The Eclipse Awards. Taiba and Equinox feature in our weekly digest of recent international racing news
Flightline heads finalists for 2022 Eclipse Awards
USA: Undefeated Flightline, the #1 horse in the TRC Global Rankings, is the headline nominee for the 2022 Eclipse Awards, which will be announced on Jan 26 at a glitzy ceremony in Palm Beach, Florida.
While the Breeders’ Cup Classic winner is a shoo-in to clinch Horse Of The Year honors, the one category for which a shortlist has not been announced, he is also one of the finalists for Older Dirt Male, alongside Life Is Good and Olympiad.
Irad Ortiz, Flavien Prat and Joel Rosario have been shortlisted for the jockey prize while the trainer’s trophy will come from one of Steve Asmussen, Chad Brown or Todd Pletcher.
Taiba to join Country Grammer in Saudi Cup
USA: Bob Baffert will have two shots at winning the $20m Saudi Cup after revealing that Taiba, an Eclipse Award finalist in the three-year-old male category, will join last year’s Dubai World Cup winner Country Grammer in Riyadh next month.
Both horses, who race in the Saudi ownership of Amr Zedan, will be running on the back of victories at Santa Anita on Dec 26, the opening day of the winter meet.
“You have to have a horse that can go a mile and a quarter,” Baffert told the Daily Racing Form. “The track is deep. Races in the Middle East are demanding. It’s exciting and a chance for $20 million.”
Equinox voted Japan’s horse of the year
Japan: Equinox, the three-year-old colt who beat an outstanding field to land the Arima Kinen on Christmas Day, topped the press vote to become Horse Of The Year. He won 282 of the 288 votes cast with Titleholder, named best older colt, receiving the other six.
St Jovite owner-breeder Virginia Kraft Payson dies aged 92
USA: Virginia Kraft Payson, who during a brief foray into horse racing in Europe enjoyed outstanding success with St Jovite, has died of complications from Parkinson’s disease aged 92.
Kraft Payson owned and bred the Jim Bolger-trained St Jovite, who was second in the Epsom Derby in 1992, went on to win the Irish Derby by a record 12 lengths and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes by six lengths.
Also a journalist and big-game hunter, Kraft Payson established the Payson Park Training Centre in Florida, later sold to Peter Brant, and Payson Stud in Kentucky.
Hot Rod Charlie retired to stud in Japan
USA: Hot Rod Charlie has been retired from racing to take up stallion duties in Japan following his sale to Shadai Farm. The five-year-old won $5.6m with trainer Doug O’Neill, gaining his most notable win in the G1 Pennsylvania Derby.
Yutaka Take rides graded stakes winner for 37th consecutive year
Japan: Legendary jockey Yutaka Take has maintained an outstanding sequence of winning a graded stakes race in 37 campaigns in a row since his debut in 1987 after he steered Light Quantum to a G3 victory on Sunday [Jan 8].
Elsewhere in racing …
USA: Robertino Diadoro hits 3,000-winner landmark More here
IRE: Classic-winning stallion prospect Mac Swiney to be sold online More here
France: Alain de Royer Dupre awarded legion of honour More here
USA: Manny Franco rides six winners in a day at Aqueduct More here
GB: Tattersalls to reoffer 17 horses for sale to recover unpaid £11.6m debt More here
USA: Keeneland to offer record purses for Spring Meet More here
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