Eclipse w/ Mr.Wildman & His Sons George Stubbs 31 in. x 26 in Buy this print at AllPosters.com

Eclipse Award Finalists
Part 1

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), National Turf Writers Association (NTWA) and Daily Racing Form (DRF) today announced the finalists for the 2002 Eclipse Awards, voted on and presented by the three organizations in recognition of excellence in Thoroughbred racing. The Eclipse Awards are named after the great 18th-century racehorse and sire Eclipse, who began racing at age five and was undefeated in 18 starts, including eight walkovers. Eclipse sired the winners of 344 races, including three Epsom Derbies. Winners in all categories will be announced at the 32nd annual Eclipse Awards ceremony, to be held Monday, Jan. 27, 2003 at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Below are the equine finalists in alphabetical order with some stats and a poll for you to cast your vote for who should win. To view the human finalists, check here.

Horse of the Year
Horse	2002 Record	Horse of the Year Poll Who should win Horse of the Year? Azeri Left Bank Rock of Gibraltar War Emblem	Some may say she doesn't deserve to win HOY because she never took on the males, but no other horse dominated their division all year like Azeri and I think she deserves to win. No way Rock of Gibraltar deserves it since he didn't even win a race in North America!!!
Azeri	9  8-1-0 $2,181,540
Left Bank	4  3-0-0 $626,146
Rock of Gibraltar	6  5-1-0 $1,347,191
War Emblem	10  5-0-0 $3,455,000
2-year-old Male
Horse	2002 Record	2-year-old Male Poll Who should win best 2-year-old male? Sky Mesa Toccet Vindication	Vindication went undefeated and dominated all his competition.
Sky Mesa	3  3-0-0 $416,576
Toccet	8  6-0-1 $755,610
Vindication	4  4-0-0 $680,950
2-year-old Female
Horse	2002 Record	2-year-old Female Poll Who should win best 2-year-old female? Awesome Humor Storm Flag Flying	Storm Flag Flying also dominated her division and showed real grit coming back to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.
Awesome Humor	4  4-0-0 $301,115
Storm Flag Flying	4  4-0-0 $967,000
3-year-old Male
Horse	2002 Record	3-year-old Male Poll Who should win best 3-year-old male? Came Home Medaglia d'Oro War Emblem	War Emblem won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Haskell but is that enough to keep the 3-year-old championship?
Came Home	8  6-0-0 $1,624,500
Medaglia D'Oro	9  4-2-0 $2,260,600
War Emblem	10  5-0-0 $3,455,000
3-year-old Female
Horse	2002 Record	3-year-old Female Poll Who should win best 3-year-old female? Farda Amiga Imperial Gesture Take Charge Lady	Farda Amiga won the Kentucky Oaks, the Alabama, and was second in the Distaff which should be enough to make her champion filly.
Farda Amiga	6  3-1-0 $1,248,902
Imperial Gesture	7  5-0-1 $1,056,276
Take Charge Lady	10  6-3-0 $1,388,635
Older Male
Horse	2002 Record	Older Male Poll Who should win best older male? Left Bank Street Cry Volponi	Street Cry did well early in the year, but will that count now when votes are placed? Really a wide open division since nobody dominated all year.
Left Bank	4  3-0-0 $626,146
Street Cry	4  3-1-0 $4,266,615
Volponi	8  3-3-1 $2,389,200
Older Female
Horse	2002 Record	Older Female Poll Older female selection was unanimous. Azeri	Azeri dominated her division all year and was a unanimous choice for champion.
Azeri	9  8-1-0 $2,181,540
Sprinter
Horse	2002 Record	Sprinter Poll Who should win best sprinter? Left Bank Orientate Xtra Heat	Orientate did what it takes to be the champion sprinter.
Left Bank	4  3-0-0 $626,146
Orientate	10  6-1-0 $1,412,970
Xtra Heat	10  7-1-1 $765,485
Turf Male
Horse	2002 Record	Turf Male Poll Who should win best turf male? High Chaparral Rock of Gibraltar With Anticipation	With Anticipation deserves this championship in my opinion. He won several major races and was second in the Breeders' Cup Turf, while the others made one start in the US.
High Chaparral	6  5-0-1 $3,510,155
Rock of Gibraltar	6  5-1-0 $1,347,191
With Anticipation	8  3-3-0 $1,507,700
Turf Female
Horse	2002 Record	Turf Female Poll Who should win best turf female? Astra Golden Apples Starine	Although Golden Apples didn't fire at the Breeders' Cup, she was great the rest of the year and still deserves to be champion.
Astra	5  3-1-1 $758,000
Golden Apples	7  3-3-0 $1,111,680
Starine	4  1-2-0 $820,600
Steeplechase
Horse	2002 Record	Steeplechase Poll Who should win best steeplechaser? Flat Top It's a Giggle McDynamo	Unfortunately I don't have a photo for here, but Flat Top won the Breeders's Cup Steeplechase and the Colonial Cup and looks solid to win this Eclipse again.
Flat Top	5  2-0-3 $237,831
It's a Giggle	5  3-1-0 $177,660
McDynamo	6  4-1-0 $199,404

On to the human awards

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