Racing! Here are my Eclipse Award picks

Hello, my name is John Cherwa and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter as Santa Anita gets ready for two days off before a strong weekend for 3-year-olds.

No better way to start the year than figuring out who was the best from last year. Today is the last day to submit Eclipse Award ballots with the announcement of the finalists on Saturday morning at 8 a.m. Huh? Wait a minute. Saturday morning at 8 a.m., when all West coast trainers and jockeys are working their horses.

I know I’ve gone down this road before, but why is it that the West Coast is continually dismissed? But this is boneheaded for more reasons than acting like the West Coast doesn’t matter.

The announcement will come at Gulfstream before its Saturday card. I get the Gulfstream thing because that’s where the Eclipse Awards will be given out. It’s a beautiful venue and timing the actual awards with the Pegasus is a smart move. But how about doing the announcement on a dark day at Gulfstream at about 1 p.m. or 2 p.m. and not have to share the announcement with live racing. Last year it was on a Friday, so it wasn’t sharing the spotlight with a big stakes race.

I guarantee there would be more words on the nominees in the Los Angeles Times on Sunday if it didn’t have to share space with the Sham Stakes and Bob Baffert’s latest 3-year-old prodigy. Or somebody’s else’s prodigy. And, let’s not forget that racing will be competing with the first round of the NFL playoffs. Dumb.

It’s all just some things to think about. I mean, I’ve only been managing how sports is covered in the media and have a knowledge on how to get attention and how to be overwhelmed for a little more than four decades. So, what do I know?

Enough whining. Here is my Eclipse ballot.

Steeplechase: 1. Optimus Prime, 2. Zanjabeel, 3. Jury Duty. Now, I have to say I really don’t care about this category and just looked at the PPs for my picks. Optimus won two of three, with a Grade 1 and 2 win. His last race he won by 18 lengths. You can make a case for Zanjabeel, who won two Grade 1s, with two seconds in four races. Jury Duty won the big race at Far Hills, and we believe the 7-year-old did not get arrested for underage drinking.

Trainer: 1. Bob Baffert, 2. Chad Brown, 3. Brad Cox. Despite only 348 starts, Baffert won at a 32% rate, plus he won the Triple Crown. If not now, what’s does he have to do? Brown led the country in earnings and Cox came in with a 26% win rate, exceeding Steve Asmussen’s 21% with 1 million starts. (Not really, but a lot.)

Jockey: 1. Irad Ortiz, Jr., 2. Mike Smith, 3. Jose Ortiz. Irad led the country in wins and money earned. Enough said. If only Smith rode more, he would be a first or second choice every year. This year, he rode Justify. Jose won the most number of graded stakes (35) and $26 million in purses.

Owners: 1. Hronis Racing, 2. WinStar, China Horse Club et all, 3. Peter Brant. Of all my Eclipse votes, this is the one I’m most excited about because there are no two finer people in racing than Kosta and Pete Hronis. Plus, they run Accelerate … and Catalina Cruiser … and Gift Box … and have John Sadler as their trainer. WinStar and Co. had Justify and Brant had six Grade 1 wins.

Breeders: 1. WinStar Farm, 2. Calumet Farm, 3. Besilu Stables. Just went down the earnings list, 1-2-3.

Apprentice jockey: 1. Edgar Morales, 2. Weston Hamilton, 3. Assael Espinoza. See breeders criterion.

2-year-old male: 1. Game Winner, 2. Improbable, 3. Instagrand. Game Winner was four for four including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Three Grade 1 wins. Couldn’t have done more. Improbable was three for three with a Grade 1 win in Los Alamitos Futurity. (Grade 2 next running.) Instagrand beats out Maximus Mischief by the sheer dominance of his two wins, both by more than 10 lengths.

2-year-old female: 1. Jaywalk, 2. Newspaperofrecord, 3. Bellafina. Jaywalk won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, plus three other races. Newspaperofrecord won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, and two other races. Bellafina disappointed in the Juvenile Fillies but won three other races, including two Grade 1s.

