Eclipse Award winners

[two gun sid]

From NTRA.com:
Saint Liam, who completed his outstanding campaign with a victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic, on Monday was announced as the 2005 Horse of the Year at the 35th annual Eclipse Awards dinner at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel.

Saint Liam last year also captured the Donn Handicap, Stephen Foster Handicap, and Woodward Stakes. He easily outdistanced 3-year-old male champion Afleet Alex, 194-56, among voters who cast ballots for Horse of the Year. Others receiving a single vote each for Horse of the Year were Ghostzapper, sprint champion Lost in the Fog, Rock Hard Ten, and Roses in May. There were eight abstentions.

Saint Liam became the second consecutive horse, following Ghostzapper in 2004, to parlay victories in the Woodward and Breeders' Cup Classic to Horse of the Year. He was trained by Richard Dutrow Jr. and owned by William Warren Jr.

Both Saint Liam and Afleet Alex were overwhelming winners in their divisions, with Saint Liam named champion older horse and Afleet Alex champion 3-year-old male. In the two closest votes, Michael Gill edged Eugene Melnyk for champion owner, and Leroidesanimaux topped Artie Schiller for champion male turf horse.

http://www.ntra.com/content.aspx?type=news&id=16288

Congratulations to all the winners. Especially Afleet Alex. I felt he was a really good horse.

I started out following Rockport Harbor, Lost In The Fog and Rock Hard Ten. I followed Billy Turner's stable. I followed Bud Delp in Maryland. I rooted for Gary Stevens.
I have no problem with most of the Eclipse choices. I would have voted for Alex for HOY but, Saint Liam is a good choice. I liked Artie Schiller over Leroidesanimaux. Gill as Owner of the Year is a stretch for my tastes. Pletcher as Trainer of the Year? Well, I guess he did win a lot of races. So I'll call Pletcher Money Winner of the Year. (Disclaimer: Pletcher has forgotten more about training horse than I'll ever know).

Now, tell me which winners you agree or disagree with. Which horses and which people did you root for last year?

[Justpat]

1. If you followed our stable this year you probably went

broke. We need to restock the shelves - or stalls as the case may be.
It was a year we were glad to see go.

[two gun sid]

2. I'm strictly a fan...

I bet just the big races these days TC, BC etc. I couldn't afford to have my jugheads if I still wagered.

You guys will be back. All it takes is one big horse, one freak. He or she is out there. Somewhere.

[Justpat]

3. Thanks, Sid

I have to admit that it has been a horrible year.
I know things will turn around. Hopefully my own
little filly will some races this year too.

[Justpat]

4. Finery's owner was thinking of breeding her to St. Liam

but settled on Mineshaft instead. I'm glad.

Finery is huge and so is St. Liam.
They might have had a foal the size of
a draft horse. Mineshaft is about 16 hands
and very nicely made. He's not a clunker.

[two gun sid]

5. How did they decided on Mineshaft?

I am always interested in how people decide on the correct breeding for their horse.

[Justpat]

6. Mr.Farrish made her a foal sharing deal that she

couldn't turn down. Someday I'd like to have a mare
that I could make those kind of deals with.

Most people who breed on any scale put a lot of thought
into the mating. You have to breed like to like physically
and try to figure out cross works best with your mare's
pedigree.

[two gun sid]

7. like to like is a rule for me also...

although I have used cost as a factor. The year before last I leased our best mare to a farm that was standing a new stallion I liked. They bred her and the resulting foal cost me half the stud fee to buy him. Also, they wrote a letter to USTA making us the breeder for breeders awards. Good deal except, no one else in the state bred to that stallion. He no longer stands here.

I think I've read every book on breeding published. I've been to breeding classes and seminars. I study stallions. I go look at them. And I haven't bred a champion yet. I use pedigree. I cull unproductive mares. The best we've had we've purchased. But, I'm gonna get that one big horse someday and if I don't, well, I've sure enjoyed myself.

[Justpat]

8. I cull the mares also.

You have to be practical.

And there is not point in keeping them if they
produce unsound foals or foals with no class
that don't want to run. They are money pits.