Eclipse Rivals: Take Charge Brandi vs Lady Eli

This is the first on what will be several posts on two horses who are going for the same Eclipse Awards. Finalists will likely be announced in early January with the awards to be presented on January 17th. The first post involves 2yo Filly. It's a battle between the Breeders' Cup winners Take Charge Brandi and Lady Eli.


Lady Eli (Divine Park) vs Take Charge Brandi (Giant's Causeway)

Lady

Undefeated in three starts including a win in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf with a devastating turn of foot. Also has a win in the Miss Grillo. Trained by Chad Brown and owned by Sheep Pond Partners.



Brandi

Three wins in seven starts, two of them where the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and just this weekend in the Delta Princess. Since the BC was instituted almost all the winners have gone on to take the Eclipse (the exception to that rule is Family Style and She's a Tiger (although in the latter she did cross the wire first before being DQ'ed)). She is trained by D. Wayne Lukas and owned by Willis Horton (the same connections as Will Take Charge (Unbridled's Song) whose a 1/2 brother to Brandi's dam Charming (Seeking the Gold).



Why Lady will win?: The two fillies on dirt haven't been too consistent, although with Brandi winning the Delta Princess might change things. Also if Sunset Glow wins the Starlet at Los Alamitos in a few weeks, that will add more to her record as she defeated the Del Mar Debutante winner in the Breeders' Cup.

Why Brandi will win?: Even though before the Breeders' Cup she had been inconsistent for the past few races, she did beat a very nice field in the BCJF. Included in that race was Cavorting, Angela Renee, Top Decile (who was closing on her) and Wonder Gal. Also she showed that her BC win was no fluke by winning on a bull ring. Then there is this:

Take Charge Brandi could come under consideration for the Starlet at Los Alamitos, said trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
— Mary Rampellini (@DRFRampellini) November 22, 2014

Who will win?: Both of these horses are guaranteed to be finalists on the count on the BC race wins. Chad Brown's mentor is the  late great Bobby Frankel and Wayne Lukas is a legend in his own right. Before today I was leaning towards Lady Eli, but if Take Charge Brandi wins the Starlet... she gets the win. Right now though, their record is tied at 1 G1 win and 1 G3 win. However if Brandi doesn't go to the Starlet, it might come down to a very tight vote.