photo by: Adam Coglianese/NYRA

Oh what might have been.

photo by: Barbara D. Livingston

What do Eclipse Award voters do with a runner whose record is only a head away from being flawless, who traveled far and wide to win in Kentucky, New York, Canada, and California, whose people classed up the game and let their horse do the talking?

Dale Romans didn’t lead all trainers in earnings in 2012, nor did he win the most graded stakes races.

photo by: Justin N. Lane

He won the Robert Lewis Stakes, but few believed. Even after he won the Santa Anita Derby, doubts remained, so much so that he was only the ninth choice among 20 in the Kentucky Derby. And even after winning that race, he will wasn’t favored in the Preakness.

Todd Pletcher’s position as an Eclipse Award finalist for North America’s outstanding trainer can be described in three words: familiar but fitting.

Although his presence among the final trio is certainly nothing new, it is deserving. Pletcher, a five-time Eclipse Award winner, leads North American trainers with his horses having earned more than $20 million and having won 42 graded stakes.

photo by: Susie Raisher

Behold the virtues of patience. It took Fort Larned 13 races to become known outside his own barn and 17 races to be recognized as a horse of national consequence.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert watched his horses Bodemeister and Paynter get run down and finish second in the three legs of the Triple Crown, with Bodemeister getting caught by I’ll Have Another in the Derby and Preakness and Paynter by Union Rags in the Belmont.

Months later, he watched as his nine Breeders’ Cup runners went winless at Santa Anita.

photo by: Barbara D. Livingston

Bodemeister flashed across the racing firmament like a bolt of lightning in 2012. Unraced as a 2-year-old, he did not make his debut until Jan. 16, yet only 3 1/2 months later went off as the favorite in the Kentucky Derby.

photo by: Tom Keyser

Shivananda Parbhoo had high hopes for Trinniberg’s 3-year-old season – and rightly so – after his speedster had finished second in both the Grade 1 Hopeful and Grade 2 Nashua at 2.

photo by: Tom Keyser

In a year during which trainer Todd Pletcher won 66 races restricted to 2-year-olds, it was the juvenile he started first who proved to be his best.