Horse of the Year

A colt from the first crop of Horse of the Year Authentic was hammered down to Donato Lanni, agent for SF Bloodstock, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables for $875,000 as the first night of trade at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga reached its midpoint. Hip 56, consigned by Four Star Sales as agent, was bred by Spendthrift Farm--who raced Authentic with Starlight and Madaket and stands him as well--and is the second foal out of the Grade III-placed Golden Domer (Quality Road), who was knocked down to Spendthrift for $340,000 in foal to...

During a season that saw him become the richest-ever horse and most prolific winner of Group 1 races in Hong Kong history, Stanley Chan Ka Leung's Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) was named Horse of the Year in the jurisdiction for an unprecedented third straight season during a black-tie affair held Friday evening at the Grand Ballroom of the Rosewood Hotel. The son of Gaudeamus (Distorted Humor) won four of his five trips to the post during a well-managed 7-year-old campaign, his only loss coming at the hooves of the...

Caravel (Mizzen mast), winner of the 2022 GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, was named the 2022 PA-Bred Horse of the Year, Older Female, Female Sprinter and Turf Female at the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association's annual Iroquois Awards held Friday, May 12. Racing in 2022 for Qatar Racing, Marc Detampel and Madaket Stables LLC and trained by Brad Cox, Caravel won five of eight starts during her 5-year-old season while racing exclusively in stakes. She was also Pennsylvania's richest state-bred of the year, with $930,983, which pushed her over the million-dollar...

Havre de Grace (Saint Liam--Easter Bunnette, by Carson City), the 2011 Horse of the Year and Eclipse Award-winning older mare who sold to Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm for $10 million at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, passed away in the early morning hours of Apr. 30. Wayne Sweezey, who boarded Havre de Grace at his Timber Town Farm, confirmed that the 16-year-old mare hemorrhaged multiple times and died after producing a colt by Into Mischief the afternoon of Apr. 28. "She was just so smart, she fought all the...

The Kentucky Thoroughbred Association (KTA) and the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders (KTOB) awards dinner Apr. 5 in Lexington named Dreaming of Julia (A.P. Indy), dam of Grade I winner Malathaat (Curlin) and Grade II winner Julia Shining (Curlin), the 2022 Broodmare of the Year. Summer Wind Equine was awarded a bronze mare and foal as the breeder of Flightline (Tapit), who was crowned Champion Kentucky-Bred Horse of the Year and Champion Kentucky-Bred Older Dirt Male. Godolphin received multiple bronzes as the recipient of the P.A.B. Widener Trophy, best known...

The most exciting and highest-priced horse to go to stud in 2023, at a fee of $200,000, Flightline has amassed a book of mares as deep as any in recent memory for a first-season sire. We sat down with Lane's End Bloodstock's David Ingordo to hear about just 10 of those famous mares--a tough number to narrow down in a book so full of riches. "We've got a ton of great support for the horse, from Eclipse Award-winning owner-breeders to successful commercial breeders," said Ingordo. "We went out and bought...

Flightline not only garnered the Older Dirt Male Eclipse Award, but his impressive performances throughout 2022 earned him the right at this coveted prize—Horse of the Year. FLIGHTLINE We may never see another one quite like him again. Crowned as Longines World's Best Racehorse in London last week, Flightline, to absolutely no one's surprise, added Horse of the Year and champion older dirt male honors at Thursday evening's Eclipse Awards. The unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' ran to his unworldly reputation and then some by concluding his six-for-six career with a...

The 52nd annual Eclipse Awards will air live on FanDuel TV and Racetrack Television Network (RTN) Thursday from The Breakers Palm Beach in Florida. The Keeneland red-carpet show will begin at 6:30 p.m. ET, with the ceremony following at 7:30 p.m. ET. The evening will culminate with the announcement of the 2022 Horse of the Year. The ceremony will also be streamed live on multiple outlets including: NTRA.com, americasbestracing.net, bloodhorse.com, equibase.com, and NTRA's Youtube channel.

Dual Group 1 winner Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) followed in his sire's footsteps and claimed the 2022 Japanese Horse of the Year crown with 282/288 votes, according to published reports. The son of G3 Mermaid S. heroine Chateau Blanche (Jpn) (King Halo {Jpn}) raced for trainer Tetsuyama Kimura in the colours of Silk Racing Company, Ltd. Also named the Japanese Champion 3-Year-Old Male with 285/288 votes, the Northern Farm-bred was second in both the G1 Japanese 2000 Guineas and G1 Japanese Derby, but added his name to the roll...

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB) today announced the finalists for the 2022 Eclipse Awards, recognizing excellence in Thoroughbred racing. Winners in 17 horse and human categories will be announced on FanDuel TV, and other outlets, during the 52nd annual Eclipse Awards, presented by John Deere, Keeneland, and The Jockey Club,  on Thursday, Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The evening will culminate with the announcement of the 2022 Horse of the Year. Of the 258 eligible voters represented by...

With the 52nd Annual Eclipse Awards in Palm Beach, Fla. less than a month away, the votes will be cast by the media and other important officials until Jan. 3, as Thoroughbred racing aims to honor its best. The Thoroughbred Daily News Staff that are members of the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB) submitted their selections this week and here is a rundown of the results from some of the categories, along with their 'strongest vote.' Bill Horse of the Year: Flightline 3-Year-Old Male: Taiba 3-Year-Old Filly: Nest 2-Year-Old...

Between them, Maurice (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}) and Gentildonna (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) accounted for three Horse of the Year titles in Japan, 13 Group 1 races--including four overseas--and the better part of $28 million in prizemoney. There is no such thing as a sure thing in the business of breeding horses, but Geraldina (Jpn) went some ways in cementing the accomplishments of mom and dad in their second careers with a tough-trip victory in Sunday's G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Hanshin Racecourse. Drawn widest in the field of...