TDN's NTWAB Members Cast Eclipse Votes

With the 52nd Annual Eclipse Awards in Palm Beach, Fla. less than a month away, the votes will be cast by the media and other important officials until Jan. 3, as Thoroughbred racing aims to honor its best.

The Thoroughbred Daily News Staff that are members of the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB) submitted their selections this week and here is a rundown of the results from some of the categories, along with their 'strongest vote.'

Bill
Horse of the Year: Flightline
3-Year-Old Male: Taiba
3-Year-Old Filly: Nest
2-Year-Old Male: Forte
Male Sprinter: Elite Power
Female Turf Horse: Regal Glory
Older Dirt Female: Malathaat
Owner: Godolphin
Breeder: Godolphin
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Strongest Vote: Epicenter is a deserving champ, but with Taiba having three Grade I wins to Epicenter's one, I went for Taiba in the 3-year-old male division.

Alan
Horse of the Year: Flightline
3-Year-Old Male: Epicenter
3-Year-Old Filly: Nest
2-Year-Old Male: Forte
Male Sprinter: Jackie's Warrior
Female Turf Horse: Regal Glory
Older Dirt Female: Malathaat
Owner: Godolphin
Breeder: Godolphin
Trainer: Chad Brown
Strongest Vote: Though she stubbed her toe against the boys and even with a head-to-head defeat to her commonly owned stablemate In Italian, Regal Glory gets the slight nod for three very strong top-level scores in 2022.

Christina
Horse of the Year: Flightline
3-Year-Old Male: Epicenter
3-Year-Old Filly: Nest
2-Year-Old Male: Forte
Male Sprinter: Elite Power
Female Turf Horse: In Italian
Older Dirt Female: Malathaat
Owner: Godolphin
Breeder: Godolphin
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Strongest Vote: Looking at this year's Eclipse voting, TAP holds a strong hand with both fillies and colts, horses of varying ages and across several divisions. In my opinion, he is dominance personified.

Sara
Horse of the Year: Flightline
3-Year-Old Male: Epicenter
3-Year-Old Filly: Nest
2-Year-Old Male: Forte
Male Sprinter: Jackie's Warrior
Female Turf Horse: Regal Glory
Older Dirt Female: Malathaat
Owner: Godolphin
Breeder: Godolphin
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Strongest Vote: Malathaat is my top pick this year. She not only continued the momentum from her season as a champion 3-year-old, but built upon that success with an ultra-impressive blend of tenacity and heart, topped by a breathtaking performance in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff.

J.N.
Horse of the Year: Flightline
3-Year-Old Male: Modern Games (Ire)
3-Year-Old Filly: Nest
2-Year-Old Male: Forte
Male Sprinter: Cody's Wish
Female Turf Horse: Regal Glory
Older Dirt Female: Malathaat
Owner: Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, Summer Wind Equine, West Point Thoroughbreds
Breeder: Summer Wind Equine
Trainer: John Sadler
Strongest Vote: It was Flightline and Co.'s year, but lest we forget that Modern Games won a pair of Grade Is in North America against older (which included the Breeders' Cup Mile), which tells me this turf horse earned the bob in the hotly contested 3-year-old male division.