3-year-old male: 1. Justify, 2. McKinzie, 3. Catholic Boy. Justify should be one of three unanimous horse selections. McKinzie shot up the charts with a resounding win in the Malibu Stakes. Had only one bad race, the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Catholic Boy won the Travers but was 13^th in the Classic.

3-year-old female: 1. Monomoy Girl, 2. Midnight Bisou, 3. Shamrock Rose. Monomoy Girl crossed the finish line first in all seven of her races, including the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Should be unanimous. Midnight Bisou won five of nine including a DQ win over Monomoy Girl. Shamrock Rose won the Breeders’ Cup Fillies and Mares Sprint.

Older dirt male: 1. Accelerate, 2. City of Light, 3. Bee Jersey. Accelerate also wins in a unanimous vote, having won every race but one, including the Breeders’ Cup Classic. His only loss came to City of Light in the Oaklawn Handicap. City of Light went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. Bee Jersey won all four of his races, including the Metropolitan Handicap, before a tendon injury retired him.

Older dirt female: 1. Unique Bella, 2. Fault, 3. Wow Cat. If a case could be made to not name a winner, this would be the category. Unique Bella won three of four but was retired in mid-year. Fault won all three of her races, including a Grade 1, 2 and 3. Wow Cat was second in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Left Abel Tasman off after a miserable final two races. She told everyone with her performances that she has had enough.

Male sprinter: 1. Roy H, 2. Stormy Liberal, 3. Whitmore. It’s a Peter Miller double with Roy H and Stormy Liberal. Roy H repeated as Breeders’ Cup Sprint champion and Stormy Liberal repeated as Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner. Dirt beats turf in this category for me. Whitmore, second in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, had three wins and four seconds in eight races.

Female sprinter: 1. Shamrock Rose, 2. Marley’s Freedom, 3. Finley’sluckycharm. This category is a little thin but Shamrock Rose is the clear leader. She won her last four races including the Breeders’ Cup Fillies & Mares Sprint. Marley’s Freedom won five of her last six, finishing fourth in the Fillies & Mares Sprint. Finley’sluckycharm fills it out because we couldn’t find anyone better.

Male turf: 1. Stormy Liberal, 2. Expert Eye, 3. Catholic Boy. This is probably the most difficult category. In fact, the Daily Racing Form sends voters past performances of horses that should be considered. In this category, the list was 21 horses long. Normally, it’s less than a dozen. Even though he’s a sprinter, we’ll go with Stormy Liberal based on four in a row including the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. (Yes, I know he was second on Tuesday. New year.) Expert Eye won the Breeders’ Cup (Turf) Mile and Catholic Boy, a dirt horse, won both his turf races, including a Grade 1.

Female turf: 1. Enable, 2. Sistercharlie, 3. Vasilika. Enable became the first horse to win both the Arch de Triomphe and Breeders’ Cup Turf, against the boys. Good enough for me. Sistercharlie won the Breeders’ Cup Fillies & Mares Turf Sprint. Vasilika, starting as a claimer, won eight in a row, including a Grade 1. We’re rooting for the story on that pick.

Horse of the year: 1. Justify, 2. Accelerate, 3. Monomoy Girl. We’ll talk more about this in the future.

TVG winner

I get a little bit of email from readers asking why I hate TVG? I don’t. (I get more email, by a lot, saying way to go when I chronicle its handicappers’ losing bets.) I’ve always told my contact there that when there is a big hit by one of their folks to let me know. Crickets. Truth is, I’m not going to check the TVG picks every day. Anyway, thanks to a couple of readers who told me that Caleb Keller (who in the picks doesn’t get a last name) hit a big time pick four on Monday. At Santa Anita, his $36 bet returned $1,167.35. Way to go, Caleb (Keller).

