading jockeys

in the Northwest and Northern California from the 1950s to the 1970s, and his

father, Jay, is a former trainer.

Frey rode his first winner on December 5, 2010, at Golden Gate Fields, and

his mounts earned more than $4 million in 2011.

Ken and Sarah Ramsey -- Champion Owner

After leading all North American owners by stakes wins with 12 and ranking

second by earnings with more than $4.8 million, Ken and Sarah Ramsey were named

leading owner in 2011.

The Ramseys edged Midwest Thoroughbreds, who lead all owners by earnings in

2011, by a 66-60 vote margin.

It is the second owner Eclipse Award for the Ramseys, who took the hardware

following Kitten's Joy's championship season in 2004, and Kitten's Joy has

proved to be a cornerstone stallion for the couple.

Standing at Ramsey Farm near Nicholasville, Kentucky, Kitten's Joy is

responsible for many of the Ramsey's best runners in 2011, including Breeders'

Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Stephanie's Kitten; Grade 2 queen Holiday for

Kitten; Grade 3 scorer Derby Kitten; and Grade 1-placed Dean's Kitten.

The Ramseys also campaigned stakes winners Headache and Pleasant Prince last

season.

Adena Springs -- Champion Breeder

Frank Stronach's Adena Springs continued its stranglehold on the Eclipse

Award for leading breeder, taking home the honor for the eighth straight year on

Monday night. It is a record ninth overall Eclipse Award for the breeding

juggernaut that claimed its first Eclipse Award in 2000.

With 483 starters, Adena Springs more than doubled the output of

second-ranked Ken & Sarah Ramsey (231) and led all breeders with earnings of

more than $14 million in 2011. They naturally also had the highest number of

winners (252) and stakes winners (20).

Established near Versailles, Kentucky, in 1989, Adena Springs' is now based

in central Kentucky near Paris, but the massive operation also stands stallions

in New York, California and Ontario.

There are more than 20 stallions currently on the Adena Springs roster.

Top performers in 2011 bred by Adena Springs included Game on Dude, who

posted Grade 1 victories in the Santa Anita Handicap and Goodwood Stakes as well

as a runner-up finish in the Breeders' Cup Classic. The son of Adena stallion

Awesome Again was an Eclipse Award finalist for champion older male.

 

Rapid Redux carved out a special place in the annals of American racing (Maryland Jockey Club/Jim McCue) Honored with a Special Award Monday night was starter allowance ace RAPID REDUX, who won 19 consecutive races in 2011. He owns the modern North American record for a winning streak, which he recently extended to 22 straight. Rapid Redux is owned by Robert L. Cole Jr. and trained by David Wells. Voted on by a panel of representatives from the three presenting organizations, the Special Award is presented to honor outstanding individual achievements in, or contributions to, the sport of Thoroughbred racing. W. Cothran "Cot" Campbell received the Award of Merit, voted on by a panel of representatives from the three presenting organizations, for his outstanding lifetime achievement in the Thoroughbred industry. Campbell, 84, of Aiken, South Carolina, revolutionized racehorse ownership and syndication through his Dogwood Stable. John Doyle was recognized as Handicapper of the Year. Having left his job at IBM to turn his attention to handicapping full-time, he landed the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship last January.

The 2011 Media Eclipse Award winners, determined by a judges' panel for each

category, likewise received their honors during Monday evening's gala:

* Photography: Bob Mayberger, Sports Illustrated Snapshot; "A.P. Smithwick

Memorial Stakes," August 4, 2011.

* Writing -- Feature/Commentary: Claire Novak, ESPN.com; "Pressure off Durkin

at Belmont," June 10, 2011.

* Writing -- News/Enterprise: Jennie Rees, Louisville Courier-Journal;

"Breeders' Cup 2011: Jockeys Rein in Their Emotions," October 30, 2011.

* Television -- Live Racing: ESPN, "The Breeders' Cup Classic"; Mike McQuade,

Coordinating Producer; November 5, 2011.

* Television -- Feature: HRTV, "Inside Information: Randy Romero," Amy

Zimmerman, Executive Producer; December 26, 2010.

* Audio and Multi-Media Internet -- Thoroughbred Times, "On the Scene,"

November 1-6, 2011 Breeders' Cup; Tom Law and Greg Charkoudian, co-producers.