Angel I. Diaz spent a lot of time in the winner’s circle in 2019.
The up-and-coming talent led all North American-based apprentice jockeys in wins with 244, and the accomplishment has made him an Eclipse Award finalist. Diaz is a candidate for outstanding apprentice jockey of 2019.
If a horse is judged on the quality of the company it keeps, it is no wonder Elate ended her final season of racing as an Eclipse finalist for outstanding filly or mare of 2019.
Elate won just two of seven starts in her 5-year-old campaign; both wins were Grade 2’s. The character she showed in five defeats, including four Grade 1’s against the country’s top horses regardless of sex, matched the class Elate displayed in her wins.
Brain Power’s first start in the United States in October restored his reputation as a top-class jumper and placed him firmly on the list of finalists for the Eclipse Award as the outstanding steeplechaser of 2019.
Brain Power had only one start in the United States in 2019, a 15-length win in the Grade 1 Grand National Stakes at Far Hills, N.J., on Oct. 19. Well known in England for his promise, as well as his recent setbacks, Brain Power gave famous English trainer Nicky Henderson his first win in the $450,000 Grand National.
The morning of Sept. 29, the connections of Mo Forza had a fairly promising turf prospect on their hands. A five-race maiden, yes, but a promising prospect.
What a difference three months can make. Mo Forza finally won a race the afternoon of Sept. 29, and that was just the start of things. Mo Forza followed up his maiden win with a victory in the Grade 2 Twilight Derby. For an encore, he won the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby, and to put an exclamation point on his rapid rise, Mo Forza ended his campaign with a sharp score in the Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile.
Those who watched the races from Churchill Downs on Sept. 14 were probably not surprised that an Eclipse Award finalist in the 2-year-old male division competed that day. They may be surprised that the finalist is Maxfield and not Dennis’ Moment.
Though the Eclipse Award in the 2-year-old male division has always gone to a dirt horse, Structor stated his case for change in 2019.
Structor was one of eight 2-year-olds to win a Grade 1 stakes in 2019, his coming in the $1 million Breeders Cup’ Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 1. That capped a perfect 3 for 3 campaign for Structor which included a maiden win at Saratoga in August and the Grade 3 Pilgrim Stakes at Belmont Park in September.
Julio Correa established himself as the top apprentice rider in the United States last year when he won 126 races. For the accomplishment, he is a 2019 Eclipse Award finalist for outstanding apprentice jockey in North America, alongside Angel Diaz, who is based in Puerto Rico, and Kazushi Kimura, who competes in Canada.
Maximum Security’s story seems almost made up – debuts for $16,000, for which anyone could have claimed him, goes on to finish first in the Kentucky Derby (only to earn the dubious distinction of being the first horse disqualified for an infraction in the race), has a severe medical emergency that keeps him out of a major race, yet returns in the fall to win twice.
That’s not a campaign. It’s a soap opera.
Owing to a promising 2-year-old campaign in which he finished second in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes in his second and final start, much was expected from Code of Honor coming into his 3-year-old year. So when he belly flopped in his 2019 debut in the Mucho Macho Man, finishing fourth of six at 4-5, questions understandably were raised about whether he had progressed from 2 to 3.
