THE WOODFORD SUN, Versailles, Ky. January 12, 2012 13 2011 Eclipse Award fi nalists announced BY RICK CAPONE WOODFORD SUN SPORTS EDITOR The fi nalists for the 41st annual Eclipse Awards were announced on Thursday, Jan. 5. News and notes in horse racing The awards are voted for by members of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, National Turf Writ- ers and Broadcasters and the Daily Racing Form. Of the 267 eligible voters, 248 responded this year to help select champions in 17 categories. There were not many surprises, as many of the horses Rapid Redux earns his just reward after 22nd that were expected to be fi nalists were on the list. Among others, the fi nalists include Havre de Grace, Blind Luck and Awesome Maria for Older Female Champion; consecutive victory; wins Special Eclipse Award Royal Delta, Plum Pretty and It’s Tricky for Three-Year-Old BY RICK CAPONE Filly Champion; Hansen, Union Rags and Creative Cause WOODFORD SUN SPORTS EDITOR for Two-Year-Old Male Champion and My Miss Aurelia, Stephanie’s Kitten and Grace Hall for Two-Year-Old CThe only thing missing from the list were the fi nalists for Horse The loveable six-year of the Year, which are not announced until the night of the old chestnut gelding, Rapid award show. Redux, had an award winning The Eclipse Awards will be handed out in a ceremony on week last week. Jan. 16 at the Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills, Calif. It began last Wednesday, Here is a listing of the 2011 Eclipse Award fi nalists. Jan. 4, when he went wire-to- wire in a starter allowance race * Two-Year-Old Male: Creative Cause, Hanson, at Laurel Park in Maryland and Union Rags. held off Awesome Rhythm * Two-Year-Old Filly: Grace Hall, My Miss once again to win his 22nd Aurelia, Stephanie’s Kitten. consecutive victory. * Three-Year-Old Male: Animal Kingdom, With that win, he extended Caleb’s Posse, Shackleford. his Northern American record * There-Year-Old Filly: It’s Tricky, Plum Pretty, for consecutive wins to 22, Royal Delta. while increasing his career * Older Male: Acclamation, Game On Dude, Tizway. record to 28 wins in 42 starts, * Older Female: Awesome Maria, Blind Luck, with one second, one third and Havre de Grace. $361,609 in earnings. * Male Sprinter: Amazombie, Caleb’s Posse, Last year, he broke the Regally Ready. consecutive win mark of 19 set * Female Sprinter: Hilda’s Passion, Musical by Zenyatta and Peppers Pride, Romance, Sassy Image. while also matching Citation’s * Turf Male: Acclamation, Cape Blanco (Ire), modern U.S. record of 19 wins St Nicholas Abbey (Ire). in a calendar year. * Turf Female: Dubawi Heights (GB), Perfect Then it was announced that RAPID REDUX held Shirl, Stacelita (Fr). Rapid Redux would receive a off Awesome Rhythm * Steeplechase Horse: Black Jack Blues (Ire), Special Eclipse Award at the on Wednesday, Jan. 4, Decoy Daddy (Ire), Tax Ruling (Ire). Eclipse Award ceremonies at to capture his 22nd-con- * Owner: Midwest Thoroughbreds, Kenneth and the Beverly Wilshire in Beverly secutive race, this one at Sarah Ramsey, Team Valor International. Hills, Calif., on Jan. 16. Laurel Park. With the win * Breeder: Adena Springs, Brereton C. Jones, “It’s a top award in this sport he extended his modern Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey. and a dream come true,” said North American record for * Trainer: Bob Baffert, Bill Mott, Todd Pletcher. Rapid Redux’s owner Robert * Jockey: Javier Castellano, Ramon Dominguez, L. Cole Jr., in the Thursday, consecutive races to 22. In addition, it was announced John Velazquez. Jan. 5 issue of Thoroughbred * Apprentice Jockey: Due to an error in the data pro- Times Today. “Rapid Redux that he would be given a Special Eclipse Award at vided to voters, voting for the apprentice jockey has to has shown the greatest in du- redone. As a result, according to a Monday, Jan. 9, article rability and consistency. He the Eclipse Award dinner, which will be held at the in the Thoroughbred Times Today, “It was subsequently hasn’t thrown in a bad race. To determined that statistics (in the category) provided to vot- win like this over a 13-month Beverly Wilshire in Bev- erly Hills, Calif., on Jan. ers were incorrect. The statistics did not accurately refl ect period is nearly impossible. when one of the eventual fi nalists, Montanez, lost his ap- He’s Maryland home-grown 16. Then on Sunday, Cara- prentice allowance during 2011. As a result, his statistics, running in Maryland. We cortado, with jockey Rafael