Horse Racing News on January 5, 2012

Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom launched his 3-year-old campaign on the grass, and there is a good chance trainer Graham Motion may use the same strategy to get Animal Kingdom legged up for the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 31.

Though he has never had much success on the Santa Anita Park main track, Tres Borrachos is the likely favorite for the $150,000 San Pasqual Stakes Jan. 7.

Secret Circle, who culminated an undefeated freshman season with a victory in the inaugural Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint at Churchill Downs, will have his classic potential put to the test when he breaks from post 4 in Saturday's Sham Stakes.

Led by Havre de Grace, the front-runner for Horse of the Year, the divisional finalists for the 2011 Eclipse Awards were announced on Thursday by the three organizations that vote on the awards.