Honoring Excellence in American Thoroughbred Racing
Named in honor of the 18th century British racehorse, Eclipse, the Eclipse Awards were established in 1971 to honor the champions of American thoroughbred horse racing. The Eclipse Awards are sponsored by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association…
(NTRA), the National Turf Writers Association and Daily Racing Form, and the winners are chosen by representatives of these three independent bodies. Three finalists are chosen for each category, and winners are announced in January of the following year, with Horse of the Year considered to be the highest honor awarded in American thoroughbred horse racing. The 2013 Eclipse Awards will be held at Gulfstream Park on January 19.
The twenty Eclipse Award categories are:
• American Horse of the Year
• American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt
• American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly
• American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse
• American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly
• American Champion Older Male Horse
• American Champion Older Female Horse
• American Champion Sprint Horse
• American Champion Female Sprint Horse
• American Champion Male Turf Horse
• American Champion Female Turf Horse
• Outstanding Steeplechase Horse
• Outstanding Owner
• Outstanding Breeder
• Outstanding Trainer
• Outstanding Jockey
• Outstanding Apprentice Jockey
• Eclipse Special Award
• Eclipse Award of Merit
• National Thoroughbred Racing Association Moment of the Year
Following his win in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, where he set a new record of 1:31.78, Wise Dan is one of the favorites for the Eclipse American Horse of the Year Award, with other contenders including Game on Dude, Point of Entry and I’ll Have Another. Sired by Wiseman’s Ferry, out of Lisa Danielle, and foaled on February 20, 2007, Wise Dan began his racing career in 2010 and has had success on two types of synthetic surfaces, turf and dirt, winning eight Graded stakes races. As a gelding, Wise Dan will continue to race next summer and fall, unlike other champions that have gone on to stud careers.
Born on April 1, 1764, Eclipse only started his racing career at the age of five. He went on to win eighteen races, including eleven prestigious King’s Plates. Upon retiring from the track, Eclipse sired the winners of as many as 344 races, with three of his offspring becoming Epsom Derby winners. He was named after the solar eclipse that occurred on the day he was born.