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Gun Runner, Arrogate and World Approval are the three finalists for the 2017 US Horse of the Year award.
Gun Runner won five of his six trips to the races in 2017 including the GI Stephen Foster, GI Whitney Stakes, G1 Woodward Stakes and GI Breeders Cup Classic where he turned back the challenge of GI Pacific Classic hero and champion Dirt Male finalist Collected.
Trained by Steve Asmussen, Gun Runner remains in training for the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park in three weeks.Arrogate won the inaugural Pegasus World Cup last January and defeated Gun Runner in the G1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan in March in the world’s highest-rated performance of 2017 after being runner-up runner-up to California Chrome in 2016.
Arrogate and Gun Runner are also finalists in the Older Dirt Male category.World Approval posted wins in five of his six starts in 2017 with victories in the GI Fourstardave, GI Woodbine Mile and G1 Breeders Cup Mile.
The Eclipse Awards will be presented on January 25 in 17 horse and human categories.Frank Stronach, major owner, breeder and racetrack owner, will receive the Eclipse Award of Merit for a lifetime of achievement in the thoroughbred industry.
2017 Eclipse Awards FinalistsHorse of the Year: Arrogate; Gun Runner; World Approval
2YO Male: Bolt d’Oro; Good Magic; Solomini2YO Filly: Caledonia Road; Moonshine Memories; Rushing Fall
3YO Male: Always Dreaming; Battle of Midway; West Coast3YO Filly; Abel Tasman; Elate; Unique Bella
Older Dirt Male: Arrogate; Collected; Gun RunnerOlder Dirt Female: Forever Unbridled; Songbird; Stellar Wind
Male Sprinter: Imperial Hint; Mind Your Biscuits; Roy HFemale Sprinter: Bar Of Gold; Paulassilverlining; Unique Bella
Male Turf Horse: Beach Patrol; Talismanic; World ApprovalFemale Turf Horse: Lady Eli; Off Limits; Wuheida
Steeplechase: All the Way Jose; Mr. Hot Stuff; ScorpiancerOwner: Godolphin Racing; Juddmonte Farms; Winchell Thoroughbreds & Three Chimneys Farm
Breeder: Besilu Stables; Clearsky Farms; WinStar FarmTrainer: Steve Asmussen; Bob Baffert; Chad Brown
Jockey: Javier Castellano; Jose Ortiz; Mike SmithApprentice: Katie Clawson; Hector Rafael Diaz Jr.; Evin A. Roman