With one week to go until the highly-anticipated match-up of Arrogate (Unbridled's Song) and California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) in the inaugural $12-million GI Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream, the GI Breeders' Cup Classic one-two will face off with superstar filly Songbird (Medaglia d'Oro) in the Horse of the Year category at Saturday night's Eclipse Awards in Hallandale.
California Chrome already has two Eclipse statues, winning Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old in 2014 after wins in that year's GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness S. He has two chances to add to his collection Saturday as he is top choice in the Older Dirt Male category in addition to his second Horse of the Year nomination.
Regardless of the results of the Horse of the Year vote, Juddmonte's Arrogate is likely to win at least one Eclipse Saturday as he is heavily-favored to take home the hardware as top sophomore male. Fox Hill Farm's once-beaten Songbird is just about guaranteed to win her second straight Eclipse, this time as the leading lady of the 3-year-old division.
Spendthrift Farm's Beholder (Henny Hughes), who handed Songbird her first defeat by a nose after a gritty stretch duel in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff, looks primed to add a fourth Eclipse to her owner's mantle as top Older Dirt Female. Odds are good that her turf counterpart Tepin (Bernstein) will collect her second Eclipse in the Older Turf Female category for owner Robert Masterson.
Juddmonte could have second Eclipse winner in international turf star Flintshire (GB) (Dansili {GB}), who faces GI Breeders' Cup Turf winner Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and GI Breeders' Cup Mile victor Tourist (Tiznow) in the Older Turf Male division.
GI Breeders' Cup Sprint hero Drefong (Gio Ponti) appears likely to beat his elders, MGISWs Lord Nelson (Pulpit) and A.P. Indian (Indian Charlie), in the male sprinter. The female sprint division is a bit more contentious with GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint upsetter Finest City (City Zip) taking on GI Ballerina S. heroine Haveyougoneaway (Congrats) and MGSW Paulassilverlining (Ghostzapper).
John Oxley's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile victor Classic Empire (Pioneerof the Nile) is the one to beat in the juvenile male category. The 2-year-old filly category is a bit tougher, but longshot GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Champagne Room (Broken Vow) appears to have the edge over G1 Darley Prix Morny winner Lady Aurelia (Scat Daddy) and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf victress New Money Honey (Medaglia d'Oro).
The Eclipse Award will be streamed live from Gulfstream's Sport of Kings Theater on TVG, gulfstreampark.com and NBCsport.com starting at 8:00p.m. EST.
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