Winston C loves Saratoga. For a jumper that is a brilliant attribute.

Winston C was unbeaten in two starts at Saratoga during the summer, sweeping the Grade 1 A.P. Smithwick Memorial Hurdle in July and the Grade 1 New York Turf Writers Cup in August, putting the gelding among the finalists for the Eclipse Award as the nation’s outstanding steeplechaser of 2019.

In 2019, Winston C essentially had two campaigns – a winter and early spring season in Britain and a late spring and summer season in the United States.

Bill Heiligbrodt loves a fast horse, and he and his wife, Corinne, campaigned one of the quickest in the land last year in Mitole.

Steve Asmussen cut his hair in 2019. He did not cut back on the winning.

Asmussen sheared his long gray locks while tearing through another incredible season as a trainer of all manner of winners throughout North America. Asmussen might be found one day saddling a $10,000 claiming horse he owns himself and the next putting tack on surefire 2019 older female dirt champion Midnight Bisou.

:: Full list of 2019 Eclipse Awards finalists, including profile stories

A third straight Eclipse Award as North America’s leading trainer, a personal-best $27.54 million in stable earnings during 2018, and 47 graded stakes victories, equaling a career-best. Maybe it seemed like things couldn’t get any better for Chad Brown – but, somehow, they did.

Brad Cox hit 40 stakes wins in a year well before he hit his 40th birthday.

Cox will turn 40 on March 3. Horses he trains won 45 stakes during 2019. His stable earnings were a career-best $17.5 million, Cox won 16 graded races, and his season was good enough to make him an Eclipse Award finalist to be champion trainer of 2019.

:: Full list of 2019 Eclipse Awards finalists, including profile stories

When Bricks and Mortar returned from more than a year on the sidelines in December 2018, his trainer, Chad Brown, was thinking only as far ahead as August.

Bricks and Mortar’s sweet spot was 1 1/8 to 1 1/4 miles on turf, and there existed four key races for him in 2019: The Pegasus World Cup Invitational Turf over 1 3/16 miles in January; the Old Forester Turf Classic over 1 1/8 miles in May; the Manhattan over 1 ¼ miles in June; and the Arlington Million over 1 ¼ miles in August.

Bricks and Mortar and all those associated with him are potentially in line for a big night at the 49th annual Eclipse Awards dinner Jan. 23 at Gulfstream Park based on the finalists that were announced in all divisions Saturday.

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association has selected 14 events for racing fans to consider as the 2019 Moment of the Year, with voting for the award opening on Tuesday and closing on January 17.

Among the 14 moments is the controversial disqualification of Maximum Security in the Kentucky Derby; the death of Marylou Whitney; and the sweep by trainer Chad Brown of all four graded races on the Arlington Million card.

A photo that appeared on drf.com of the key point of the Kentucky Derby in which Maximum Security was disqualified from first place for interference won the Eclipse Award for photography as the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters on Friday announced the winners of the 2019 Media Eclipse Awards in six categories.