2023 EOY Awards Summary

2yo Dirt Female – RACE TO THE LIGHT – desperado (Master)

RACE TO THE LIGHT, owned by Desperado and sired by City of Light had an undefeated 2-yo campaign. She won every race she in 2023 and after breaking her maiden, she quickly captured a listed stakes victory. Then kicked things into high gear as she snagged the G1 Walnut Tree Stakes and sealed things up with a very nice win in the Breeders’ Bowl Juvenile Filly. Congrats Desperado on a very nice season with this youngster.

CITY OF LIGHT x DYNAFORMER x STORM CAT (Dam – RACE TO THE MOON)

G1 – Walnut Tree Stakes (1st) – $450,000
G1 – Breeders’ Bowl Juvenile Filly (1st) – $900,000

2yo Dirt Male – LIVE A LIL – beerkeg (Master)

Live A Lil bounced around in dirt and turf sprints early in his busy nine start season of 2023. It wasn’t until he was able to go a mile for the first time that the son of Tapit really showed his mettle. He won an allowance in August which was followed up by a win in the G1 Sparkling Wine Stakes. That sent him into the Breeders’ Bowl Juvenile which he won convincingly with a 105 speed. He has yet to make a 2024 start but certainly the Bluegrass Derby must be the goal.

TAPIT x DANZIG x MR. PROSPECTOR (Scratch Bred)

G1 – Sparkling Wine Stakes (1st) – $450,000
G1 – Breeders’ Bowl Juvenile (1st) – $900,000

2yo Turf Female – THE GIRLFRIEND – gowans (Master)

Winning the Eclipse in the 2YO Female Turf Class for 2023 is Gowan’s Mehmas sired THE GIRLFIEND. This hard closing filly has raced six times during the year and has been untouchable. After winning a listed stakes race her second time out, she hit paydirt in the G2 The Why You Bugging Stakes. This was followed by a trifecta of G1 wins in the More Nay, The Chevel and the biggest one in the Breeders’ Bowl Filly Juvy Turf. Congrats Gowan on a very successful season with this lady!

MEHMAS x KINGMAMBO x DANEHILL (Scratch Bred)

G2 – The Why You Buggin Stakes (1st) – $225,000
G1 – The More Nay (1st) – $450,000
G1 – The Chevel (1st) – $450,000
G1 – Breeders’ Bowl Filly Juvy Turf (1st) – $450,000

2yo Turf Male – HOUSE I BUILT – beerkeg (Master)

House I Built was first or second in seven of his eight 2023 starts (with the only off the board finish coming over a yielding track). He began his career on the dirt which seems odd for a son of Frankel but he won his first two starts before finishing runner up in a listed stakes. Switched to the grass he immediately won a listed followed by the G1 Firebird going six furlongs. He added second place finishes in the two richest races for two year old turfers, the G1 Golden Shoe at six furlongs and then the G1 Breeders’ Bowl Juvenile Turf at a mile. The latter he lost by just a quarter of a length.

FRANKEL (GB) x DEPUTY MINISTER x MR. PROSPECTOR (Scratch Bred)

G1 – The Firebird (1st) – $450,000
G1 – The Golden Shoe (2nd) – $375,000
G1 – Breeders’ Bowl Juvenile Turf (2nd) – $187,500

3yo Dirt Sprint Female – NIGHT CONFESSION – supertaffy (Master)

Taking the trophy in the 3YO Filly Dirt Sprint divison is Supertaffy’s NIGHT CONFESSION. This lady is the daughter of Nyquist and she had top-3 finishes in 4 stake races. Early in the season, she clocked in second in a listed stakes race where she led the race and got beat on the wire by a short neck. She made amends in the G1 Happy Mothers Day by taking the lead and holding it throughout the 6f. She repeated in her next start, the G1 Priceless battling early on in a multi-horse war for the front spot and eventually took command and pulled away to win by over a stride. Her other top finish was a third in the G2 Wilted Petals Stakes where late runners caught her in the stretch. Congrats Superfaffy on a very fine sprinter!

