LEXINGTON, Ky. (January 6, 2024) – The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB) today announced the finalists for the 2023 Eclipse Awards, recognizing excellence through the past year in Thoroughbred racing. Winners in 17 horse and human categories will be announced on FanDuel TV, and other outlets, during the 53rd annual Eclipse Awards, presented by FanDuel TV, John Deere, Keeneland, and The Jockey Club, on Thursday, January 25 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The evening will culminate with the announcement of the 2023 Horse of the Year.
Of the 250 eligible voters represented by the NTRA, consisting of member racetrack racing officials and Equibase field personnel, the NTWAB, and Daily Racing Form, 219 (88%) took part in the voting. Finalists were determined in each category by voters’ top three selections, using a 10-5-1 point basis. Eclipse Award winners are determined solely by first-place votes.
The 2023 Eclipse Awards Finalists, with the exception of Horse of the Year, (in alphabetical order) are:
Two-Year-Old Male:
- Fierceness
- Locked
- Muth
Two-Year-Old Filly:
- Candied
- Hard to Justify
- Just FYI
Three-Year-Old Male:
- Arcangelo
- Auguste Rodin (IRE)
- Mage
Three-Year-Old Filly:
- Mawj (IRE)
- Pretty Mischievous
- Randomized
Older Dirt Male:
- Cody’s Wish
- Elite Power
- White Abarrio
Older Dirt Female:
- Clairiere
- Goodnight Olive
- Idiomatic
Male Sprinter:
- Cody’s Wish
- Elite Power
- Gunite
Female Sprinter:
- Echo Zulu
- Goodnight Olive
- Maple Leaf Mel
Male Turf Horse:
- Auguste Rodin (IRE)
- Master of the Seas (IRE)
- Up to the Mark
Female Turf Horse:
- In Italian (GB)
- Inspiral (GB)
- Mawj (IRE)
Steeplechase Horse:
- Awakened
- Merry Maker (IRE)
- Snap Decision
Owner:
- Godolphin, LLC
- Juddmonte
- Klaravich Stables, Inc.
Breeder:
- Calumet Farm
- Godolphin
- Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, LLC
Trainer:
- Chad Brown
- Brad Cox
- William I. Mott
Jockey:
- Tyler Gaffalione
- Irad Ortiz, Jr.
- Flavien Prat
Apprentice Jockey:
- Axel Concepcion
- Jaime A. Torres
- Sofia Vives
Finalists for Horse of the Year will be announced during the live show on January 25. In addition to honoring the 17 winners in the horse and human categories, Paul Calia will receive the Eclipse Award as the 2023 Horseplayer of the Year. Members of the media will be honored for outstanding coverage in six categories.
Eclipse Awards voting is conducted by the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB), the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), and Daily Racing Form. The Eclipse Awards ceremony is produced by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association.
The Eclipse Awards are named after the great 18th-century racehorse and foundation sire, Eclipse, who began racing at age five and was undefeated in 18 starts, including eight walkovers. Eclipse sired the winners of 344 races, including three Epsom Derbies.
Information about the Eclipse Awards, including hotels, can be found at https://www.ntra.com/eclipse-awards/. Should you have any questions please reach out to Michele Ravencraft at mravencraft@ntra.com.
About FanDuel Group
FanDuel Group is an innovative sports-tech entertainment company that is changing the way consumers engage with their favorite sports, teams, and leagues. The premier mobile gaming destination in the United States, FanDuel Group consists of a portfolio of leading brands across sports betting, iGaming, horse racing, advance-deposit wagering and daily fantasy sports. In addition, FanDuel Group operates FanDuel TV, its broadly distributed linear cable television network and FanDuel TV+, its leading direct-to-consumer OTT platform. FanDuel Group has a presence across all 50 states with approximately 17 million customers and 25 retail locations. FanDuel Group is a subsidiary of Flutter Entertainment plc, (LSE: FLTR) the world’s largest sports betting and gaming operator with a portfolio of globally recognized brands.
About The Eclipse Awards
The Eclipse Awards are named after the great 18th-century racehorse and foundation sire Eclipse, who began racing at age five and was undefeated in 18 starts, including eight walkovers. Eclipse sired the winners of 344 races, including three Epsom Derbies. The Eclipse Awards are bestowed upon horses and individuals whose outstanding achievements in North America have earned them the title of Champion in their respective categories. Those awards are voted by NTRA, Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB). Eclipse Awards also are given to recognize members of the media for outstanding coverage of Thoroughbred racing.
Contact:
Meghan Rodgers, NTRA, mrodgers@ntra.com
Jim Gluckson, Eclipse Awards, jim.gluckson@gmail.com
###