Santa Anita review

Everything pointed to Stormy Liberal winning his fifth race in a row in the Grade 3 $100,000 Joe Hernandez Stakes. But, Caribou Club ran a smart race and avoided blistering fractions to win the 6 ½ furlong race down the hillside course by 1 ¼ lengths.

Caribou Club, trained by Tom Proctor and ridden by Joe Talamo, paid $8.60, $3.60 and $2.40. Stormy Liberal was second and Conquest Tsunami, both Peter Millers horses, finished third.

“What a cool horse,” Talamo said. “He gives his best every time. I had a big smile on my face when Conquest Tsunami moved himself out turning for home opening the rail for me. … I think he can really do anything because of his style. They went quick early today, so he was further back, but when they go two turns he can lay up a little closer. Like I said, he’s a really cool horse to ride.”

Final thought

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Any thoughts, you can reach me at johnacherwa@gmail.com. You can also feed my ego by following me on Twitter @jcherwa

Now, the star of the show, Tuesday’s results. See you on Friday.

RUMPUS CAT came out early then angled in and stalked inside, continued a bit off the rail leaving the backstretch, swung out four wide into the stretch, rallied under some urging to the front a sixteenth out and proved best. TIGERBEACH stalked outside a rival, bid three deep on the second turn to take the lead into the stretch, inched away in midstretch, could not match the winner in the final sixteenth but held second. EAST RAND chased outside a rival then between foes on the backstretch and second turn, came out some past midstretch and got up late for third three wide on the line. JIMMY CHILA stalked a bit off the rail, bid between horses into and on the second turn, put a head in front leaving that turn, fought back between rivals into the stretch and was edged for the show. ACCLIMATE pulled his way to the early lead, angled in and set the pace inside, dueled along the rail on the second turn and into the stretch and was edged for a minor award late. HARD FOUGHT four wide into the first turn, chased outside a rival, split horses three deep into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. BLITZKRIEG broke a bit slowly, came out into the first turn, chased three deep then four wide into the stretch and did not rally. FORTUNE OF WAR (GB) angled in and saved ground chasing the pace throughout and could not offer the necessary response.

SMITTEN KITTEN went up to press the pace five wide on the backstretch, stalked outside on the turn, came three deep into the stretch and rallied again under urging to get up three wide nearing the wire. KINDRED sped to the early lead a bit off the rail, dueled between horses then outside a rival on the turn and in the stretch, took a short lead in midstretch, fought back outside that foe then was edged while between horses late. DANNIE JOE a step slow to begin, went up inside to duel for the lead, fought back along the rail on the turn and through the stretch and continued willingly to the end. WINSINFASHION pressed the pace three deep between horses then stalked off the rail on the turn, came three wide into the stretch and lacked the needed late response. JEWELED stalked early then prompted the pace four wide between rivals on the backstretch, dropped back and angled in some on the turn and weakened. GREATER GLORY broke a bit slowly, angled in and saved ground chasing the pace, continued inside in the stretch and lacked a rally. PROPER DRINK also a bit slow to begin, settled off the rail, came out into the stretch and lacked a further response.

ROAD TEST stalked outside then bid three deep on the backstretch and second turn, took a short lead under urging in upper stretch, drifted in late and gamely prevailed. BUNNY YOGURT close up stalking the pace a bit off the rail, bid between foes on the backstretch and second turn, briefly put a head in front into the stretch, fought back off the rail in midstretch, also drifted in late and continued gamely to the wire. CARRIE'S SUCCESS saved ground stalking the pace, came out a bit into the stretch and bested the others. SWALLOWS INN GAL four wide into the first turn, stalked outside, came three deep into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. MIDNIGHT LILLY chased a bit off the rail then outside a rival, was between foes leaving the backstretch, continued outside a foe on the second turn, drifted to the inside in the stretch and lacked a rally. LEA'S REWARD sent between horses early, set the pace a bit off the rail then dueled inside, fought back on the second turn and weakened in the stretch. MAGICALCHIC pulled her way along and angled in off the rail early, found the inside on the backstretch, continued inside on the second turn and into the stretch and had little left for the drive.

