2023 Eclipse Awards Finalists Announced

2023 Eclipse Awards Finalists Announced

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 host hotels, can be found at https://www.ntra.com/eclipse-awards/. Hotel room blocks will be closing in the coming weeks, so please secure your accommodation soon. Should you have any questions please reach out to Michele Ravencraft at mravencraft@ntra.com.