Eclipse Awards

Repole Stable's newly crowned Eclipse Award winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light) is set to make a much-anticipated sophomore debut in Saturday's GIII Holy Bull S., and--realistically--the homebred may not require his very best to make a victorious return to action. Brilliant as he was in breaking his maiden by better than 11 lengths at first asking in Uncle Mo-esque fashion over the summer at Saratoga, he was equally disappointing when beaten a long ways from home in the GI Champagne S. Those who quickly jumped ship...

I wasn't a National Treasure (Quality Road) fan. He got one of the easiest trips you'll ever see in a Triple Crown race when he was allowed to walk on the lead in the GI Preakness S., winning by a head over soft group of challengers. Which is why it came as no surprise that he couldn't so much as finish in the money in any of his next three starts, the GI Belmont S., the GI Travers S. and the GI Awesome Again S. He looked like a horse...

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...

It was an evening to remember for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum's Godolphin team, as the worldwide operation accumulated no fewer than five statuettes over the course of the evening at Thursday's 53rd Annual Eclipse Awards Presented by FanDuel TV, John Deere, Keeneland and The Jockey Club, honoring and recognizing excellence in Thoroughbred racing. And they saved the best for last, as Cody's Wish (Curlin), whose story resonated with nearly every fan of Thoroughbred racing and beyond, was named Horse of the Year and champion older dirt male for...

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...