Nyquist will be trying to add this year's 3-year-old male Eclipse Award to the Eclipse Award he earned last year as champion 2-year-old male, which would emulate some of the accomplishments of American Pharoah, who completed that double one year ago.
Exaggerator was the only 3-year-old male to win three Grade 1 races in 2016, the highlights of an ambitious campaign that saw him perform in the best races of the division until his retirement in October.
Arrogate's record-setting performance in the Travers, followed by his victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic against top older horses such as California Chrome, has left him as the favorite to be named champion 3-year-old male against two other finalists – Nyquist and Exaggerator – who won Triple Crown races.
Stellar Wind got a late start to her 2016 campaign, raced just four times, but accomplished enough to be an Eclipse Award finalist as older dirt female, following a 2015 campaign in which she was named champion 3-year-old filly.
Beholder's final season was outstanding – six starts, three wins, three seconds and a thrilling victory over previously undefeated Songbird in the BC Distaff to cap a spectacular career. She is an Eclipse Award finalist as 2016 champion older dirt female.
Cavorting set the bar high her entire career – from a runaway maiden victory in her debut as a 2-year-old in 2014 through a highly rated Grade 1 in 2016 that was her final start.
In a span of 65 days, Classic Empire gave trainer Mark Casse one his most impressive wins and one of his most bizarre moments in racing. In the end, Classic Empire may give his trainer an Eclipse Award as well.
Luis Ocasio's life has changed in many ways during the past year, and now he finds himself one of three Eclipse Awards finalists for the leading apprentice rider of 2016.
Maryland horsemen steadily named Kevin Gomez on their horses throughout 2016, and his accomplishments have made him a finalist for the Eclipse Award as leading apprentice rider.
If Lane Luzzi is voted the leading apprentice rider of 2016, Mike and Lane Luzzi will be the first father and son to win the award since the Eclipse Awards were founded in 1971. Mike Luzzi was the leading apprentice of 1989.
