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A22 SPORTS
Monday 23 January 2017
California Chrome wins Horse of the Year at Eclipse Awards

TIM REYNOLDS Beholder (older dirt female) through 2003. Castellano
AP Sports Writer and Arrogate (3-year-old was one of four winners
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. male) were practically who also got an Eclipse last
(AP) — California Chrome unanimous, getting 99 and year, alongside Tepin, Be-
has one race left in his ca- 98 percent of the votes, re- holder and Songbird.
reer, and is in such good spectively. “I truly love what I do,”
condition right now that Beholder won her fourth Castellano said. “It is a joy
trainer Art Sherman is clam- career Eclipse, and is now to do it every day. ... God
oring for more time with retired. bless America.”
him. It’s easy to see why. “My life will never be the Chad Brown was the over-
California Chrome was same without her,” trainer whelming pick for the
the biggest winner at the Richard Mandella said. Eclipse as top trainer af-
Eclipse Awards on Saturday Champagne Room ter sheer dominance in
night, taking home three (2-year-old filly), Drefong turf races and winning the
trophies celebrating his ac- (male sprinter), Finest City Saratoga training title — a
complishments in 2016 — (female sprinter), Flintshire track just a few miles from
including Horse of the Year In this Saturday, March 26, 2016, file photo, California Chrome, (male turf), Rawnaq (stee- his hometown of Mechan-
for the second time. He ridden by Victor Espinoza, wins the Dubai World Cup horse race plechase) and Tepin (fe- icville, New York. Brown
also won an Eclipse as the at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. male turf) all also prevailed got 84 percent of the votes
best in the older dirt male Associated Press in their divisions by wide cast, winning the Eclipse for
division, and his victory at phy case. It’s been filled up face Arrogate again in the margins. Each got at least the first time.
the Dubai World Cup was pretty good by Chrome, I $12 million Pegasus World 56 percent of the ballots “What an honor,” Brown
picked as the National can tell you that.” Cup at Gulfstream Park. cast. said, before thanking his
Thoroughbred Racing As- California Chrome beat “It’s been an once-in-a-life- The human winners also en- staff.
sociation’s moment of the out Arrogate — who top- time horse,” Sherman said. joyed decisive margins. Luis Ocasio was the run-
year. pled Chrome when they “And I’ll tell you, it’s been a Javier Castellano won his away winner in the ap-
“It’s really an honor,” Sher- met at the Breeders’ Cup hell of a ride.” fourth consecutive Eclipse prentice jockey division.
man said. “People don’t Classic — and Songbird for Just about every category as the best jockey, getting Juddmonte Farms won
realize how hard that is to horse of the year. California had an overwhelming con- 59 percent of the vote to the Eclipse for the third
be horse of the year, and Chrome is the eighth horse sensus in the voting results. outpace runner-up Mike time as top owner. WinStar
I appreciate it. It gives me to win that crown multiple There were three unani- Smith — who was in the mix Farm got the Eclipse as top
a chance to say, ‘Wow.’ I times, after also winning in mous winners out of the 248 for what would have been breeder for the first time.
got the horse of the year 2014, and joined John Hen- votes cast in 17 divisions — his first Eclipse since 1994. The Eclipse Awards are se-
trophy when he won it the ry as only to do so in non- California Chrome (older Castellano became just the lected by voters from Daily
last time we were here. It’s consecutive years. dirt male), Classic Empire second jockey to win the Racing Form, the NTRA and
a gorgeous trophy. This will California Chrome’s final (2-year-old male) and award four straight times; the National Turf Writers
be another one in my tro- race is Jan. 28, when he’ll Songbird (3-year-old filly). Jerry Bailey did it from 2000 and Broadcasters.q

Dominican He went 14-10 with a 3.20 for the Royals, going 38-31
with a 3.89 ERA.
ERA in 2014, his first full sea-
crashes son in the big leagues, and Fans began arriving at
the next year he helped the Kauffman Stadium shortly
Continued from page 17 long-downtrodden Royals after Ventura’s death was
reach the World Series for announced, leaving flow-
Traffic authority spokes- the first time since 1985. ers, hats and other memen-
man Diego Pesqueira told “Our prayers right now tos outside the stadium.
The Associated Press there are with Yordano’s fam- Flags outside the ballpark
were no rains registered at ily as we mourn this young also were lowered to half-
the time of Ventura’s acci- man’s passing,” Royals staff.
dent but that it is often fog- general manager Dayton Marte, a 33-year-old in-
gy in the early morning. He Moore said in a statement. fielder, played in the Major
added that the vehicle’s “He was so young and so Leagues from 2005-2010
tires were in good condi- talented, full of youthful with Atlanta and Cleve-
tion and experts think the exuberance and always land and returned in 2014
cause of the accident was brought a smile to every- with Arizona. He hit .218
an excess of velocity. The one he interacted with. We with 21 home runs and 99
official results of the inves- will get through this as an RBIs in the big leagues. He
tigation will be released in organization, but right now spent the last two seasons
the coming days. is a time to mourn and cel- in South Korea, where he
The country, whose roads ebrate the life of Yordano.” hit 22 homers last year.
are among the world’s Born June 3, 1991, in Sama- Both Ventura and Marte
most dangerous, has now na, Dominican Republic, were part of the Dominican
lost four current or former Ventura quit school at 14 winter league team Aguilas
major leaguers to traffic In this Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009, file photo, Cleveland Indians and was laboring on a con- Cibaenas, though neither
first baseman Andy Marte fields a single hit by Detroit Tigers’
accidents in recent years. Curtis Granderson in the fourth inning in a baseball game, in struction crew to support was playing this season.
President Danilo Medina Cleveland. his family when he heard “We have awoken this Sun-
posted tweets saying the Associated Press about a tryout, which led day with this sad news that
nation “is dressed in mourn- to a spot in the Royals’ we have lost a special be-
ing with the deaths of Andy Ventura, 25, burst onto the always willing to challenge academy on the island. ing,” club president Win-
Marte and Yordano Ven- baseball scene with a 100 hitters inside, then deal The right-handed Ventura ston Llenas said in a state-
tura, great sportsmen who mph fastball and an explo- with the ramifications when went 11-12 with a 4.45 ERA ment about Marte that was
raised high our national sive attitude to match. He they decided to charge last season, and wound up issued before Ventura’s
banner.” was a fierce competitor the mound. pitching his entire career death became known.q