The 2016 highlights of horseracing have been truly sensational and it revolves not only about the best older horses in the sport but also about the youngsters. Let’s start with the babies and move through the divisions. Classic Empire will be a well-deserving champion if the world is right.
His 2016 highlights started when he won like a cinch in his racing debut. He didn’t let those fans down and he proved it was no fluke by winning the Grade 3 Bashford Manor in his next race. Freshened after that Grade 3 win, Classic Empire lost his only race of the year in his next effort but it was not his fault. His rider, Irad Ortiz Jr. fell off the runner in the Hopeful and that was that. Trainer Mark Casse then shipped the star to Keeneland to win the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity. Classic Empire then held off Not This Time winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile by a neck to close out his season.
Chris Rock may have brought the term ‘Champagne Room’ to the fore in his 1999 album but the runner Champagne Room made her own 2016 highlights.
Trained by Pete Eurton, Champagne Room progressed nicely throughout her season and peaked at the right time taking the Breeders’ Cup Fillies. Her tactical speed will give her a chance to succeed many times in 2017.
Moving to the grass, Flintshire had many 2016 highlights around the country. He won the Manhattan at Belmont, the Sword Dancer at Saratoga and was far from disgraced in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. The feeling is with his A game; he would be able to beat any runner on the turf.
From the filly division on grass, Tepin was consistent as the day is long earning her 2016 highlights. She won the Eclipse Award in 2015 and will likely repeat this year. She won six of her eight starts and she didn’t duck anybody. In her final start of 2016, she was only beaten a half-length against males in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
It may be years before we see another horse like Songbird. She was rolling on a perfect 7 straight win-record going into the Breeders’ Cup Distaff but was nailed by a nose by another superstar in Beholder.
Beholder had her share of 2016 highlights too. She won her first two races of the year, lost off a layoff and then fired her best shot but could not beat California Chrome in the Pacific Classic. She is one of the best mare’s I’ve seen in nearly 40 years of following racing.
They say speed kills although the 2016 highlights of the best sprinters in the country were notable, they were not quite sensational. Drefong and Lord Nelson, both trained by Bob Baffert, dominated the male sprinters but it’s likely that neither would stand the test of time. As consistent as Finest City was, she just won twice and she really is not a jet out of gate.
The gauge of a good 3-year-old cannot be appreciated until later in the season when the runner faces older horses. That is why the 2016 highlights of Arrogate were truly sensational.
Trained by Baffert, the runner finished third in April and then was unbeatable. Arrogate won his next five starts. He made his stakes debut in the Travers at Saratoga and destroyed the field. His final time in the Travers shattered the track record. To prove it was no mirage, Arrogate won the Breeders’ Cup Classic in sizzling form.
To the victor goes the spoils they say but in the case of Horse of the Year balloting, California Chrome deserves the nod. Granted, Arrogate was a monster all year and he beat Chrome when the money was down but this honor is about the work for 12 months, not just several weeks. The way it shook out is that Arrogate lost once, in a maiden race. California Chrome lost once, in the most important race of the year.
When discussing the 2016 highlights a word has to go out to the ‘little people’ that make the sport thrive. The hot walkers on the backstretch do their job starting at 3 or 4 o’clock in the morning. The grooms and the exercise riders are plying their trade at the same hours and the outriders, who monitor the action on the track in the mornings, are suited up too.
Without the dedication from these hard-working people, racing would be at a loss.
Good luck in 2017 and cash a ton of tickets.
