Eclipse Awards: Flightline set to collect Horse of Year title; suspense in some categories
A gathering of racing’s glitterati and television viewers are widely expected to witness Flightline and his connections being honored with the 2022 Horse of the Year award when the annual Eclipse Awards dinner is held Thursday evening at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Fla.
Flightline, whose 8 1/4-length victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland in November capped an unbeaten career, also is expected to win the Eclipse for older dirt male. The newly turned 5-year-old horse soon will embark on his stud career at Lane’s End Farm in Versailles, Ky.
Flightline, by Tapit, won all six career starts by at least six lengths and earned Beyer Speed Figures ranging from 105 to 126. Bred in Kentucky by Summer Wind Farm, and based in Southern California with trainer John Sadler, he went 3 for 3 in 2022, winning the Metropolitan Mile, Pacific Classic, and BC Classic, all of them Grade 1 events. He raced for the partnership of Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, Summer Wind, West Point Thoroughbreds, and Woodford Racing.
A lack of suspense not only can be expected in the categories involving Flightline, but quite a few others, too. Forte and Wonder Wheel, as winners of their respective Breeders’ Cup events, are virtually certain to earn the Eclipse as top 2-year-old male and 2-year-old filly, respectively. Same goes for Nest (3-year-old filly), Malathaat (older dirt female), Goodnight Olive (female sprinter), and Modern Games (male turf horse). Among human participants, Irad Ortiz Jr., who set a record in 2022 with $37 million in mount earnings, seems a sure bet to be named outstanding jockey for the fourth time in five years.
:: Full list of 2022 Eclipse Awards finalists, including profile stories
Other categories, however, aren’t as simple. There has been considerable debate as to whether Epicenter or Taiba will win the Eclipse for 3-year-old male, and the Eclipse for outstanding trainer is viewed as a tight race between Todd Pletcher and Chad Brown.
Besides the Horse of the Year, which will be the last award presented, there are 17 Eclipse Awards to be announced for the first time Thursday evening, including a Special Eclipse for Jay Privman, who retired in September following a distinguished 38-year career as a racing journalist, the last 24 for Daily Racing Form. Additional presentations also will be made early in the evening, including the 2022 Horseplayer of the Year to David Harrison and six winners already announced in media categories.
Eclipse voting is conducted among the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, the National Turf Writers and Broadcasting Association, and Daily Racing Form. All votes were due in early January, with all category finalists except for Horse of the Year having been announced Jan. 7. Finalists for Horse of the Year will be announced when the dinner gets under way Thursday.
Of 258 eligible voters, 246 (95.3 percent) took part in the voting. Finalists were determined in each category by voters’ top three selections, using a 10-5-1 point basis. Eclipse Award winners are determined solely by first-place votes.
Following a cocktail gathering, a red carpet show starts at 6:30 p.m. Eastern, with a two-hour telecast on FanDuel TV and Racetrack Television Network (RTN) starting at 7:30 p.m. The event also will be streamed on additional outlets. Event hosts are Caton Bredar, Britney Eurton, Scott Hazelton, and Maggie Wolfendale-Morley.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.