Bejarano riding, outran Victory Pete to win the Grade as presented in the voting guide and online, included wins wanted him to stay close to III, $100,000 Daytona Stakes, Sunday, Jan. 8, at Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, Calif. (Top and earnings accomplished after he became a journeyman home as he relates so well to photo by Jim McCue / Maryland Jockey Club; bottom photo by Benoit Photos) rider.” Because of that, a new vote will take place next the average fan. It’s not like week, prior to the awards ceremony. going to the sales and paying The custom-made Vox began to challenge as they who stands at Lane’s End, Rap- a million dollars. He’s a blue- Populi trophy will be given to came down the stretch, but id Redux is out of the Storm Cat collar horse.” Radid Redux’s owner, Robert in the end, as he had done in mare Thiscatsforcaryl. healthy.” to the bar … I knew he would There had been some talk Cole Jr. and trainer, David his previous race on Dec. 13 Rapid Redux was claimed In other racing news… fl y home.” that Rapid Redux should have Wells, at a public ceremony at at Laurel, Rapid Redux held by Cole for $6,250 in Octo- Caraortado let go with an Finishing in a dead-heat been nominated for the Horse Santa Anita Park on Sunday, off Awesome Rhythm for a ber 2010, and began his win explosive burst of speed to for third was Mr Gruff and of the Year honors, but since Jan. 15. three-quarter length victory. streak on Dec. 2, 2010. Since win the Daytona Stakes (G3) Regally Ready, a fi nalist for the that did not happen, it is good to All-in-all, it was a very He completed the one-mile that time, he’s won at seven by 1-1/4 lengths over Victory Eclipse Award for Champion see that he will earn some rec- good week for Rapid Redux, dirt race in 1:38.24. different tracks and in races Pete on the downhill turf course Springer. ognition at the Eclipse Awards which began back on Wednes- Finishing third was Gold ranging from fi ve furlongs to at Santa Anita on Sunday. He Out of Cat Dreams-Mons for all that he has accomplished day with the race he won at Casing, who broke slowly, 1-1/8 miles. In addition, he’s completed the six-and-a-half Venus, by Maria’s Mon, the so far in his career. Laurel Park. then recovered and steadily had seven different riders dur- furlong race in 1:11.59. fi ve-year-old chestnut gelding Finally, it was also an- In that race, Rapid Redux, advanced on the top two down ing the streak. “I knew I had a lot of horse, now has nine wins in 19 career nounced that Rapid Redux won with J.D. Acosta riding, broke the stretch, but could never get Interestingly, there was so I didn’t want to use him too starts, along with two seconds, the second annual Secretariat from gate three, took the lead close. He ended up fi nishing some question as to whether early,” said winning jockey, there thirds and $864,105 in Vox Populi Award, which is in the race in just a few steps, 4-3/4 lengths behind Awesome Rapid Redux would even run Rafael Bejarano in a Monday, earnings. voted by fans online, the them moved clear near the Rhythm. in the race, as Wells revealed Jan. 9, Thoroughbred Times Also, on Saturday, in one of Secretariat Vox Pupuli com- three-quarter pole and set the “He was getting out a little the day before the race that Today article. “I just tried to the early three-year-old con- mittee, and Penny Chenery, pace toward the inside. big down the lane with me,” his gelding had “grabbed a follow instructions. … As tests on the Kentucky Derby Secretariat’s owner. Meanwhile, Awesome said Acosta, who has been on quarter” in his right front soon as I closed the door, my trail, Out of Bounds rallied According to Secretariat. Rhythm, with jockey Dyn board Rapid Redux for eight foot a few days earlier during horse was fl ying. This it eh fi rst late down the stretch to win the com, “The Secretariat Vox Panell on board, broke from wins during the streak. “I was training. He and Cole made the horse that I’ve rode that has one-mile Sham Stakes (G3) at Populi Award recognizes gate one, then settled outside of really concerned because I decision to run him the day of this kind of fi nishing speed. Santa Anita. Secret Circle fi n- the horse whose popularity Rapid Redux and prompted the had that other horse right next the race, and everything turned He showed me a big kick – it ished second, while Longview and racing excellence best pace from Rapid Redux. to me the whole time. I knew out okay as he came home with was unbelievable.” Drive took third.