RED ENVELOPE pressed the pace five wide to the stretch, took the lead nearing midstretch and won clear under urging and a late hold. DUBNATION dueled between horses, was fanned out some into the stretch, fought back between foes in midstretch, drifted in late and edged a rival for the place. COIL TO STRIKE broke a bit slowly, went up inside to duel for the lead, came off the rail into the stretch, fought back in midstretch, drifted in late and was edged for second. BOUNCING AROUND pulled his way along to stalk the pace off the rail then a bit off the fence, angled to the inside on the turn and lacked the needed late kick. SIDEPOCKET ACTION stalked outside a rival on the backstretch and turn, came out four wide into the stretch and lacked a rally. SEA'S JOURNEY prompted the pace four wide between foes to the stretch, drifted in some and weakened. GOLDIE'S HILLS had good early speed and dueled three deep between foes, dropped back some into the stretch, drifted in late and also weakened.

TIKKUN OLAM chased outside a rival, came out into the stretch and again in midstretch and rallied under urging to the front in deep stretch to prove best. MONTANA MOON stalked a bit off the rail, bid outside a rival on the backstretch and between foes leaving the second turn, took the lead into the stretch, inched away past midstretch and was caught late. YOU MUST CHILL chased outside a rival, bid three deep leaving the second turn and into the stretch then outside the winner in midstretch and held third. SURPRISE FASHION in tight between foes early, angled in and settled outside a rival, swung four wide leaving the second turn and into the stretch and was edged for the show. RED CLEM settled inside, came out on the second turn and three deep into the stretch and was edged for a minor award between foes late. SILENT MUSKETIER saved ground off the pace to the stretch, went around a rival in deep stretch and continued willingly inside. BLAME IT ON KITTY broke a bit slowly, settled outside a rival, came three deep into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. INDY JONES angled in and saved ground off the pace, steadied off heels leaving the second turn and also lacked the necessary rally. DIAMOND BLITZ had speed outside then angled in and set the pace inside, dueled along the rail leaving the backstretch and on the second turn and into the stretch, then weakened. ZORICH off a bit slowly, pulled between horses then chased a bit off the rail, found the inside on the second turn, came a bit off the fence in the stretch and could not offer the needed late kick. HARD TO COME HOME chased outside a rival then between horses, split foes leaving the second turn and lacked the needed rally. SIR ANDOVER three deep into the first turn, chased outside a rival, came out into the stretch and did not rally.

SHEER FLATTERY had speed inside to set the pace then dueled a bit off the rail on the backstretch, inched away inside on the second turn, drifted out some from the whip in the stretch while kicking clear and proved best. ARCH PRINCE saved ground stalking the pace, bid inside on the backstretch, stalked again on the second turn and into the stretch and bested the others. IKE WALKER stalked outside a rival, bid three deep a half mile out, tracked between foes on the second turn and held third. AVANTI BELLO four wide on the first turn, stalked outside then bid four wide on the backstretch, continued three deep on the second turn and into the stretch and weakened. UPPER ROOM stalked a bit off the rail, bid between horses on the backstretch, fell back on the second turn and also weakened. VERY VERY STELLA broke a bit slowly, chased off the rail, came three wide into the stretch and also weakened.

RED LIGHTNING pressed the pace three deep then dueled outside the runner-up on the turn, had that one slip away in the stretch then came back on under left handed urging to collar that rival in deep stretch. CAPTAIN SCOTTY dueled between horses then a bit off the rail on the turn, inched away in the stretch then could not contain the winner late. SOLID WAGER chased off the rail, came four wide into the stretch and finished with interest. THREEFIVEINDIA stalked a bit off the rail, came out into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. MICRORITHMS stalked early then bid inside to duel on the backstretch, tracked the leaders while saving ground on the turn and weakened in the stretch. APALACHEE BAY stumbled at the start to drop back, settled off the rail to the stretch and did not rally. LORD SIMBA broke in and slowly, chased off the rail, came three wide into the stretch and weakened.