NYQUIST x QUALITY ROAD x SAINT LIAM (Dam – DEATHBEDCONFESSION)

G1 – HAPPY MOTHERS DAY (1st) – $300,000
G1 – The Priceless (1st) – $450,000
G2 – Wilted Petals Stakes (3rd) – $37,500

3yo Dirt Sprint Male – LAUNDRY ROOM – kashbarn (Master)

Laundry Room spent much of 2023 running in listed dirt sprints where he won three times and hit the board in five other races. His coming out party was the G1 Malibu Sprint in December. He earned this title the hard way with ten starts over the course of the year.

INVINCIBLE SPIRIT (IRE) x UNBRIDLED’S SONG x STORM CAT (Dam – POWER OF KASH)

G1 – The Malibu Sprint (1st) – $450,000

3yo Dirt Route Female – SEEKING THIS TIME – supertaffy (Master)

And winning the Eclipse is…….SEEKING THIS TIME wins the 2023 Eclipse in the 3yo Filly Dirt Route Class.  This filly is owned by Supertaffy and is sired by Not This Time. She won four races this season starting things off with a listed stakes victory. Next in line was the G2 Black Middle Flower Stake where she wired the field. She ran close to the leaders in the G1 Sister Hen Stakes and pounced on them in the stretch to win by 2-strides. Her fourth win was as a 25-1 long shot in the Breeders’ Bowl Distaff, winning by a nice 2+ stride gap, which came on the heels of a second in the G1 Great Dame (longshot at 23-1). A very nice way to wrap up the season and Seeking This Time may just be getting started. Congrats Supertaffy

NOT THIS TIME x SEEKING THE GOLD x BROAD BRUSH (Scratch Bred)

G2 – Black Middle Flower Stk (1st) – $225,000
G1 – Sister Hen Stakes (1st) – $450,000
G1 – The Great Dame (2nd) – $187,500
G1 – Breeders’ Bowl Distaff (1st) – $1,800,000

3yo Dirt Route Male – DRENGILIGR – given (Master)

Like many of our champions Drengiligr was in great form from the start of the year. After closing out 2022 with a G1 win he was second – beaten just ¼ length in the G1 Vermont is 4 Lovers. He parlayed that into a win on the biggest day of the sim year in the Bluegrass Derby. Triple Crown hopes were dashed on an off track in Maryland in the Middle Jewel but Drengiligr won the G1 Eddie Haskell Stakes later in the year.

TAPIT x SADLER’S WELLS x STORM CAT

G1 – VERMONT IS 4 LOVERS (2nd) -$125,000
G1 – Bluegrass Derby (1st) – $3,600,000
G1 – Eddie Haskell Stakes (1st) – $1,800,000

3yo Dirt Long Female – LORNE DAME – vyz (Master)

LORNE DAME captures this seasons 3YO Filly Long Dirt award. She’s sired by Quality Road and owned by VYZ. After finishing third in a pair of listed stakes at the 10f and 11f distances, Lorne Dame kicked things up and found a win in a 12f listed stakes with a strong rally form 9 back at the half on a sloppy surface. She expanded out to 14f in the G2 Radiant and came from 11 back to rundown the field and take the trip to the winner’s circle. Congrats VYZ and Lorne Dame on taking the Eclipse!

QUALITY ROAD x WAR FRONT x SCAT DADDY (Dam – OUTBACK DAME)

G2 – The Radiant (1st) – $225,000

3yo Dirt Long Male – BEACH TOY – kobras (Master)

Beach Toy came to hand a bit too late to make a run for the Bluegrass Derby. The winner of the G3 Chief Snow Handicap in April stretched out in distance a month later when he was third in the G2 New Yorker Test. He may not have aced the test but when stretched out to a mile and a half he proved best of all, taking the third jewel of the Triple Crown by almost two lengths.

