Irv Naylor’s Rawnaq, overwhelmingly voted the 2016 Eclipse Award after winning the $350,000 Grand National (Gr. 1), $200,000 Calvin Houghland Iroquois (Gr. 1), and $50,000 Temple Gwathmey (Gr. 3), topped the silver-anniversary National Steeplechase Association Theoretical Handicap with a rating of 160 pounds.
Ranked second and third were the two Irish invaders who finished closest to him in the Iroquois, Shaneshill (158) and Nichols Canyon (156). Scorpiancer, winner of the Lonesome Glory Handicap (Gr. 1), was fourth at 152 pounds.
Bob Le Beau, ill-fated winner of the A. P. Smithwick Memorial (Gr. 1), and Marion duPont Scott Colonial Cup (Gr. 1) victor Top Striker shared a 150-pound assignment.
NSA Director of Racing Bill Gallo Jr., who created the Theoretical in 1992, evaluated all 26 horses who placed in NSA open and novice stakes races in 2016.
Rawnaq’s rating was two pounds below the 162-pound average of annual highweights. Lonesome Glory set the standard with a 170-pound highweight in 1995, and fellow Racing Hall of Fame member McDynamo twice was rated at 168. Also garnering 168-pound highweights were Good Night Shirt (2008) and Warm Spell (1994).
Shortly before the Eclipse Awards were announced on Jan. 21, Rawnaq sustained a soft-tissue injury and will miss the 2017 season.
Here are all horses rated in the 2016 NSA Theoretical Handicap:
Horse Weight
Rawnaq (Ire) 160
Shaneshill (Ire) 158
Nichols Canyon (GB) 156
Scorpiancer (Ire) 152
Bob Le Beau (Ire) 150
Top Striker 150
Days of Heaven (Fr) 148
Sharp Rise (Ire) 146
Special Skills 144
Able Deputy (GB) 144
Charminster (Ire) 142
Andi’amu (Fr) 140
Jamarjo (Ire) 140
Maserati (Brz) 140
Portrade (Ire) 140
Schoodic 140
African Oil 138
Hardrock Eleven 138
Tempt Me Alex 138
All That Rules (GB) 136
Balance the Budget 134
Ice It 134
Rudyard K 134
Miguel Grau 134
Class Cherokee 130
Express Line (Fr) 130