HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. -- California Chrome has one race left in his career, and is in such good condition right now that trainer Art Sherman is clamoring for more time with him.
It's easy to see why.
The winners
• Finalists listed in (parenthesis)
HORSE OF YEAR California Chrome (Arrogate, Songbird)
TRAINER Chad Brown (Bob Baffert, Mark Casse)
JOCKEY Javier Castellano (Jose Ortiz, Mike Smith)
APPRENTICE JOCKEY Luis Ocasio (Kevin Gomez, Lane Luzzi)
OLDER MALE California Chrome (Frosted, Lord Nelson)
OLDER FEMALE Beholder (Cavorting, Stellar Wind)
3-YEAR-OLD MALE Arrogate (Exaggerator, Nuquist)
3-YEAR-OLD FEMALE Songbird (Cathryn Sophia, Queen's Trust)
2-YEAR-OLD MALE Classic Empire (Not This Time, Practical Joke)
2-YEAR-OLD FEMALE Champagne Room, Lady Aurelia New Money Honey
FEMALE SPRINTER Finest City (Haveyougoneaway, Paulasilverlining)
MALE SPRINTER Drefong (A.P. Indian, Lord Nelson)
BREEDER Winstar Farm (Darley, Clearsky Farms)
OWNER Juddmonte Farms (Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Spendthrift Farm)
FEMALE TURF HORSE Tepin (Lady Eli, Miss Temple City)
MALE TURF HORSE Flintshire (Highland Reel, Tourist)
STEEPLECHASE HORSE Rawnaq
AWARD OF MERIT Andrew Beyer
California Chrome was the biggest winner at the Eclipse Awards on Saturday night, taking home three trophies celebrating his accomplishments in 2016 -- including Horse of the Year for the second time. He also won an Eclipse as the best in the older dirt male division, and his victory at the Dubai World Cup was picked as the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's moment of the year.
"It's really an honor," Sherman said. "People don't realize how hard that is to be horse of the year, and I appreciate it. It gives me a chance to say, 'Wow.' I got the horse of the year trophy when he won it the last time we were here. It's a gorgeous trophy. This will be another one in my trophy case. It's been filled up pretty good by Chrome, I can tell you that."
California Chrome beat out Arrogate -- who toppled Chrome when they met at the Breeders' Cup Classic -- and Songbird for horse of the year. California Chrome is the eighth horse to win that crown multiple times, after also winning in 2014, and joined John Henry as only to do so in non-consecutive years.
California Chrome's final race is next Saturday, when he'll face Arrogate again in the $12 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park.
"It's been an once-in-a-lifetime horse," Sherman said. "And I'll tell you, it's been a hell of a ride."
Just about every category had an overwhelming consensus in the voting results.
There were three unanimous winners out of the 248 votes cast in 17 divisions -- California Chrome (older dirt male), Classic Empire (2-year-old male) and Songbird (3-year-old filly). Beholder (older dirt female) and Arrogate (3-year-old male) were practically unanimous, getting 99 and 98 percent of the votes, respectively.
Beholder won her fourth career Eclipse, and is now retired.
Sports on 01/22/2017