The Annual Eclipse Awards are a-comin' up quick. I figured I'd be remiss if I did not attempt to 'handicap' the outcomes. Whilst assembling these, essentially my meaningless Eclipse Award votes, I realized something -- I was assembling a best of list for the year.
Why it is this gob-smacked me is that I swore off making a Best of 2015 Cigar List, as some made mention I should. "Why would anyone care what I thought?" Was my rebuttal.
After putting together this Eclipse Award list, and preparing to post it, it dawned on me: "Why would anyone care what I thought?" But I had already compiled it, and darned I'd be, if I let those two and a half minutes of hard research go to waste. Then I had an idea --
Why not offer TWO lists all at once, for people to not care about? Seems as though there might be minimal interest there, in ignoring a couple of things at the same time. Follow? Good.
Oh, but this isn't so much a best of 2015 cigars. This is PAIRING, gentlepersons. Let me explain -- I shall match a cigar I bestowed an A rating upon during 2015, with a horse I choose as an Eclipse winner. Still follow? Liar! Still yet, this should be fun.
Further fun? See if you can guess why I paired a certain cigar to a certain horse. I have my reasons, gentlepersons. I might even discuss and debate 'em.
American Pharoah
Triple Crown Winner. Grand Slam Winner. 'Nuff and congrats.
Tennessee Waltz by Crowned Heads
Tennessee Waltz by Crowned Heads
TWO YEAR-OLD MALE
Nyquist
TWO YEAR-OLD FEMALE
Songbird
The filly simply dominated.
THREE YEAR-OLD MALE
American Pharoah
[See: HotY]
"
"
THREE YEAR-OLD FEMALE
Found
Stellar Wind's light campaign; I'm a Chatterbox faltered more recently.
Crowned Heads La Imperiosa
Crowned Heads La Imperiosa
OLDER MALE
Honor Code
Won the Whitney head-to-head-to-head against the other nominees.
Camacho Connecticut
Camacho Connecticut
OLDER FEMALE
Beholder
Five-for-five in 2015 w/ three graded stakes wins; high-lighted by a Pacific Classic romp.
Illusione Epernay 2009
Five-for-five in 2015 w/ three graded stakes wins; high-lighted by a Pacific Classic romp.
Illusione Epernay 2009
MALE TURF
FEMALE TURF
Tepin
Undefeated at a mile throughout her campaign. Beat the boys at the Breeders Cup.
Nomad Connecticut Fuerte
Nomad Connecticut Fuerte
MALE SPRINTER
Runhappy
Drama, a self-promoting owner, six-of-seven on the year for $1.48 in earnings. Whew!
La Aurora Preferidos Gold
Drama, a self-promoting owner, six-of-seven on the year for $1.48 in earnings. Whew!
La Aurora Preferidos Gold
FEMALE SPRINTER
STEEPLECHASE HORSE
???
They jump over stuff, right?
???
???
TRAINER
Bob Baffert
I'd give it to Mr. Baffert minus AP. Probably.
Cohiba "Red Dot"
Cohiba "Red Dot"
OWNER
BREEDER
Zayat Stables
(AP)
(See: Owner)
(AP)
(See: Owner)
JOCKEY
Javier Castellano
APPRENTICE JOCKEY
Eric Cancel
19 years-old, $5.3M in mount earnings. Won 101 times; ran his share of graded stakes.
Psyko Seven
19 years-old, $5.3M in mount earnings. Won 101 times; ran his share of graded stakes.
Psyko Seven
Let the meaningless controversy begin, gentlepersons! And remember, if ya can't keep it clean, keep it Yiddish. Until next time, thanks for reading and abi gezunt dos leben ken men zikh ale mol nemen.
POSTSCRIPT: a LINK to my Sabbath Smoker audio review of the Eclipse awards.
POSTSCRIPT: a LINK to my Sabbath Smoker audio review of the Eclipse awards.