The Eclipse Award finalists were released just a few days ago. With the revelation of the winners approaching, here are some quick thoughts on who made the top three as a finalist in each category.

--Who on Earth cast a vote for Goldikova for Horse of the Year? Although France's mighty mite - already the Cartier Horse of the Year in Europe - is doubtlessly one of the best horses in the world, there is no way a horse who made a single start in North America should be seriously considered for our biggest award over candidates like /blame and Zenyatta.

--Although he has no chance of beating Lookin At Lucky out for the title, it was nice to see Paddy O'Prado included in the finalists for champion 3-year-old male. It's refreshing to see some diversity in the vote, since typically that ballot reads like a who's who of Triple Crown contenders. But surely Paddy also deserved to be a finalist for champion turf male? Perhaps his connections spoiled his chances by choosing to run in the Classic over a fairly weak edition of the Turf - but you have to think he deserved a nod ahead of Dangerous Midge, who, again, made one start in this country.

--It's a shame Life At Ten and Unrivaled Belle raced in the same year as Zenyatta. These two finalists would be deserving winners of the older female award any other year. There has been some serious depth in the female divisions in recent history.

--It was nice to see the late Tuscan Evening included in the finalists for champion turf female. Although she hadn't yet faced the best of the division, she went 6-for-6 in 2010 before her untimely death. Have to think she was as good as any.

--It will be interesting to see which way the jockey vote goes - although Johnny Velazquez had his typical solid year, particularly at Saratoga, my money is on Ramon Dominguez or Garrett Gomez. Dominguez dominated the toughest jockey colony in the country, New York, all year, and gets my vote for ride of the year aboard Haynesfield in the Gold Cup. But Gomez returning to ride three Breeders' Cup winners - including Blame - less than 48 hours after a serious accident has to be one of the most memorable athletic feats of the year.

--Another interesting quandary in the trainer category. Todd Pletcher (won first Kentucky Derby, trained Uncle Mo) and Bob Baffert (trained 2000th winner, trained Lookin At Lucky) both reached milestones this year and also trained likely champions. John Shirreffs has less quantity, but you can't argue with quality, as he once again brilliantly managed Zenyatta. It's rare to see a horse still at the top of her game, let alone running up a nearly-unbeaten record, at age 6.

--It's surprising that Frederic Lenclud, one of the most down-to-earth and hard-working young riders in the game, was left out of the apprentice jockey finalists. Lenclud may have ridden fewer winners than his fellow finalists, but he knocked heads with the toughest competition all year, often finishing well in the rider standings against polishes journeymen. Quick - when's the last time an apprentice won a graded stake at Saratoga?