Columnist Ralph Siraco: Big prize creating Eclipse anticipation

Ralph Siraco

Monday, Jan. 10, 2005 | 9:24 a.m.

Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears Monday and his Southern California selections run Tuesday-Sunday.

The anticipation for this year's Eclipse Awards is the highest in years. The Sport of Kings' annual presentation of the industry's highest recognition as best of the year will be unveiled on Monday, Jan. 24, at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.

What makes this year's racing Oscars so intriguing is the race for the gold trophy: Horse of the Year, 2004. The ballots have already been cast and are sealed until two weeks from today, when over the industry's national cable channel -- TVG Network -- racing fans can share in the suspense as they announce the winner.

Although there have been many anticlimactic years in the past 33 announcements for the Horse of the Year Eclipse trophy, that will be far from the case this year.

In almost a mirror of the hotly contested presidential race, this Horse of the Year honor has two distinct candidates. And the polls for the equines have been virtually in a deadheat, too.

It's Smarty Jones vs. Ghostzapper.

As in any year when the Academy Awards have more than one clear-cut frontrunner for best picture, sometimes it's the supporting categories that give away the winner for the big prize.

Smarty Jones took the first half of the year, hands down. The sophomore son of Elusive Quality started capturing the public's attention when he reached Churchill Downs undefeated in six races with a $5 million bonus from Oaklawn Park waiting at the Kentucky Derby. After taking the Run for the Roses and the cash, he trounced his peers two weeks later in the Preakness Stakes. He had gained legendary status by the time he reached Belmont Park in quest of the Triple Crown. His humble connections gave fuel to the feel-good, rags-to-riches story until Smarty was beaten by Birdstone in the shadow of the finish line in the Belmont Stakes.

Nevertheless, Smarty Jones maintained his popularity until his untimely retirement that denied him finishing out the year in the Breeders' Cup.

Although Ghostzapper picked up the void left by Smarty Jones on the racetrack, he never reached the level of popularity that his 3-year-old counterpart achieved.

Ghostzapper had only four races in 2004, but performed brilliantly in all four outings. The son of 1998 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Awesome Again recorded three of the fastest Beyer speed figures of the year while winning a trio of graded stakes races before his smashing Breeders' Cup Classic victory. His 124 speed figure in decisively beating one of the best Classic fields ever assembled may have put him over the top.

Although Smarty Jones certainly brought the sport to mainstream America, his connections did not make the finalists in the three human categories for the Eclipse Awards. Roy and Pat Chapman, who bred and owned Smarty Jones under their Someday Farm, didn't make the finals for owner or breeders of the year. On the other hand, Ghostzapper's owner and breeder, Frank Stronach and his Adena Springs/Stronach Entities, did make the cut.

Trainer John Servis, who handled Smarty Jones' campaign through the Triple Crown pressures, wasn't in the final three for trainer of the year while Bobby Frankel, conditioner of Ghostzapper, made that cut as well.

So, as in the Oscars, are we to assume the sentiments of the 274 voters who cast their ballots this year may be tipping the Horse of the Year winner in their supporting cast categories?

We will find out when they ask the question, "May I have the envelope, please?"

"I'm just very thankful," said Valenzuela, adding he is ready to get back in the saddle as soon as he receives a new license.

Voting 7-0 in a closed-door meeting at the Arcadia track, California Horse Racing Board commissioners went along with an administrative law judge's support for Valenzuela's appeal of an August ruling that could have ended the Kentucky Derby-winning jockey's oft-interrupted career.