Making a Case for Caleb's Posse to Win an Eclipse off His Breeders' Cup Win

Going into the Breeders’ Cup World Championships on Nov. 4 and 5, the three-year-old male Eclipse championship was wide open.

However, Caleb’s Posse quickly made his way to the front of the talks with his win in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

The horse has had the best season of any three-year-old, winning stakes at three divisions with a win over Uncle Mo in the G1 King’s Bishop at seven furlongs, over older horses in the Dirt Mile, and a win in the G3 Ohio Derby at 1 1/16-miles.  He is also the only three-year-old colt with two Grade 1 wins this year.

With other top contenders for the award not having a better record (Animal Kingdom’s talk centers around a win in the Kentucky Derby and second in the Preakness, Shackleford’s centers around the Preakness win and a loss to Caleb’s Posse on Saturday), Caleb’s accomplishments during the season could earn him the three-year-old trophy.

But Caleb’s co-owner thinks the horse should win a different award.

"I think you might be able to make a stronger case as champion sprinter," co-owner Donnie K. Von Hemel said.  "So, hopefully, there will be some people that feel the same way I do."

A look at Caleb’s record shows why the Sprinter Championship may be in the horse’s reach as well.

In August, the horse upset Uncle Mo by a nose in the G1 King’s Bishop.  While there were many excuses given for Mo’s bad race, including the fact that he was coming off a long layoff, Caleb’s run was impressive.

But even before the race, Caleb’s Posse had already proven his ability as a sprinter with a win in the 6 1/2-furlong G2 Amsterdam Stakes over Redeemed and Wine Police. 

Caleb's Posse only had two sprint wins on the year, but they were the only two he competed in, leaving him two-for-two at the shorter distances.

The three-year-old ends the year with a record of 10-5-1-1, all in stakes races.

While there may be another sprinter out there that could have a better record at shorter distances, there is no doubt Caleb’s Posse has thrown his name in the ring to take home the Eclipse Award for American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse.