{"id":10527,"date":"2012-12-14T14:59:31","date_gmt":"2012-12-14T14:59:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blacktypebugler.com\/?p=10527"},"modified":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","slug":"oldbtb_99","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/?p=10527","title":{"rendered":"Spotlight:  2011 Eclipse Winners"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri>The voting for the 2012 Eclipse Awards will soon be upon us.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>So I thought that this week I\u2019d take a look at the winners from last year and see what they have been up to.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>It could be possible that we may see some of these being nominated again this year.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = \"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office\" \/><o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\">Bolton Valley<\/B> won the 2-Year Old Dirt Colt award last year and is trained by Dundey8.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>After winning three consecutive G1 races last year, 2012 hasn\u2019t been as charming.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Focused on running in the Triple Crown, Bolton Valley scored a second in the G1 Winter is Coming in March.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Next, he tried to earn a lock-in to the Bluegrass Derby by competing in the California Derby only to come up short, finishing fourth.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN><o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri>Bolton Valley would gain entry into the Bluegrass Derby, but failed miserably finishing 19<SUP>th<\/SUP> in the field of 20.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>It wasn\u2019t until August this year that he would hit the board again in an allowance race, finishing third.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He picked up his only win of the year, at the same level, in mid-October.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Bolton Valley looks to be getting back into the form he had last year as he most recently finished second in a residency based stakes race, hitting a career best speed of 107 and is currently ranked 12<SUP>th<\/SUP> in dirt routes.<o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\">Street Etiquette <\/B>won the 2-Year Old Dirt Filly for trainer Isllives.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>She was nearly flawless in 2011 winning 7 of 8 starts, including the Breeders\u2019 Bowl Juvenile.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Street Etiquette also had sites on the Bluegrass Derby and ran in the event.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Her road included a second in the Los Vinegrette Stakes followed by a win in the All Saints Derby lock-in event.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN><o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri>Street Etiquette would be the pace setter in the Bluegrass Derby, but the early pressure in the race would be too much as she would eventually finish ninth.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>This filly would make her first appearance on the turf in September against a short allowance field, after a 2-month layoff finishing second.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>This has been her only time she\u2019s been on the board since winning the derby lock-in race.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>In November she ran in the Breeders\u2019 Bowl Distaff, finishing ninth in the field.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>As of this writing, she is ranked third in routes and fourth in long routes.<o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\">Cyrus De Virus<\/B> brought trainer Wreckagees the 2-Year Old Turf Colt award.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He locked this award upon capturing a win in the Breeders\u2019 Bowl Juvenile Turf.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>After winning this race, he took a three month leave and started 2012 off with a win in an allowance race.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He then tried the dirt for the first time, picking up a win with a speed of 101.<o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri>The Arkansas Juvenile, a derby lock race was next on his calendar.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Unfortunately, he finished thirteenth, eliminating his hopes for a run in the Bluegrass.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Returning to the turf, he finished second in an allowance race and has taken two shots at graded races, finishing off the board both times.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>In early November, he returned to the winner\u2019s circle against allowance company, hitting a career best speed of 108 and lighting up the calendar that better things may be on the horizon.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s dropped in rankings to 1,215<SUP>th<\/SUP> in turf routes.<o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\">Miss Timoshenko<\/B><SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>won two eclipse awards last year which included the 2-Year Old Turf Filly and the Horse of the Year.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>She won these awards for trainer Manoroflad after winning the Breeders\u2019 Bowl Filly Juvenile Turf and the Juvenile Filly to wrap up 2011.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>But the winning ways would come to an end in 2012 as she would be winless in her first three starts.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN><o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri>Miss Timoshenko would pick up a pair of grade wins in the Grotto and 1000 Guineas in the late spring this season.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>She looked wreckless in her next four graded races, finishing double-digit lengths behind in three of the races. <SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0<\/SPAN>Things are changing.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>She\u2019s picked up a pair of seconds and a third in her last four starts.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Most recently, she finished third making up 10 strides in the last quarter mile in the Motherly Love Stakes with a career best speed of 115 racing with older horses.