Finalists announced for 2005 Eclipse Awards

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association, the National Turf Writers

Association and Daily Racing Form announced the finalists for the 2005 Eclipse

Awards on Thursday. The year-end championship honors are named after the great

18th century racehorse and foundation sire Eclipse, who was undefeated in 18

starts, including eight walkovers.

As expected, Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner

SAINT LIAM (Saint Ballado),

Preakness S. (G1) and Belmont S. (G1) winner

AFLEET ALEX (Northern Afleet), and

once-beaten King's Bishop S. (G1) winner LOST IN THE FOG (Lost Soldier) are

among the finalists for the 35th annual Eclipse Awards that will be presented on

January 23 at the Regent Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills, California.

Saint Liam and Afleet Alex are the leading candidates for champion older male

and three-year-old honors, respectively, and both are expected to vie for the

title of Horse of the Year. The three finalists for that coveted title will not

be announced until the awards dinner, which will be televised live on TVG,

beginning at 8 p.m. (EST).

Many of the award winners appear to be foregone conclusions, but the male

turf horse division is wide open between the first- and second-place finishers

in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) --

ARTIE SCHILLER (El Prado [Ire]) and

LEROIDESANIMAUX (Brz) (Candy Stripes) -- and

SHIROCCO (Ger) (Monsun), who won

the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1).

The 2005 Eclipse Award finalists (in alphabetical order) are:

Two-Year-Old Male:

FIRST SAMURAI (Giant's Causeway),

HENNY HUGHES

(Hennessy),

STEVIE WONDERBOY (Stephen Got Even)

Two-Year-Old Female:

ADIEU (El Corredor),

FOLKLORE (Tiznow),

WILD FIT

(Wild Wonder)

Three-Year-Old Male: Afleet Alex,

FLOWER ALLEY (Distorted Humor),

GIACOMO (Holy Bull)

Three-Year-Old Female:

ROUND POND (Awesome Again),

SMUGGLER

(Unbridled),

SUMMERLY (Summer Squall)

Older Male:

BORREGO (El Prado [Ire]),

ROCK HARD TEN (Kris S.), Saint

Liam

Older Female:

ASHADO (Saint Ballado),

PLEASANT HOME (Seeking the

Gold),

STELLAR JAYNE (Wild Rush)

Sprinter: Lost in the Fog,

SARATOGA COUNTY (Valid Expectations),

SILVER TRAIN (Old Trieste)

Male Turf Horse: Artie Schiller, Leroidesanimaux, Shirocco

Female Turf Horse:

CESARIO (Jpn) (Special Week),

INTERCONTINENTAL (GB)

(Danehill),

MEGAHERTZ (GB) (Pivotal)

Steeplechase:

HIRAPOUR (Ire) (Kahyasi),

MCDYNAMO (Dynaformer),

SUR LA

TETE (Sky Classic)

Owner: Michael Gill, Live Oak Plantation, Melnyk Racing Stables Inc.

Breeder: Adena Springs, Edward P. Evans, Live Oak Stud

Trainer: Steve Asmussen, Robert Frankel, Todd Pletcher

Jockey: Jerry Bailey, Edgar Prado, John Velazquez

Apprentice Jockey: Channing Hill, Justin Stein, Emma-Jayne Wilson