53rd Eclipse Awards

Cody's Wish (Curlin) was crowned both 2023 Horse of the Year and Older Dirt Male champion at Thursday night's 53rd annual Eclipse Awards ceremony, and when Kelly Dorman, the father of the late Cody Dorman, accepted the evening's highest honor on behalf of owner/breeder Godolphin, the crowd at The Breakers Palm Beach in Florida met his brief pause to shed a few bittersweet tears with a standing ovation that gave him time to collect his thoughts and let the gravity of the moment sink in. On the track, Cody's Wish...

Cody's Wish (Curlin), whose attachment to 17-year-old Cody Dorman attracted followers from well outside the horse racing world, was crowned Horse of the Year Thursday night at the 53rd annual Eclipse Awards Ceremony at The Breakers Palm Beach in Florida. Cody's Wish scored an emotional second win in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile with a gritty display at Santa Anita in November and the victory was made even more poignant when Dorman, who suffered from a rare genetic disorder and after whom the colt was named, died the following...

Juddmonte homebred Idiomatic (Curlin) was named Eclipse champion older dirt female during ceremonies Thursday in Florida following a tour de force 2023 campaign which saw her win three Grade I events. The 4-year-old filly, from the same family which gave Juddmonte its 2014 champion mare Close Hatches, was second in the GII Ruffian S. in May before sweeping to victories in the GIII Shawnee S., GII Delaware H., GI Personal Ensign S., GI Spinster S., and GI Breeders' Cup Distaff. Godolphin homebred Cody's Wish (Curlin) was named Eclipse champion older...

Blue Rose Farm's Arcangelo (Arrogate) and Godolphin's Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) earned Eclipse Awards as leaders of the 2023 sophomore division during Thursday's ceremony in Florida. In a division that failed to produce any runaway leader throughout the year, Arcangelo distinguished himself with wins in the GI Belmont S. and GI Travers S. and took home the Eclipse statue for leading 3-year-old male. The gray's 2023 campaign also included a win in the GIII Peter Pan S. Godolphin homebred Pretty Mischievous was first or second in all six of her...

For the fourth straight year, Sheikh Mohammed bin Maktoum's Godolphin has been named Eclipse champion owner and the operation was named champion breeder for the third straight year. During 2023, Godolphin was represented by Eclipse finalists Cody's Wish (Curlin), Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief), Mawj (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) and Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). In addition to its Eclipse titles as leading owner from 2020 through 2023, Godolphin was also named champion owner of 2009 and 2012.

Irad Ortiz, Jr., who continued to break earnings records in 2023, won his fourth Eclipse Award as champion jockey Thursday night in Florida. Ortiz, whose mounts earned $39,192,585 last year, rode Eclipse finalists White Abarrio, Elite Power and Goodnight Olive to Breeders' Cup victories in 2023. The Eclipse Award for leading Apprentice Jockey went to Axel Concepcion. The 18-year-old Puerto Rican led apprentice riders in both wins and earnings having ridden the winners of 199 races and earners of $5,179,154. He was also the leading rider at Laurel Park's spring...

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables' Up to the Mark (Not This Time) and Cheveley Park Stud's Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) were named turf champions during Thursday's Eclipse Award ceremony in Florida. Up the Mark won three straight Grade I events, starting off with the GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic in May, adding the GI Manhattan S. in June and the GI Coolmore Turf Mile in October. On championship weekend, he found just European invader Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) too good while trying 1 1/2 miles for...

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott won his fourth Eclipse Award as the nation's leading trainer in 2023. The 70-year-old saddled the winners of 10 Grade I races in 2023, including Eclipse finalists Cody's Wish, Elite Power, and Just F Y I, and his stable recorded earnings of $17.43 million--most ever in his storied career. Mott also earned Eclipse championships in 1995, 1996 and 2011.

Elite Power (Curlin) and Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper) repeated as Eclipse champion sprinters during Thursday's ceremony in Florida. Juddmonte's Elite Power traveled to Saudi Arabia to begin 2023 with a win in the G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint. Returned stateside, he won the GII True North S. and GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. before having an eight-race win streak interrupted with a runner-up effort in the GI Forego S. at Saratoga in August. He returned to the winner's circle and earned his second straight win in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint just...

Breeders' Cup-winning 2-year-olds Fierceness (City of Light) and Just F Y I (Justify) have been named Eclipse champion 2-year-old colt and filly, respectively. Repole Stable's homebred Fierceness was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' following his 11 1/4-length debut victory at Saratoga Aug. 25. Following a dull effort in the GI Champagne S., the bay colt was let go at 16-1 in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, but he sealed the championship with an easy 6 1/4-length win. Fierceness became the second straight juvenile champion for Mike Repole, who accepted an...

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) will be in attendance as the official charity for the 53rd Eclipse Awards Jan. 25 at The Breakers Palm Beach in Florida, the non-profit said in a Friday release. "It's an honor to stand with NTRA and the whole racing community, celebrating the incredible talent and of the Thoroughbreds and the dedication of their connections," said Stacie Clark Rogers, Operations Consultant for Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. "We are grateful for the opportunity to highlight our commitment to our industry's horses on this prestigious platform." "We are thrilled...

The Jockey Club of America Chairman Stuart S. Janney III will be honored with the Eclipse Award of Merit at the 53rd Annual Eclipse Awards Dinner and Ceremony at The Breakers Palm Beach in Florida on Thursday, Jan. 25, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) said in a Friday release. "The Eclipse Award of Merit is the Thoroughbred industry's highest honor, bestowed upon an individual who has displayed a lifetime of achievement in service to the sport," reads the press release from the NTRA. "Janney's decades of involvement and leadership...