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>This powerhouse lady is now ranked third in routes.<o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\">Eric\u2019s Fast<\/B> won the 3-Year Old Dirt Colt last year based on his second in the Bluegrass Derby and victory in the New Yorker for trainer Rikib.<o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri>However, 2012 has not been much of a year as he has only raced once in an allowance race, coming off a 4-month layoff, which he won handily.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He has dropped in rankings to 3,901<SUP>st<\/SUP> in dirt sprints as he has not raced for over 10-months.<o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\">Hail<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The Thunder<\/B> snagged the 3-Year Old Dirt Filly in 2011 for Phillipj3, the trainer of this lady.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The award came on the heels of winning a pair of G1 events during the summer.<o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri>Hail The Thunder took much of the winter off before appearing in a pair of G1 races in March, the Original Margarita Invitation and Sand Castle Classic.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>She finished second in the first event, off the board in the second.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>This led to a five-month hiatus returning in September.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>She\u2019s raced four more times, finish third three consecutive times in a combination of allowance and low-end stake races.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Her last start was in the beginning of December where she picked up her first win in 2012 running at the allowance level.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The horse racing industry still considers her formidable, as she is currently ranked 48<SUP>th<\/SUP> in dirt routes.<o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\">Yak <\/B>won the 3-Year Old Turf Colt last year under the leadership of trainer Dreaming.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Highlighting his was to the award were speeds off 117 in the Breeders\u2019 Bowl Turf (2<SUP>nd<\/SUP>) and the Japan Classic (win).<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He loves to go long distances and thus far in 2012, he has not run a speed below 100.<o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri>He\u2019s been pretty busy this year with 14 starts and raking in six wins.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>While four of those wins came in low-end stake races, he did pick up a victory during May in the Tattersalls Gold (G1).<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Interestingly, he has not gone off at odds over 9-1 during this race season.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>This, combined with being ranked 2<SUP>nd<\/SUP> in long turf routes make Yak a formidable foe to run against.<o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\">Neo Forty, <\/B>the 3-Year Old Turf Filly, had a great 2011 season for trainer Lopic.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>She won 7 of 11 starts with G1 victories in the Oaks de English, United Oaks and the Liz Taylor.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>After taking the first two months off in 2012, she returned to the track in early March and started a campaign that may lead to another award this year.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN><o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri>Neo Forty ended 2011 with a win and picked things up with a win in her first start in 2012, an allowance race as a tune-up when she returned to the track.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Later in March, she ran in the G2 Saint Ana coasting to a three length win.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>In Mary, she would pick up her second grade victory in the Ugly Breeders Bowl Distaff.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Neo Forty would bring a 6-race win streak into the Lone Star Park in July, where it would end with a third place finish.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>One more G1 would be added to her collection with a win in the October running of the Prix Opera.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>She is currently ranked #1 in route races and looks promising to be on the ballot for 2012.<o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\">Twist Twist <\/B>took the Eclipse award for Older Horse on Dirt and is trained by Wfstables3.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The timing was perfect as he won the G1 Jockey Guild Gold Cup and Breeders\u2019 Bowl Classic to get his name nominated in this category.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN><o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri>Unforunately, Twist Twist has not won a race since the Breeders\u2019 Bowl Classic last year.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>While racing much of 2012 with mixed results, he seems to be back on his game.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>A decent second in the non-grade Poker in the Black Dirt led him to follow the same path that gained him the award last year.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Entered back into the Jockey Guild Gold Cup, he tired from the lead to finish second.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>In the Breeders\u2019 Bowl Classic this year, he also tired from being on the lead, but did hit the board with a third place finish.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Currenly ranked 44<SUP>th<\/SUP> in route races, Twist Twist looks to have a few good races still in him.<o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\">Union Jack Flyer<\/B> won the 2011 Older Mare on Dirt for trainer Poowillck after wins in four G1 races starting with the Original Margarita Invitational and ending with a Breeders\u2019 Bowl in the Distaff.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>A brief winter rest found this gal in shape as she easily started the 2012 season with a win in an allowance race.<o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri>By June, Union Jack Flyer would start a streak of 4 consecutive grade level wins, three in G1 events which included the Very Vane, Go for the Gold Stakes and the Great Dame.