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Horse racing’s equal of the Academy Awards takes place Thursday, Jan. 25 with the 53rd annual Eclipse Awards, held at The Breakers Resort in Palm Seashore, Fla. The Eclipse Awards acknowledge one of the best of one of the best in American Thoroughbred racing and are voted by the Nationwide Thoroughbred Racing Affiliation (NTRA), workers at Every day Racing Kind, and members of the Nationwide Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB). This 12 months’s occasion is sponsored by John Deere, FanDuel Racing, Keeneland, The Jockey Membership, and the NTRA and can air on FanDuel TV beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
Learn on for some enjoyable info in regards to the Eclipse Awards:
1) The Eclipse Awards started in 1971 as a approach to consolidate earlier awards and promote the game of horse racing. Every day Racing Kind and the Thoroughbred Racing Associations each honored champion racehorses in the course of the mid-20th century, the DRF beginning in 1936 and the TRA in 1950. Occasionally, they acknowledged two totally different horses as Horse of the 12 months, together with in 1970 when the DRF voted for Fort Marcy and the TRA honored Character. Racing publicist J.B. Faulconer chaired a committee in 1971 to deliver collectively turf writers and executives, and a unified awards system was fashioned.
2) The awards are named after probably the most influential Thoroughbreds in historical past. Faulconer named the brand new awards after Eclipse, who was probably the most profitable racehorses within the 18th century in England after which grew to become an much more completed sire whose genetic affect will be present in round 95% of modern-day Thoroughbreds. Learn extra about this legend and his impression on the game – and the awards – in Keeler Johnson’s article.
3) There are 17 divisional Eclipse Awards together with the celebrated Horse of the 12 months Award. The Eclipse Awards honors horses by age (2, 3, and older), intercourse, and floor (dust and turf), and there may be an award for champion steeplechase horse, too. Eclipse Awards are additionally granted to one of the best jockey, apprentice jockey, proprietor, breeder, and coach.
4) Eight horses have been voted Horse of the 12 months greater than as soon as. The primary three got here early within the awards’ historical past: Secretariat in 1972 and ’73; Forego (1974-’76); and Affirmed (1978-’79). The subsequent 5 are John Henry (1981 and ’84), Cigar (1994-’95), Curlin (1997-’98), Clever Dan (2012-’13), and California Chrome (2014 and ’16).
5) Seventeen 3-year-olds have been voted Horse of the 12 months. The primary was Secretariat in 1973 and the newest was Genuine in 2020. Sixteen of the 17 had been males and, naturally, all of them had been additionally voted champions of their division. The lone feminine: Rachel Alexandra, who went unbeaten in 2009 by means of eight begins and defeated males 3 times.
6) Six fillies/mares have been voted Horse of the 12 months. They’re: All Alongside (1983); Girl’s Secret (1986); Azeri (2002); Rachel Alexandra (2009); Zenyatta (2010); and Havre de Grace (2011). The aforementioned Rachel Alexandra is the one a type of half-dozen to have gained the award at age 3, and All Alongside is the one feminine turf horse to win Horse of the 12 months.
7) 9 horses have been voted champion 2-year-old male after which gone on to win the Kentucky Derby of their 3-year-old season. That sequence was almost routine in the course of the first decade of the Eclipse Awards, as Riva Ridge, Secretariat, Silly Pleasure, Seattle Slew, Affirmed, and Spectacular Bid all capitalized on their early potential by profitable the Derby (and three of them swept the Triple Crown). However there was a giant hole after that, all the way in which to 2006-’07 and Avenue Sense. Since then, American Pharoah and Nyquist have added to their juvenile championship status by capturing the run for the roses – American Pharoah doing so en path to a Triple Crown sweep.
8) 4 jockeys who had been honored with an Eclipse Award as Greatest Apprentice Jockey additionally obtained an Eclipse Award as Greatest Jockey throughout their careers. They’re Chris McCarron, Steve Cauthen, Kent Desormeaux, and Julien Leparoux. Cauthen, aka “The Child,” gained the Eclipse in each divisions in 1977, the 12 months earlier than he rode Affirmed to Triple Crown glory. Cauthen was additionally named Sportsman of the 12 months by Sports activities Illustrated in ’77. Tyler Gaffalione, the winner as excellent apprentice in 2015, is a finalist for excellent jockey for 2023.
9) Since 1995, solely eight trainers have gained the Eclipse Award for his or her career. Over the previous quarter-century-plus, this class has been relegated to a choose few – seven of the eight have gained a number of Eclipses throughout this timeframe. The listing: Todd Pletcher (eight, essentially the most all time, and together with final 12 months); Bob Baffert (4); Chad Brown (4); the late Bobby Frankel (4 out of his whole 5); Invoice Mott (three); Steve Asmussen (two); and Brad Cox (two). Dale Romans gained his sole Eclipse in 2012.
10) Different Eclipse Awards acknowledge lifetime achievements and media excellence. These awards have modified descriptions typically, and typically usually are not awarded for a selected 12 months. However the honorees within the media division for 2023 have already been introduced.
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