CARIBOU CLUB chased outside a rival then three deep leaving the hill and alongside a foe into the stretch, bid between horses to gain the lead past midstretch and gamely prevailed under left handed urging. STORMY LIBERAL stalked between horses then a bit off the rail leaving the hill, came three wide into the stretch and edged the pacesetter late for second. CONQUEST TSUNAMI had good early speed and dueled outside a rival, inched away leaving the hill, drifted out some in upper stretch, fought back three wide in deep stretch, drifted in late and was edged for the place. CISTRON pressed the pace inside then stalked leaving the hill, bid again along the rail past the eighth pole and was outfinished. LAW ABIDIN CITIZEN stalked four wide then outside a rival leaving the hill, came four wide into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. CALCULATOR a half step slow into stride, saved ground stalking the pace, continued inside into and through the stretch and weakened. PUBILIUS SYRUS settled a bit off the rail then inside leaving the hill, came out into the stretch and also weakened. AFLEET ASCENT stalked between horses then outside a rival, angled in on the dirt crossing, came out into the stretch and also weakened. Rail on hill at zero.

LUCKY STUDENT dueled three deep between foes then stalked on the turn, continued off the rail into the stretch, bid again outside the pacesetter past the eighth pole under urging, gained the lead and won clear. ESKENFORADRINK stalked inside, came out into the stretch and edged a rival for the place. HERO FOR HIRE had good early speed and dueled inside, kicked clear into the turn, fought back past midstretch and was edged for second. PRINCESS KENDRA stalked off the rail then between foes, angled too the inside into the stretch and was edged the show. LOVELY LINDA dueled four wide then stalked outside on the turn, came four wide into the stretch and could not summon the needed late kick. FORTHENINETEEN stalked outside then three deep, angled in outside a rival leaving the turn and weakened. TIGER MOM pressed the pace between foes then stalked, came out four wide into the stretch and also weakened. CIAO LUNA stalked a bit off the rail then between horses, angled in on the turn and also weakened. SOUGHT MORE PEP dueled between horses then stalked between foes on the turn and had little left for the stretch.

IRISH HEATWAVE stalked the pace inside, came out for room in the stretch, steadied off heels then bid between foes under a crack of the whip in deep stretch and edged the runner-up. LISTING saved ground stalking the pace, came out into the stretch, bid outside a rival to gain the lead, fought back outside the winner late and continued gamely. TEACHER'S TREASURE had speed inside then stalked a bit off the rail, bid between horses leaving the hill, took the lead into the stretch, fought back inside in deep stretch and held third. TAKEO SQUARED chased between horses then a bit off the rail, came out four wide into the stretch, was forced out nearing midstretch and finished with some interest. SAYIN GRACE broke a bit slowly, settled just off the rail to the stretch, split rivals in the drive and was outfinished. FEELING STRONG chased between horses, came three deep into the stretch and could not quite summon the needed late kick. GRAB THE MUNNY settled outside then off the rail, came out into the stretch, angled in off heels past midstretch and had a mild late bid. OFFSHORE AFFAIR chased outside then three deep, came four wide into the stretch, steadied in tight and was forced out nearing midstretch and lacked the needed rally. PRINCIPE CARLO had speed outside foes then stalked alongside a rival, bid three deep leaving the hill and into the stretch, drifted out from the whip nearing midstretch and weakened. JUST HIT PLAY settled outside then chased three deep, came four wide into the stretch and lacked a rally. SCOUTED had speed between horses then outside a rival, inched away a bit off the rail, angled in and set the pace inside, dueled leaving the hill and into the stretch and weakened in the final furlong. EIGHTY PROOF settled outside then off the rail, came out into the stretch and gave way. Rail on hill at zero.