If you don’t care about who wins an Eclipse Award, you might be interested in this, a poll where you get to decide–or not.
Voting has opened for the Secretariat Vox Populi award, an idea conceived by Big Red’s late owner, Penny Chenery. The “Voice of the People” will be heard when they designate 2019’s most popular, most accomplished Thoroughbred.
Ballots may be cast at Secretariat.com for one of six nominees selected by the Vox Populi Committee. The 2019 nominees are as follows, listed alphabetically:
• Belvoir Bay, the 6-year-old mare who survived the 2017 wildfire at San Luis Rey Downs and set a track record winning the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint;
• Bricks and Mortar, whose victory in the Breeders’ Cup Turf concluded an undefeated season, making him the leading candidate for Horse of the Year.
• Maximum Security, disqualified winner of the Kentucky Derby whose successful season included the Florida Derby, Haskell, and Bold Ruler vs. older horses.
• Midnight Bisou, made eight graded stakes starts this year, winning seven, then finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
• Mitole, his victories in the Met Mile and Breeders’ Cup Sprint were among the best performances by any horse this year.
• Omaha Beach, Arkansas Derby winner and declared Kentucky Derby favorite returned from a lengthy layup to win Santa Anita Sprint Championship ovee Shancelot, one of America’s fastest sprinters.
Previous Vox Populi winners were: Winx (2018), Ben’s Cat (2017), California Chrome (twice, American Pharoah (2015), Mucho Macho Man (2013), Paynter (2012), Rapid Redux (2011), and inaugural winner Zenyatta.
