Ballots Add Up to Sunday Silence Win

Sunday Silence, who battled with Easy Goer during 1989, scored one of his easiest victories today when he was named champion 3-year-old colt.

Rhythm, Easy Goer’s stablemate, was voted an Eclipse Award as the outstanding 2-year-old colt. Rhythm, who edged Grand Canyon, was the only Eclipse winner not to be unanimously selected by the three voting organizations.

Sunday Silence won three of four meetings with Easy Goer in 1989, capturing the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Breeder’s Cup Classic. Sunday Silence was second to Easy Goer in the Belmont Stakes.

Other winners were Go For Wand, 2-year-old filly; Open Mind, 3-year-old filly; Blushing John, older male; Bayakoa, older filly or mare; Steinlen, male turf; Brown Bess, female turf; Safely Kept, sprinter, and Highland Bud, steeplechase.

Highland Bud was selected by a committee; the others won in balloting by the National Turf Writers’ Assn., the Daily Racing Form and racing secretaries of Thoroughbred Racing Assn. member tracks.

Ogden Phipps was named outstanding trainer, North Ridge Farm was chosen outstanding breeder and Michael Luzzi was named outstanding apprentice jockey.

Horse of the year, jockey of the year and trainer of the year will be announced Jan. 27 on ABC’s “Wide World of Sports” in a telecast from Santa Anita.