OMAHA BEACH x TAPIT x CURLIN (Dam – JUST TAP IT)

G3 – Chief Snow Handicap (1st) – $90,000
G2 – New Yorker Test (3rd) – $25,000
G1 – The New Yorker (1st) – $1,800,000

3yo Turf Sprint Female – ASGARD’S DOOM – lenny271 (Master)

ASGARD’S DOOM started the season off with a pair of seconds in the Red Carpet and Lady Liberty before finding her first win in the Josei Sprint, all G3 races. This Sea the Stars sired horse comes out of Hall of Famer and Eclipse winning game mare Network News. She then took a third on the yielding track in the G2 Stargazer. In the later part of the season, Asgard’s found another win in a listed stakes race and immediately popped out another win in the G1 Girl is Fast Cup. Lenny271 adds another Eclipse award to his overflowing trophy cabinet, Congrats!

SEA THE STARS x GONE WEST x NORTHERN DANCER (Dam – NETWORK NEWS)

G3 – The Red Carpet (2nd) – $37,500
G3 – Lady Liberty (2nd) – $37,500
G3 – Josei Sprint (1st) – $90,000
G2 – The Stargazer (3rd) – $25,000
G1 – That Girl Is Fast Cup (1st) – $300,000

3yo Turf Sprint Male – ANDTHAT’SMYSTORY – atthewire (Master)

This son of Showcasing scored the biggest win of his season in the G1 Too Young To Beat Older Horses Stakes. In that field of fourteen only two of it’s runners have not yet won a graded stakes race. Andthat’smystory had two other stakes wins on his resume, enough to vault him to champion status here. He’s been away from the races since November but certainly will be back soon.

SHOWCASING (GB) x CARAVAGGIO x PIVOTAL (Dam – CARAS ALIBI)

G1 – The Too Young To Beat Older Horses Stakes (1st) – $450,000

3yo Turf Route Female – SOFI RYAN – beerkeg (Master)

SOFI RYAN found a way to win every-other start during 2023 and those were all in G1 races. Starting in March, this I Am Invincible sired lady, won the Japanese 1000 Guineas. Two races later, in June, the next victory came in the Cremation Stakes. The Motherly Love Stakes would be the third win, two starts later, in this November event and at with high 22/1 odds and beating older ladies. She also chalked a third place finish at the start of the season in the Vermont is 4 Lovers race in February. The owner of this mile specialist is Beerkeg and congrats on taking home the Eclipse for the 3YO Filly Turf Route.

I AM INVINCIBLE (AUS) x UNBRIDLED x MEDAGLIA D’ORO (Scratch Bred)

G1 – VERMONT IS 4 LOVERS (3rd) – $50,000
G1 – The Japanese 1000 Guineas (1st) – $450,000
G1 – The Cremation Stakes (1st) – $450,000
G1 – The Motherly Love Stakes (1st) – $450,000

3yo Turf Route Male – THE WHITE FUR – lenny271 (Master)

The White Fur began 2023 in two listeds where he finished first and then second going a mile on the lawn. He followed that up with a win in the G3 Doctor is In Memorial. He scored the biggest win of his season in the classic 2000 Guineas (G1). He beat thirteen other sophomore colts and of those nine have won at the graded level with three of them also being millionaires.

DUBAWI (IRE) x SEA THE STARS x STORM CAT (Dam – BARBEGAZI)

G3 – The Doctor Is In Memorial (1st) – $90,000
G1 – The 2000 Guineas (1st) – $1,800,000

3yo Turf Long Female – I LOVE RICK JAMES – given (Master)

Winning in the Filly Turf Long category for 3Yo’s is I LOVE RICK JAMES. This is a lady out of I Am Invincible with a mother who is also a past Eclipse winner, Koko’s Kitten.  I Love Rick James brought home three grade level wins to owner Given, which include back-to-back wins in the G3 Tristan Fillies and G1 Sydney Oaks. A win in the Amalfi Oaks (G1) came later in the season. She also added a pair of thirds in the Derby de English and Bald Bull Stakes, both G1 races. She has a wicked late run and will be looking to add more victories to her collection in 2014. Well done Given!

