Comments on: LIVE BLOG: MR. PAULICK GOES TO THE ECLIPSE AWARDS

By: Race » Blog Archive » Curlin CuvÃ©e

Race » Blog Archive » Curlin CuvÃ©e — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 05:59:20 +0000

[...] For a different look at the Eclipse Awards, I recommend Ray Paulickâ€™s live blog. [...]

By: The Buzz » Blog Archive » Paulick Report Â» Blog Archive Â» Live Blog: Mr. Paulick Goes To the …

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 19:36:06 +0000

[...] Brett Favre starts 269 games in a row at QBâ€¦and now Ray Paulick liveblogs from the Eclipse Awards without a computer! Thatâ€™s right, Ray will be entering the pantheon of the unlikely as he attempts to bring you the Paulick Report reader …[Continue Reading] [...]

By: Pattie Benedix

Pattie Benedix — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 20:51:45 +0000

Great point Teresa. How about a moment of silence at the beginning of the Eclipse Awards to honor the horses, owners, trainers, jockeys, exercise ridders and grooms (in other words everyone involved with horseracing) that has passed away in the previous year. That way everyone is honored and the industry can keep it simple and yet pay the respect that is due to each and everyone of them.
Thank you Ray for keeping us updated on the winners during the Awards Presentation. Your Live Blog was AWESOME & lots of fun !! Congratulations to the “Handsome Mighty Curlin”

By: Teresa

Teresa — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 09:47:59 +0000

Glimmerglass and Ray–agreed, great idea to honor the horses who died in the previous year

But what a can of worms, no? How do you honor Winning Colors, and not Eight Belles? And if Eight Belles, what about all of the other horses who have died in training or on the track?

I’m not surprised it’s something that industry shies away from doing–raises way too many unpleasant questions, no?

By: Ray Paulick

Ray Paulick — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:56:30 +0000

To all who commented…thanks so much. It was a blast trying to keep up while using a not-so-user friendly device (Palm Treo) and stubby thumbs. I plan to follow up with some comments about the awards and the voting process, including more engagement of the public. My first priority is trying to figure out to get back into Lexington, which Mother Nature threatens to turn into an ice house today.

Glimmerglass, ,that is a terrific idea. It’s one the most poignant part of the Academy Awards telecast, reminding many of us what made us fall in love with the movies. The same could and should be done with the Eclipse Awards. Horses like Winning Colors, Genuine Risk and others are why some of us got in this game.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:15:54 +0000

Little Guy, while I like VH, too - Midshipman did win 2 Gr. 1’s (and placed in another as I recall) just like VH and yes, the BC counts as at least 1.5 to 1 Gr. stakes and every good 2 yr old showed up except VH. Agree about Baffert but Asmussen was going to win it so it didn’t matter.

John, Conduit got the award because we did not have an obvious or good choice among American turf routers. That simple and you know it. IMO, we should not give the award to a horse that races here once, yet since we do, we should only give it in a year where we are weak or with great parity otherwise within the division.

Denying the horse, Curlin,that went to Dubai and decisively beat the best that March had to offer from around the world, came back to his country and won 3 additional prestigious Gr. 1’s , finished 2nd in his Gr. 1 turf debut, and set the all time NA earnings record, only to run a gallant 4th on a synthetic track to a fine turf miler would be great folly. And while the BC may carry greater prestige than your average Gr. 1 stakes, and in many cases is the race with the deepest competition - it is still - one race. Not a year. See Bull, Benny the, and Blessing, Indian.

By: john greathouse

john greathouse — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:40:15 +0000

So Barb and Little Guy
the fact that Conduit raced once in America (and only 3 starts in all) and won is immaterial but that fact that Ravens Pass did does?
btw…the two best horses in the Classic finished 1,2…of that there was not doubt!

By: Glimmerglass

Glimmerglass — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:37:37 +0000

Ray has anyone suggested to the organizers that perhaps it would be nice - since the horse is supposed to the center piece of the award and event - that recognizing Eclipse worthy runners who passed away would be a good thing?

The acting award banquets all have their ‘In Memoriam” segments and frankly it seems odd to not have a fairly brief video presentation recognizing those who have passed in the year that was.

Last night’s banquet easily could’ve shown the big G1 winning footage (and hence heavy loss) of two wonderful fillies who left an impact on fans and horsemen alike: Genuine Risk and Winning Colors. Both were Eclipse winners for 3-yr old filly so it makes no sense to not have given just a moment of recognition.

By: LittleGuyBreeder

LittleGuyBreeder — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:13:37 +0000

GREAT JOB ON THE BLOG!!
Now to my rant: We really need to revamp this process. A trainer like Baffert gets ignored for a nomination despite Indian Blessing and Midnight Lute. Jess Jackson keeps Curlin in training and gets passed up because his one horse didn’t earn enough cash to push his owner to the top for consideration; way to encourage like behavior! Midshipman gets 2yo because Frankel didn’t ask Vineyard Haven for his THIRD GRADE 1 win for the year (Apparently winning 2 grade 1 races doesn’t mean anything anymore, unless it’s got a purple saddle cloth.). Proud Spell is a great filly, but Larry Jones didn’t send her to the Derby - he sent Eight Belles, and she was significantly better than all but one horse that day. The only positive, overall, was that we didn’t give half the awards to horses who ran only one time in this country - at the Breeder’s Cup. I’m really getting sick of a horse winning a championship based on one day of racing, instead of the entire campaign, which is why I’m so pi$$ed that Vineyard Haven lost to Midshipman. At least Curlin won HOY.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 04:15:26 +0000

John G, what I really thought about was that I would not take the bet that Ravens Pass would not have beaten BB in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness or Haskell. Would you? That a year is a…year. Not a day. That BB did not run in the Classic. That Curlin did not run his best in the Classic. That the Classic was run on Pro Ride. And that the Eclipse Award rule makers could eliminate comments like yours if they would simply make it a standard that to qualify for the award - a horse has to run in NA at least twice.