LAST year, this title was awarded to four horses - Songbird, Beholder, California Chrome and Arrogate. Four legends who put on two final shows in the Breeders’ Cup to make the year in racing. The year before, of course, it was a singular performance by American Pharoah, who defined the year.

This year, it’s back to a singular title as Gun Runner dominated American racing, winning all five of his North American starts, including a romp in the Breeders’ Cup Classic to finish off his championship season. He lost once, when finishing second to Arrogate in the Dubai World Cup. From there, he ran the table, winning the Stephen Clark, Whitney, Woodward and Breeders’ Cup Classic. In baseball, it would be called a grand slam. In racing, it was a Grade 1 grand slam.