Last week, the opinion expressed by this party was that a Horse of the Year vote for Zenyatta is a vote for racing itself. Below, the complete ballot for the 40th annual Eclipse Awards -- a mostly straightforward exercise in recognition. Winners will be announced on Jan. 17 in Miami Beach, Florida.

Two-year-old Male/Female
Undefeated Breeders' Cup Juvenile victor Uncle Mo wins in a landslide. Can't wait to see what he does next year. The 6-for-6 BC Juvenile Fillies victress Awesome Feather goes to the top of her class.

Three-year-old Male/Female
Lookin At Lucky's solid Preakness, Haskell, and Indiana Derby scores made him a lock in this category even before he ran fourth in the BC Classic. Too bad he retired to stud at the end of the season. Kentucky Oaks winner Blind Luck ran an incredibly game campaign, her five graded stakes scores including three with Grade 1 ranking -- the Las Virgenes, Oaks, and Alabama.

Older Male/Female
Blame was best handicap horse, going 4-for-5 from his impressive return to racing in the William D. Schaefer at Pimlico to his BC Classic score and his place in history. No better older mare than Zenyatta and her five Grade 1 victories this season.

Male/Female Sprinter
Big Drama clinched the title with his victory in the BC Sprint. Same with Dubai Majesty in the BC Filly & Mare Sprint.

Male/Female Turf
Gio Ponti earns the recognition for his two Grade 1 scores and determined runner-up finishes behind Europe's best. He traveled to the Arlington Million and missed by a half-length after going six wide, and just couldn't get to phenomenal mare Goldikova in the BC Mile. As one friend remarked, "Poor Gio, if it weren't for the girls, he'd have a much better Breeders' Cup record." Goldikova, who trounced the boys while taking her third straight BC Mile -- gets the female version of this award.

Owner
Although one could criticize Jerry and Ann Moss for decisions regarding Zenyatta's campaign, recognition still goes to them for keeping the 6-year-old mare in training yet another season. They did the most for racing this year.

Breeder
Claiborne Farm and Adele B. Dilschneider for their homebred, Blame.

Trainer
Todd Pletcher got his first Kentucky Derby win with Super Saver, took the BC Juvenile with Uncle Mo, and sent out runners to amass more than $23 million in earnings -- including 14 Grade 1 winners.

Jockey
Garrett Gomez rebounded from a tough early part of the year to gain a solid position among the top money-earners in the nation, and fought through injury to take home not one but three BC scores -- including a brilliant ride in the Classic aboard Blame.

Apprentice Jockey
Frederic Lenclud kept pace with the big guns all season, riding at tracks like Keeneland, Saratoga, and Churchill Downs. He may not have posted the numbers of his fellow apprentices who kept roots firmly planted in one location, but he worked hard to get on good horses and his riding skills are the best of the bunch.