01-21-2020, 01:03 AM
Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork. Dexter Williams Super Bowl Jersey .com) - The voting for 2014 Horse of the Year and champion male 3-year-old was expected to be among the closest in recent history. Heading into Saturdays Eclipse Awards ceremony, there was heated debate as to which thoroughbred among California Chrome, Bayern and Main Sequence would be Horse of the Year and California Chrome, Bayern and Shared Belief for top 3-year-old colt and gelding. Personally, I thought there would be much closer voting than was revealed. California Chrome received substantially more votes as Horse of the Year and 3-year-old than I could possibly have expected. The chestnut colt, owned by Steve Coburn and Perry Martin, and trained by Art Sherman, won Horse of the Year by 90 votes over Main Sequences 53 and clobbered Breeders Cup Classic Bayern by 137 votes for the 3-year-old honor. There were no surprises (in the Eclipse results), said Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who conditions Bayern. It was entertaining to watch. The social media last year really followed California Chrome. Bayern never really had that following ,,, but at the end of the day, they gave it to the right horse. He deserved it. I dont have any problem with it. The unfortunate outcome was Bayerns lack of an award at the end of the evening. Main Sequence, winner of the Breeders Cup Turf, was voted champion Older Male Horse over Palace Malice, 127 votes to 103. He easily garnered the Eclipse Award as champion Male Turf Horse with 243 votes from the 265 cast. Jockey Victor Espinoza had to watch the Eclipse Awards announcement on television at Santa Anita. Hes the regular rider of California Chrome but was not a finalist for champion jockey of 2014. In fact, he finished sixth in the voting, receiving just four first-place votes and 102 points. However, Espinoza watched as three of his mounts picked up four honors, California Chrome, Take Charge Brandi and American Pharaoh. I was watching the show on HRTV last night, Espinoza said Sunday morning at Santa Anita. First they announced the filly had won, then later American Pharoah, then California Chrome as 3-year-old. I was more excited than I was after winning all the big races last year. I was thrilled that those young horses were champions. Then at the end it was California Chrome, Horse of the Year. Wow! I was very proud, and really proud of myself to be able to say that I rode those three champions. I never thought in a million years that would happen, in one year to have three great horses and be able to say I rode all three. We all hope everyone stays healthy for the new year. Thats the main thing. So far, it looks like all three are going to run in 2015. As a jockey, its amazing to say I rode all three. For me, its an honor to say that. Immediately after the Breeders Cup last November, I stated I thought Untapable should be 2014 Horse of the Year. She was the lone unanimous selection in the Eclipse Award voting receiving all 265 first-place votes as champion 3-year-old filly. However, in the Horse of the Year balloting Untapable was fourth with 11 top votes and 269 points. Dean Lowry Super Bowl Jersey . Now, Sarah Burkes legacy will live on in Canadas Sports Hall of Fame. Burke, who tragically died at age 29 from a training accident in 2012, headlined the 2014 class named for induction Wednesday. Tony Brown Super Bowl Jersey .C. -- Kurt Busch put his chances at "70 per cent" at running the Indianapolis 500 this year because of recent developments that have pushed a potential program along. http://www.shoptheofficialpackers.com/El...rs-Jersey/ . -- So much for concern that running back Marshawn Lynch would be absent from the Seattle Seahawks minicamp.null ' ' '