California Chrome vs. Arrogate remains the hot topic as Eclipse Award finalists are named

The 2016 Eclipse Awards finalists were named Thursday morning with few surprises. Many of the categories are fait accompli, but the big question remains if California Chrome or Arrogate will be named horse of the year.

California Chrome has seven wins in eight starts including five graded stakes wins, with the Dubai World Cup. His one loss came to Arrogate in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Arrogate won five of six races but only two graded stakes, the Classic and a record-shattering performance in the Travers Stakes.

Everyone is waiting for their final showdown on Jan. 28 in the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park, Chrome’s last race before becoming a stallion. So, the voters had to choose between the horse of the past or the horse of the future. But that race won’t figure into things as the Eclipse Awards are presented Jan. 21.

The third finalist — Songbird — had a spectacular year, winning 11 of 12 races on the filly side. She lost to the retiring Beholder in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

All three finalists are based in Southern California and are likely guaranteed hardware as Chrome will win the Eclipse for older dirt male over other finalists Frosted and Lord Nelson. Songbird is a lock as 3-year-old filly over Cathryn Sophia and Queen’s Trust. Arrogate is the likely winner for 3-year-old male over Exaggerator and Nyquist. A great first half of the year, including winning the Kentucky Derby, may get Nyquist some votes but a win would be his only upset victory this season.

The 2-year-old categories are likely to mirror the Breeders’ Cup races with Classic Empire, winner of the Juvenile, favored over Not This Time and Practical Joke. Santa Anita based Champagne Room, winner of the Juvenile Fillies, should best Lady Aurelia and New Money Honey.

Other Breeders’ Cup winners likely to take their categories are Beholder, winner of the Distaff, taking the older dirt female Eclipse over Cavorting and Stellar Wind; Drefong, winner of the Sprint, besting A.P. Indian and Lord Nelson in the male sprinter category and Finest City, winner of the Fillies and Mares Sprint, taking the female sprinters award over Haveyougoneaway and Paulassilverling.

The male turf award is not as easy a category to pick with Flintshire, winner of three graded stakes but losing the Breeders’ Cup Turf, Highland Reel, winner of the Turf, and Tourist, winner of the Mile.

The female turf Eclipse is between Lady Eli, Miss Temple City and Tepin. The remaining equine award is the Steeplechase, which doesn’t really resonate with U.S. racegoers. The finalists are Rawnaq, Scorpiancer and Top Striker.

On the human side, Bob Baffert, Chad Brown and Mark Casse are the finalists for trainer of the year. Baffert won last year but Brown may be slightly favored for his success on the turf.

Javier Castellano, Jose Ortiz and Mike Smith are the finalists for jockey of the year. Castellano has the numbers but Smith, who selectively rides, has the high-profile wins.

The apprentice jockey award is between Kevin Gomez, Lane Luzzi and Luis Ocasio. Up for top owner is Juddmonte Farms, Kenneth & Sarah Ramsey and Spendthrift Farm. The breeder award is between Clearsky Farms, Darley and WinStar Farm.

Earlier, Andrew Beyer, former racing writer for the Washington Post, and Steven Crist, formerly of the New York Times and editor of the Daily Racing Form, were named winners of the Award of Merit. Paul Matties was named Horse Player of the Year.

Media award winners were NBC for television, live programming; ESPN for television, feature programming; a team of Jay Hovdey, Barbara Livingston and Molly McGill from Daily Racing Form for multimedia and Todd Marks of Chronicle of the Horse Untacked for photography.

The Paulick Report, an online site that mixes original content with aggregated stories, won with John Scheinman for feature/commentary and Natalie Voss for news/enterprise. The Times was cited as one of two honorable mentions in the news/enterprise category for a story on the thinking ability of horses.

john.cherwa@latimes.com

@jcherwa