Before his Triple Crown sweep and Breeders’ Cup Classic victory, the colt flashed brilliance after a layoff of five-plus months, winning Oaklawn Park’s Rebel Stakes and Arkansas Derby with ease ahead of the first Saturday in May
Winners of the 2014 Eclipse Awards, selected by voters from Daily Racing Form, the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters, and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association were announced on Saturday
Where is the drama? Where is the excitement? It’s all pretty sterile and predictable, and while it recognises excellence, it fails to recognise one of racing’s strengths – its uncertainty. And what constitutes a worthy winner of Horse of the Year? Is it consistency across the course of a season? Is it raw ability? Is it the backstory or the ability to win the hearts of fans?
‘I called the owner and before I could even make the offer he excitedly told me that a certain South African bookmaker had just called 10 minutes earlier to make an offer of R5m’
