Jenny Kellner
NYRA

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – From Rachel Alexandra to Gio Ponti, Summer Bird to Kodiak Kowboy, Steve Asmussen to Godolphin Stables, many of horse racing’s biggest stars turned in their finest performances in New York in 2009 en route to the Eclipse Awards Monday night in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Rachel Alexandra’s historic victory over older males in the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga Race Course – the first ever in the race by a filly – was the culmination of an extraordinary 8-for-8 season that carried her to the pinnacle of the sport when she was named both Horse of the Year and champion Three-Year-Old Filly at the 39th annual Eclipse Awards at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.

The Stonestreet Farm miss, who also counted among her victories a record-breaking 19 1/4 length win in BelmontPark’s Grade 1 Mother Goose, led a number of human and equine champions whose outstanding performances at The New York Racing Association, Inc.’s (NYRA) three racetracks – Aqueduct, BelmontPark, and Saratoga – were highlights on their 2009 resumes.

Castleton Lyons’ New York-based Gio Ponti, who took both Older Male and Champion Turf Male honors, won two of his four straight Grade 1’s in 2009 at Belmont Park, taking the Man o’War Stakes and the Manhattan Handicap, and also finished second in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational, to fashion a record of 4-2-0 from seven starts and earn more than $2.3 million.

Kalarikkal and Vilasini Jayaraman’s Summer Bird, the top Three-Year-Old Male, also did his best running in New York, becoming the first colt since Easy Goer in 1989 to sweep NYRA’s three most prestigious races – the Belmont Stakes, the Travers Stakes, and the Jockey Club Gold Cup. The son of 2004 Belmont Stakes and Travers winner Birdstone finished the year with a record of 4-1-1 from nine starts and earnings of more than $2.3 million.

Vinery Stables and Fox Hill Farms Kodiak Kowboy took Male Sprinter honors on the strength of his three Grade 1 victories, all of which came at NYRA tracks. The 4-year-old colt won the Carter at Aqueduct in April, the Vosburgh at BelmontPark in October, and then finished his career with a flourish by taking the Hill ‘n’ Dale Cigar Mile at Aqueduct in November. The colt also finished second in the Grade 1 Forego and third in the Grade 2 Alfred G. Vanderbilt, both at Saratoga.

August Stables’ Informed Decision, top Female Sprinter, ran a credible third in the Grade 1 Ballerina at Saratoga to Godolphin Racing’s Music Note, while William L. Pape’s Mixed Up won the Grade 1 A.P. Smithwick, also at the Spa, to become champion Steeplechaser.

As Outstanding Owner, Godolphin Racing led the nation with nine Grade 1’s, six of which came in New York. Godolphin won the Go for Wand (Seventh Street), Test (Flashing), Ballerina (Music Note), Forego (Pyro), Beldame (Music Note) and Gazelle (Flashing). The stable also won NYRA’s Grade 2 Top Flight with Sara Louise, the De la Rose with CocoaBeach, the Grade 3 Victory Ride with Sara Louise and the Grade 2 Jerome with Girolamo.

Steve Asmussen, who was voted Top Trainer, won more than a dozen stakes at Aqueduct, Belmont Park and Saratoga in 2009, including Rachel’s victories in the Mother Goose and Woodward, Kodiak Kowboy’s wins in the Vosburgh and the Hill ‘n’ Dale Cigar Mile, Hot Dixie Chick’s triumphs in the Grade 1 Spinaway and the Grade 3 Schuylerville, Kensei’s wins in the Grade 2 Dwyer and Grade 2 Jim Dandy, Heart Ashley’s victory in the Cicada and the New York-bred Haynesfield’s wins in the Count Fleet, Whirlaway, Empire Classic and Grade 3 Discovery Stakes.

As well, Julien Leparoux, who was voted Top Jockey, counted a half-dozen NYRA stakes wins among his 2009 total, among them the Grade 1 Diana with Forever Together, the Grade 1 Personal Ensign aboard Icon Project, and the Grade 1 Flower Bowl Invitational with Pure Clan, while Top Breeder Juddmonte Farms was 9-4-4 from 34 starts in New York for earnings of $368,440.