In Shackleford, Dale Romans trained a horse that won the Preakness and Metropolitan Handicap. In Kitten’s Joy, Romans trained a horse that won seven graded stakes and became an exceptional stallion. In Roses in May, Romans trained a horse that won the Dubai World Cup.

Still, when Romans talked about Not This Time, he said many times he thought he could be the best horse he ever trained.

“He checks off every box,” Romans said. “He’s got intelligence, he’s got pedigree, he’s got looks and turn of foot, and he’s already run fast. What else do you need?”

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.

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 came far and fast in 2016. He did not make his debut until 20 days before the Kentucky Derby, did not get his first win until 15 days after the Preakness and six days before the Belmont Stakes, and did not run in a stakes race until the Travers.

But his 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 had much to live up to in 2016, with limited opportunities.

She got a late start to her 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.

Stellar Wind’s 2016 campaign did not begin until June, which was part of a grand plan by trainer John Sadler and Hronis Racing, owned by brothers Kosta and Pete Hronis.

Beholder carried a lot of history into 2016 – she had campaigned four years already, earned three championships, won nine Grade 1s including two Breeders’ Cups, and had won 15 of 20 starts while earning more than $4 million.

On the racetrack, what more could she accomplish?

That was the challenge for trainer Richard Mandella and jockey Gary Stevens after owner B. Wayne Hughes chose to race Beholder one final season in 2016, at age 6. Was it the right decision? What if she lost a step?

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 between her 11-length debut romp and the Personal Ensign over an outstanding field in summer of her 4-year-old season, Cavorting repeatedly established herself as one of the top fillies in New York. Though Cavorting started just four times in 2016, her three wins – including two Grade 1s – make her a worthy Eclipse Award finalist as outstanding dirt female.

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.

Ocasio, 19, grew up in the countryside of Canovanas, Puerto Rico, near Camarero racetrack. Although his family had no connection to horse racing, he enrolled in the Escuela Vocacional Hipica, the famed Puerto Rico jockey school that has produced so many top U.S. riders.