No horse of this era has had a soap-opera tale comparing to Maximum Security. Risked in his debut for $16,000, he subsequently finished first in the 2019 Kentucky Derby, only to be disqualified for interference – the first time a Derby winner had been disqualified for an ontrack incident – yet by year’s end, with three Grade 1 wins, he had compiled a record that made him the champion 3-year-old male.

Improbable was good enough to be favored in the 2019 Kentucky Derby, but he came up short more often than not as a 3-year-old, winning one time in seven starts. The 2020 model of this attractive, chestnut-colored colt was bigger, stronger, and faster.

Improbable raced five times at four tracks and won three times – all his wins in Grade 1 company – his only losses second-place finishes in the Oaklawn Mile to Tom’s d’Etat and in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland to Authentic.

Midnight Bisou nearly achieved racing immortality in February 2020, when she shipped more than 7,000 miles from Louisiana to Saudi Arabia for the richest Thoroughbred race in history – the inaugural $20 million Saudi Cup Feb. 29 at King Abdulaziz racetrack in Riyadh.

The hickory filly Swiss Skydiver rose to the top of her division the old-fashioned way. The daughter of Daredevil’s 10 starts at nine different tracks around the country, from New York to California and in between, encompassed some of the nation’s top races for 3-year-old fillies, and also included a stop at Pimlico. An historic victory there in the Preakness Stakes over Authentic, winner of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve, solidly cemented her place among this year’s Eclipse Awards 3-year-old filly finalists.

Shedaresthedevil dared to take on the best of her division this season, and it paid off with a victory in the nation’s signature race for 3-year-old fillies. The Eclipse Award finalist’s claim to fame is a record-setting victory in the 146th running of the Kentucky Oaks, defeating her two divisional finalists, Swiss Skydiver and Gamine.

Jackie’s Warrior was among the dominant 2-year-olds of 2020, using his brilliant speed to win his first four starts, including a pair of Grade 1 races to earn a spot as a finalist for the Eclipse Award in the division.

A son of Maclean’s Music out of Unicorn Girl owned by Kirk and Judy Robison, bred by J & J Stables in Kentucky, and trained by Steve Asmussen, Jackie’s Warrior won a maiden race at Churchill Downs in June, the Grade 2 Saratoga Special in August, the Grade 1 Runhappy Hopeful at Saratoga in September, and the Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont Park in October.

From the start, Dayoutoftheoffice was regarded by her connections as a special filly.

“She does everything just perfect,” said Tim Hamm, who trains and co-owns Dayoutoftheoffice under his Blazing Meadows Farm banner in partnership with the filly’s breeder, Siena Farm.

She lost the battle to Dayoutoftheoffice in the Frizette, but Vequist won the war when she surged to victory nearly four weeks later in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Always close to the inner rail, Vequist emerged a two-length winner after racing near the pace under Joel Rosario.

“Nothing bothers this filly,” a jubilant Butch Reid, the trainer of Vequist, said in the Breeders’ Cup aftermath. “To get a little dirt in her face doesn’t really faze her.”

Perfection was the hallmark of Aunt Pearl during a 2-year-old season in which she won her three starts by a combined 10 lengths, all in front-running fashion. Competing exclusively in two-turn turf races, the Irish-bred filly never left the Kentucky circuit, capturing a maiden race, an allowance, and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in a span of less than 10 weeks.

Brad Cox had an inkling early on that Essential Quality could be special.

“I had a lot of high hopes for the horse after being around him for a month,” Cox said. “I really liked him from the start. He was a little stubborn when he came in, but once he got out on the racetrack I said, ‘This is a good horse.’ ”

What Cox saw in the morning revealed itself in the afternoon as Essential Quality went 3 for 3 with two Grade 1 victories in a nine-week span to become a finalist for the Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old male.