Eclipse Awards finalists announced

I was really happy to see that Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra were the only two horses to receive Horse of the Year votes when the NTRA announced the finalists for the 2009 Eclipse Awards, which will be handed out Monday night, Jan. 18, at the Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills. The ceremony begins at 5 p.m., PST.

Both Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra were flawless in 2009. They both finished undefeated, both beat males and both brought tremendous attention to a struggling sport both on and off the race track. I don't think the latter can be minimized at all.

Here are the Eclipse Awards finalists, listed in alphabetical order:

Horse of the Year
Rachel Alexandra, Zenyatta

Two-Year-Old Male
Lookin At Lucky, Noble's Promise, Vale of York

Two-Year-Old Filly
Blind Luck, Hot Dixie Chick, She Be Wild

Three-Year-Old Male
Mine That Bird, Quality Road, Summer Bird

Three-Year-Old Filly
Careless Jewel, Flashing, Rachel Alexandra

Older Male
Einstein, Gio Ponti, Kodiak Kowboy

Older Female
Life Is Sweet, Music Note, Zenyatta

Male Sprinter
Dancing in Silks, Kodiak Kowboy, Zensational

Female Sprinter
Informed Decision, Music Note, Ventura

Male Turf Horse
Conduit, Gio Ponti, Presious Passion

Female Turf Horse
Goldikova, Midday, Ventura

Steeplechase Horse
Mixed Up, Red Letter Day, Spy in the Sky

Owner
Godolphin Racing, Juddmonte Farms, Mr. and Mrs. Jerome S. Moss

Breeder
Adena Springs, Juddmonte Farms, Dolphus C. Morrison

Trainer
Steve Asmussen, Bob Baffert, John Shirreffs

Jockey
Ramon Dominguez, Garrett Gomez, Julien Leparoux

Apprentice Jockey
Luis Batista, Christian Santiago Reyes, Luis Saez

What do you all think? Any surprises?