TORONTO, January 19 - Morton Fink's homebred Wise Dan, a spectacular winner of the Ricoh Woodbine Mile in September, took home three trophies at the 2012 Eclipse Awards ceremonies in Hallandale Beach, Fla. --Horse of the Year, older male, and male turf horse - - becoming the first horse to do so since John Henry in 1981.
Trained by Charles Lopresti and ridden by John Velazquez, Wise Dan tracked the front-running duo of Worthadd and Artic Fern in the Woodbine Mile, before gliding along the rail down the lane to win by 3 1/4-lengths over Hunters Bay.
In addition to his Woodbine Mile score, Wise Dan, who won five of six starts in 2012, also captured the Grade 3 Ben Ali and Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile, at Keeneland; the Grade 2 Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga; and the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile, at Santa Anita.
Prominent horse owner J. Paul Reddam, a native of Windsor, Ontario, accepted the Eclipse for Champion Three-Year-Old Male on behalf of Kentucky Derby winner, I'll Have Another.
The chestnut son of Flower Alley entered the Derby off of back-to-back scores in the Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis and Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, at Santa Anita, but was let go in the Derby at odds of 15-1.
Following his Derby triumph, I'll Have Another captured the second leg of the U.S Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Racetrack, but was retired on the eve of his Triple Crown attempt at Belmont.
For a full list of winners visit http://www.ntra.com