Caleb’s Posse to cash his outstanding seasonal performance by contesting for the Eclipse Award
The most recent victory posted by Caleb’s Posse in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile Grade 1 on 5th November, at Churchill Downs has removed any and whatsoever doubts remained in him being a valid and deserving candidate for the American Champion Three-Year-Old
Male Horse, an Eclipse Award category.
The Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile has boosted his graded stakes wins to four during the year. He dominated the track virtually throughout the race, leading the field and winning by four lengths. Finishing the one mile track in one minute and 34.59 seconds was
the cherry on top to cap a brilliant season with a Breeders’ Cup win.
Caleb’s Posse has just experienced the most lucrative season of his career with keeping his performance even a step ahead from consistent and delivering just the right way at the right time. Caleb’s Posse has won half of the races that he contested in during
this season, five victories out of ten starts.
The season began with a victory at Oaklawn Park by winning the Smarty Jones on 17th January which was followed by claiming the Ohio Derby Grade 3 at Thistledown on 4th June. Both these achievements were made possible with jockey Eusebio
Razo.
The next two successes came paired up for Caleb’s Posse, as the first presented itself at Saratoga on 1st August when he won the Amsterdam Grade 2 and right after that he got a chance to claim the King’s Bishop Grade 1 on 27th August
at Saratoga.
The most remarkable factor about Caleb’s Posse’s performance at this race was that he left the most recommended horse for any race, Uncle Mo, at a disadvantage.
He also qualifies for being the only three-year-old this year to have won two Grade 1 races. Caleb’s Posse’s only restricting factor can be the standard distances that he races at, the distances are not long enough to what his fierce rivals like Animal Kingdom,
Shackleford or Ruler on Ice run.
Caleb’s Posse has time and again revealed his ability to be considered as the top sprinter too which was even before beating Uncle Mo at the King Bishop’s.
However, his collective efforts throughout the season make him stand out as one of the most deserving candidate for the Eclipse Award.
“I think he was the fastest 3-year-old at the Breeders’ Cup,’’ said Von Hemel, “He ran a very, very powerful race. After I saw how things developed I don’t know why he wouldn’t be as strong a candidate as any of them”.
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