Richard’s Kid’s 2010 campaign began with a change of colors and ended with a familiar sight, the horse in full homestretch flight, on his way to a major Southern California stakes victory.
That season finale came in the Grade 1 Goodwood Handicap on Oct. 2, giving Richard’s Kid three graded stakes victories during the year – including two Grade 1’s – and a spot on the roster of Eclipse Award finalists.
FOREST BOYCE
For most of the first half of 2010, Maryland-based Forest Boyce was having what might be considered an ordinary year, one very much typical for an apprentice jockey, riding a few horses a day and winning at about a 12 percent rate.
Regardless of who wins the Eclipse Award as the top sprinter in 2010, only one horse has bragging rights as the only member of the division to win two Grade 1 races during the course of the season. That honor belonged to Smiling Tiger, a 3-year-old son of Hold That Tiger owned by Alan Klein and Phil Lebherz and trained by Jeff Bonde.
Having won or placed in Grade 1 stakes on turf, dirt, and synthetic surfaces, it’s fair to say that Paddy O’Prado was among the most versatile 3-year-olds of 2010.
The gray colt by El Prado, bred by Winchell Thoroughbreds, LLC, was purchased as a yearling for $105,000 at the Keeneland September sale by Donegal Racing, a partnership formed by prominent Des Moines attorney Jerry Crawford, whose roots go back to County Donegal, Ireland.
ADENA SPRINGS
Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs breeding and racing program has dominated the breeders Eclipse Award voting in the last decade, winning a record seven consecutive times from 2004 to 2009. Each year, Adena Springs was also the season’s leading breeder by purse earnings. In addition, Stronach has received the Eclipse Award as leading owner four times, in 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2008.
