Eclipse Horse of The Year Awarded To Justify
The 13th Triple Crown winner Justify, has left an indelible impression on the racing community also stole the Horse of the Year honors and the trophy for top 3-year-old male.
The Bob Baffert trained colt retired as a 3YO after an unblemished albeit short racing career. He was undefeated in his four starts and undid the "Curse of Apollo," by becoming the first horse since 1882 to win the Gr.1 Kentucky Derby without having raced as a 2YO. In The Belmont he also ran the fastest early fractions of any Derby winner in history.
With 6 wins from 5 starts under his belt, Breeders' Cup Classic winner Accelerate secured the Eclipse Award for older dirt male. Accelerate will next be seen in the Gr.1 Pegasus Invitational Cup run later this week.
Trainer Chad Brown completed his hat-trick with Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer (2018 ).
The rest of the awards are as follows:
Champion 2-Year-Old Male
Game Winner (Candy Ride—Indyan Giving)
Champion 3-Year-Old Filly
Monomoy Girl (Tapizar—Drumette)
Champion Older Dirt Female
Unique Bella (Tapit—Unrivaled Belle)
Champion 2-Year-Old Filly
Jaywalk (Cross Traffic—Lady Pewitt)
Champion Turf Male
Stormy Liberal (Stormy Atlantic—Vassar)
Champion Turf Female
Sistercharlie ( Myboycharlie—Starlet’s Sister)
Champion Male Sprinter
Roy H (More Than Ready—Elusive Diva)
Champion Female Sprinter
Shamrock Rose (First Dude—Slew’s Quality)
Champion Steeplechase Horse
Zanjabeel (Aussie Rules—Grain Only)
Outstanding Breeder: John D. Gunther
Outstanding Owner: Hronis Racing
Outstanding Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Outstanding Apprentice Jockey: Weston Hamilton
Credit: Pallavi Shevade pallavi.shevade@secretariatsworld.com