Poll Suggests Epicenter, Taiba in Close Eclipse Race

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Poll Suggests Epicenter, Taiba in Close Eclipse Race
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Photo: Skip Dickstein/Tim Lanahan
Epicenter wins the Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course

The final National Thoroughbred Racing Association Top Thoroughbred Poll shows no drama for Horse of the Year, with the recently retired star Flightline   the unanimous choice of 36 voters. But there is an apparent tight race for the Eclipse Award in the 3-year-old male division.

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Epicenter  , pulled up in the Nov. 6 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) due to injury, holds seventh position over eighth-place Taiba  by just a two-vote margin. The poll was based on racing through Nov. 6.

Zedan Racing Stables' Taiba, trained by Bob Baffert, holds a 2-1 edge over Epicenter in grade 1 victories this year, winning the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) and Santa Anita Derby (G1). Taiba also was the top-finishing 3-year-old in the Nov. 5 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Keeneland when he was third behind older horses Flightline and Olympiad  .

November 3, 2022: Taiba gallops at Keeneland for trainer Bob Baffert in preparation for the Breeders Cup Classic.
Photo: Casey Laughter
Taiba gallops Nov. 3 at Keeneland

Epicenter won the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1), the most prestigious race for 3-year-olds outside of the Triple Crown events. Epicenter also ran second for trainer Steve Asmussen in the Preakness Stakes (G1) and Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), a race in which Taiba was 12th.

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Epicenter made more than $2.8 million in eight starts in 2022, and Taiba earned in excess of $1.7 million in six races. The former notched four stakes victories, the latter two.

Derby upsetter Rich Strike  and dual grade 1-winning Cyberknife   are other 3-year-olds who could garner some championship votes.

Eclipse Awards are determined by end-of-year ballots from voters from the NTRA, Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters. Champions are named at the Eclipse Award ceremony Jan. 26 at The Breakers Palm Beach in South Florida.

TOP THOROUGHBRED POLL

  HORSE A-S STATS POINTS PVS
1 FLIGHTLINE (36) 4-C 3-3-0-0 360 1
2 MALATHAAT 4-F 6-4-2-0 286 6
3 OLYMPIAD 4-C 8-6-1-0 237 5
4 MODERN GAMES 3-C 7-3-2-1 178 13
5 LIFE IS GOOD 4-C 6-4-0-0 168 2
6 CODY'S WISH 4-C 5-4-1-0 138 27
7 EPICENTER 3-C 8-4-3-0 96 3
8 TAIBA 3-C 6-3-1-1 94 7
9 GOODNIGHT OLIVE 4-F 4-4-0-0 73 28
10 NEST 3-F 8-5-2-0 67 4

More information related to the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll can be found online.