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The streak ended when she made her third consecutive appearance in the Breeders Bowl Distaff.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>She finished fifth, which she did back in 2010, sandwiching around her win last year.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>She is now ranked #1 in the dirt route class and the 2012 season she is having could very well get her nominated for another Eclipse award this year.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN><o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\">Signs of Change<\/B> took the Older Horse on Turf under the leadership of trainer Eml1.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Winning 5 graded stakes, of which four were consecutively done, this guy earned the Eclipse award.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The flagship of wins came in the Breeders\u2019 Bowl Turf.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>2012 did not start off with a bang.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>After a layoff this past March due to an injury, he returned to the track in June, however, at the allowance level.<o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri>The allowance start was the right move, as he finished with a sharp second and immediately advanced back to the graded level.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>From July through October, Signs of Change finished second a total of three times and notched a win in the G2 Kergorlay.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He returned to the Breeders\u2019 Bowl Turf for the November running, finishing a decent third.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>His last start was in the early December Japan Classic and he never fired up his late speed as he finished a chilling ninth.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN><SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0\u00a0<\/SPAN>Currently ranked 25<SUP>th<\/SUP> in long routes, Signs of Change has had some solid starts as well as some forgettable ones.<o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\">Network News <\/B>picked up the Older Mare on Turf for Lenny11 last season.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>She earned the award while recording a record of 7-3-1 in 11 starts.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Five of the wins were in graded races and she missed by a quarter-length in the Breeders\u2019 Bowl Turf Sprint where she finished second.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN><o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri>The 2012 season has not been as fruitful.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Her record is 1-3-1 in eight starts this season.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Her sole win for the season came in the non-grade Friendlypersuasion Turf Mare Challenge as the 6-5 betting choice.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN><SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0<\/SPAN>Most recently, she made a re-appearance in the Breeders\u2019 Bowl Turf Sprint finishing a mid-field eighth.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Despite having only a second and a third in graded competition this season, Network News remains ranked #1 in sprint racing for her age category.<o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\">Rozelle<\/B> <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\">Zapper<\/B> was the champion Sprinter of Dirt in 2011, trained by Thebandit.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>To his credit, he picked up G1 victories late in the season in the Iceberg and Breeders\u2019 Bowl Sprint.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>After a second in the DPCD Sprint Championship, he took the winter off.<o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri>2012 kicked off with the non-grade Swift Allen Dirt Dash in March.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Still a bit rusty from the layoff, he finished the race in seventh.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>With hopes that the second race would be a charm, Thebandit moved this 5-year old into the G1 Sand Castle Golding Sprint.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Improvement was not seen as Rozelle Zapper finished ninth.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s had two starts following this event, the last was at the end of June where he was off the board in both starts.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The poor results this year has dropped this nicely bred horse to 227<SUP>th<\/SUP> in the sprint class.<o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><FONT face=Calibri>SUMMARY<o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/B><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><o:p><FONT face=Calibri>\u00a0<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/B><\/P><P style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\" class=MsoNoSpacing><FONT face=Calibri>And there you have it race fans, the look-back at last year\u2019s Eclipse Winners.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN><SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0<\/SPAN>Out of this group, I feel that Neo Forty and Union Jack Flyer have the best chances of the group to be nominated again this year, although you never know, there could be a few surprises too.<o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/P><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A Look At How Last Year&#8217;s Winner&#8217;s Have Performed in 2012<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":363,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"colormag_page_container_layout":"default_layout","colormag_page_sidebar_layout":"default_layout","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10527","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10527","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/363"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10527"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10527\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10527"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10527"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10527"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}