I AM INVINCIBLE (AUS) x KITTEN’S JOY x MR. PROSPECTOR (Dam – KOKO’S KITTEN)

G3 – Tristan Fillies (1st) – $90,000
G1 – Sydney Oaks (1st) – $450,000
G1 – Derby de English (1st) – $600,000
G1 – Amalfi Oaks (1st) – $300,000
G1 – The Bald Bull Stakes (3rd) – $50,000

3yo Turf Long Male – SHADY STICKS – chilimac (Master)

Shady Sticks really started to shine when stretched out to a mile and a half early in his three year old season. He was second in the G1 Sydney Derby before showing up in the division’s biggest race, the G1 Derby de English which he won by over three lengths. He hit the board in an additional two grade ones in 2023.

WALDGEIST (GB) x EMPIRE MAKER x SADLER’S WELLS (Dam – PEACE AT DAWN)

G1 – Sydney Derby (2nd) – $375,000
G1 – Derby de English (1st) – $3,600,000
G1 – Owner’s Stakes (3rd) – $75,000
G1 – The Vicky Derby (2nd) – $750,000

Older Dirt Female Sprint – GENUINE BLUEGRASS – bigblueracing (Master)

Winning the Eclipse in the Older Filly Dirt Sprint division is GENUINE BLUEGRASS. She is a scratchbred out of Authentic and during 2023 won three grade level events with one second. Genuine finished second in the Princess Looney at 6f. The wins all came at 7f and include the G2 Virginia Madison, G1 Humane Distaff and G1 Nutcracker. This patient late-runner appears to have mastered the 7f distance and is owned by Bigblueracing, congrats on a very fine runner!

AUTHENTIC x SMART STRIKE x HIS MAJESTY (Scratch Bred)

G2 – The Virginia Madison (1st) – $225,000
G1 – The Humane Distaff (1st) – $450,000
G1 – The Princess Looney (2nd) – $187,500
G1 – The Nutcracker (1st) – $450,000

Older Dirt Male Sprint – MIND YOUR CAMERAS – tyedye (Master)

The Breeders’ Bowl Sprint often determines the championships for sprinters and this year’s winner took home the older male championship. Mind Your Cameras also won the G1 Iceberg and the G3 Cracked Peanuts but it was that upset win in the Breeders’ Bowl that promoted him to the top of the division. He beat two prior End of Year Award winners as well as five other grade one winners. He began this year with a solid third in a grade two, his connections hopeful that that will put him on the path to a repeat win in this category.

MIND YOUR BISCUITS x CANDY RIDE x VINDICATION (Dam – CANDID BULB)

G3 – Cracked Peanuts Sprint (1st) – $90,000
G1 – The Iceberg (1st) – $450,000
G1 – Breeders’ Bowl Sprint (1st) – $1,800,000
G2 – Pablo Verces Handicap (3rd) – $37,500

Older Dirt Female Route – MAGICAL MORNING – kingab (Master)

Picking up her third Eclipse award is KingAB’s MAGICAL MORNING. Between 2021 and 2022 she won every graded race she appeared in and that included had a perfect 2022 race season, winning all 9 graded races she appeared in and that included seven G1 races and a pair of Breeders’ Bowl Distaff events. Her string came to an end earlier this year as she was off the board in her first start but recovered with a win in the Very Vane. A third Breeders’ Bowl would be elusive for her, but she did put in a solid second place finish. Magical was sired by Shamardal and we congratulate KingAB on the success of this lady!

SHAMARDAL x DEEP IMPACT x GIANT’S CAUSEWAY (Dam – IMPACT IS MAGICAL)

G1 – The Very Vane (1st) – $450,000
G1 – Breeders’ Bowl Distaff (2nd) – $750,000

Older Dirt Male Route – TWENTY EIGHTH – given (Master)

Twenty Eighth scored in one of the biggest performances on one of the biggest days of the year by taking the Sand Castle Classic with a 123 speed back in March. He beat two End of Year Award winners plus seven other grade one winners in that field. Twenty Eighth continued to have solid form, finishing second by just a half length in the G1 Movieland Shiny Cup and racking up another second in the G1 Jockey Guild Gold Cup.

