LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Wednesday, October 29, 2014) – Tickets for the 44th annual Eclipse Awards, presented by Daily Racing Form, Breeders’ Cup and The Stronach Group, and featuring the announcement of 2014 Horse of the Year, will go on sale Monday at 9 a.m. EST. The Eclipse Awards are set for Saturday, January 17, at Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino in Hallandale Beach, Fla.
Most of the Eclipse Awards remain up for grabs entering this weekend’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The most prestigious of them, Horse of the Year, could still go to one of the top 3-year-olds – Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome, undefeated Shared Belief or speedy multiple Grade I winner Bayern – if they win Saturday’s $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic. Should an outsider upset the Classic, there could still be hope for recently sidelined two-time defending Horse of the Year Wise Dan, undefeated in 2014, or even a top female like Close Hatches or Untapable if they can dominate Friday’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
Eclipse Awards tickets are available for $400 each or $4,000 for a table of 10. A block of rooms have been reserved at the Westin Diplomat Resort and Spa, located on the ocean and only a short distance from Gulfstream Park. For ticket purchases and room reservations, please contact Michele Ravencraft of the NTRA at mravencraft@ntra.com, or call (859) 422-2657.
The “black-tie optional” Eclipse Awards highlight a full weekend of events, several of which will be tied to charitable causes. A Friday night, Jan. 16, party in the Gulfstream Park paddock benefitting Gulfstream Thoroughbred Aftercare will have a “Havana Nights” theme. Saturday, Jan. 17, is Sunshine Millions at Gulfstream with five major stakes races for Florida-breds cumulatively worth more than $1 million. Sunday, Jan. 18, features a “First Chance/Last Chance” qualifier for the National Handicapping Championship.
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.