It is my honor to present the Eclipse Award for Trainer of the Year.  Here are the nominees in alphabetical order.  As I read each name and give a summary of their achievements, I ask that each candidate stand and be recognized.  Highlights of their 2003 racing season will be shown on the screen behind me in addition to some "words of wisdom" from each trainer which were recorded this evening prior to the ceremony.

 

Futurestar: Dangerous Reward was 2003's most successful horse for this perennially powerful stable.  The multiple Grade 1 winner was a tigress for much of the season following a slow start.  Other notables trained by Futurestar include Bluegrass Derby starter Alderwood Manor and his personal favorite, the venerable 9 year old millionaire Berzerk A. P. who Futurestar claimed for a paltry $7,500 as a 4 year old.  Words of wisdom..."I try to place my horses realistically.  That, I think, is the key to success.  Know the limitations of your horses and place them accordingly."

 

Hannibal: Silverwore was the Hannibal superstar of 2003.  The Breeders Bowl Classic champion amassed earnings in excess of four million dollars while terrorizing both his fellow sophomores and the older crowd.  Unless the racing secretaries of the world  assign him Seabiscuit-like imposts, he will very likely continue his supremacy in 2004.  Hannibal says that the racing world has yet to see Silverwore's best.  Words of wisdom..."I'm just here for the free food and drinks.  Can you pass me the shrimp tray, Bonus?  Thanks!  Don't the SIM ladies look great in their fancy dresses?  I didn't know Roys even owned one!"

 

Indy: I Seek U.  Both horse and trainer are short of name but not of talent.  All the striking bay homebred son of Gone West and Prospect Dealing did was win the Triple Crown and Travelers Stake.  I Seek U, conditioned to perfection by the German wunderkind, dominated the spring and summer classics as no 3 year old has ever done before.  Indy also handles millionaire Six Index and crack sprinter Off The Prospector.  Words of wisdom..."The thrill of owning and training a Triple Crown winner like I Seek U is beyond description.  I wish every trainer could have this experience." 

 

Masterab:  Allied Assault catapulted Masterab to the forefront of racing almost as quickly as he ran down opponents in the stretch.  Possessing arguably the most lethal closing kick in racing, Allied Assault routinely made his Grade 1 competition look like nickel claimers.  The Ab Man also trains millionaires Dynasea and King Cat.  Words of wisdom..."There is no secret to the stable's success. As the old breeding saying goes I have bred the best to the best and hoped for the best. In a few cases it has come true."

 

Toplight:  With the retirement to motherhood of his multimillionaire race mares Cecil Roo and Again Of The Dance, it is hard to determine which of Toplight's current stars are number one in his Hong Kong based racing enterprise.  Too Much Ground, Six Up Monster or his favorite, Senor Football, could each fill the bill.  He's hoping that eventually Cecil's and Dance's offspring inherit the title.  Words of wisdom..."Know your horses.  If you can't figure out what is best for your horses, then you may be sitting on a Grade 1 winner without knowing it. You can give up on a nice 2yo when she does not perform only to realize, after she becomes successful for another trainer, that all she needed was time to mature."

 

NB: The envelope please!  And the winner is...Indy!  Congratulations, Indy!

 

INDY: (runs up on stage) Thank you so much!  I can't believe this!  I never expected to win!  (kisses host...yuck!  Must be a European thing.)  I'd like to thank (opens thank you list a furlong in length) the members of The Academy for voting for me (blows kisses to the audience), my girlfriend, my friends, my parents and the rest of my family for supporting me through the tough times (blows kisses to the camera), my assistant trainers, grooms, and stableboys (waves to camera), my classmates, my co-workers, my barber, my paperboy, my...

 

NB: Indy, perhaps you could answer a few questions for our viewing audience?

 

INDY: (ignoring host) my university professors, the feed man, the track grounds crew, the jockeys, valets and agents, the...

 

NB: (tapping winner on shoulder) Indy, the show's only 2 hours long.  Can we talk?

 

INDY: Ummmm...OK...

 

NB: Indy, how did you select your stable name?

 

INDY: The reason is simply that I am a great fan of the Indiana Jones movies and I just like this short name.

 

NB: I Seek U barely made the cut for the Bluegrass Derby field as the 20th starter.  Tell us about that.

 

INDY: He needed a Grade 2 victory to qualify for the field.  So rather than have him race against a tough field in the California Derby, which was on the same day, I sent him to Hawthorne to race in the Chicago Derby.  We were fortunate enough to win and the rest is history. (raises Eclipse trophy triumphantly overhead to thunderous applause) 

 

NB: How did you decide on the breeding of I Seek U?

 

INDY: I'd like to thank my wonderful broodmare, Prospect Dealing, for producing such a fabulous colt!  I want to thank the stallion manager, the breeding farm, the...(sheepishly) Sorry...got carried away again...Prospect Dealing (Ufwain x Mr. Prospector) was a wonderful race mare for me.  She was a Grade 2 winner sprinting on the dirt and earned just shy of $400,000.  I felt that breeding her to the fabulously successful Gone West would give me my best shot at a super horse.  And it worked.  Unbelievable!

 

NB: How did you first become interested in horse racing, Indy?

 

INDY: My father has been going to the races for 40 years so when I was 14 I went with him a few times.  By the time I was 16, I was going to the races regularly, about once per week. Hmm … perhaps there is a story that I can tell you.  Twice in a year there is a racing week in Baden-Baden which is the most popular and exclusive race track in Germany.  It was 1997 when I went there for the first time and two days before the very first of seven race days I had already picked my favorite for the feature race on opening day.  His name was March Groom and he came from Hungary.

 

On opening day my father and I took a walk around the race track before the races started and we saw a horse transporter from March Groom's stable.  The transporter was very old, dilapidated and I couldn’t imagine how it was able to travel all the way from Hungary to Germany.  Anyway, I took a lucky penny and put it on the back-spoiler of the transporter.

 

March Groom won the race and paid 16/1.  I also got the exacta which paid around 400 for 2.  I was just 16 and you can imagine that this was a great day for me.  Since that year I have always visited the racing weeks in Baden-Baden at least once a year.

 

NB: Thank you, Indy.  Any final words?

 

INDY: Just that I am so thankful for I Seek U.  Thank you, EVERYONE! (floats offstage with big, shiny trophy and bigger smile)

 

NB: That concludes our ceremony for this evening, ladies and gentlemen.  Thank you all for attending.  Drive safely, enjoy the parties and, hopefully, I'll see you all again next year.  Same time, same place.  Goodnight!

**********