CONSTITUTION x STORM CAT x SEEKING THE GOLD (Scratch Bred)

G1 – Sand Castle Classic (1st) – $3,600,000
G1 – Movieland Shiny Cup (1st) – $375,000
G1 – Jockey Guild Gold Cup (2nd) – $750,000

Older Dirt Female Long – KEEPIN YOU CLOSE – lenny271 (Master)

Lenny271 may have to make and addition to his home for all the trophy’s he has amassed as yet another award is coming his way as KEEPIN YOU CLOSE has won the 2023 Eclipse award for the Older Filly Dirt Long class. Keepin is a scratchbred Empire Maker five year old who had top-3 finishes in 7 straight stake races (6 of these were in the graded division) during the year. Included in this streak were three wins, one in a listed stake event and a pair of G1’s with the first coming in the Thumb Route and the second in the Scottsdale Stayer. She often enjoys being on the lead, and this led her to the Eclipse honors. Nice job, Lenny!

EMPIRE MAKER x DEPUTY MINISTER x CURLIN (Scratch Bred)

G2 – The Old Lady (2nd) – $93,750
G1 – The Thumb Route (1st) – $450,000
G2 – The Turtle Bridge (3rd) – $37,500
G2 – The Breakdown (2nd) – $93,750
G1 – The Scottsdale Stayer (1st) – $450,000
G2 – The Rocky Top Oaks (3rd) – $37,500

Older Dirt Male Long – LIKEIGIVEAHOOT – winterset (Master)

Punters certainly gave a hoot when this horse stormed home to win the Breeders’ Bowl Dirt Marathon at nearly 17/1. It was his fourth straight stakes win. He took the first stakes of his career in May and followed it up with wins in the G2 Grumpy Old Man Marathon and then the G1 Monster Mash. Likeigiveahoot ended his season with a second place finish in the G1 Big Apple.

HOOTENANNY x WAR FRONT x MR. PROSPECTOR (Dam – LIKELIHOOD)

G2 – Grumpy Old Man Marathon (1st) -$225,000
G1 – The Monster Mash (1st) – $450,000
G1 – Breeders’ Bowl Dirt Marathon (1st) – $450,000
G1 – The Big Apple (2nd) – $187,500

Older Turf Female Sprint – FIRE CAVE – robsscoobi (Master)

FIRE CAVE has captured the Eclipse in the Older Filly Turf Sprint division. It took a streak of three-in-a-row grade level wins to earn this distinguished award. The streak included the G2 Winter Spint, G3 Amalie Brunn Sprint (both of thee on a yielding track) and the G1 Fujimoto Turf. Prior to this streak, she was second in a listed stakes race and finished a close third in the G3 Rita Gorr Sprint. Fire Cave ran her last career race less than two weeks ago and has been retired and has bred her first child for owner Robsscoobi. Congrats on the award and good luck with the newly bred child!

SIYOUNI x AUSTRALIA x AWESOME AGAIN (Dam – RUSTY CAVE)

G3 – Rita Gorr Sprint (3rd) – $15,000
G2 – The Winter Sprint (1st) – $225,000
G3 – Amalie Bruun Sprint (1st) – $90,000
G1 – Fujimoto Turf Sprint 1st) – $450,000

Older Turf Male Sprint – SECRET OF KINGS – naskippy (Master)

The 2022 Champion Three Year Old Turf Sprint winner returned in 2023 to take another championship. He won two grade ones, the Golden Goose Sprint and the Cup of July. He started the year with a third in the G2 Cool Lightning and ended the year with a third in the G1 King Kong Sprint where he was beaten less than a length.

KINGMAN x POLLARD’S SECRET x MIDNIGHT LUTE (Dam – SECRET BANG)

G2 – The Cool Lightning Stakes (3rd) – $37,500
G1 – Golden Goose Sprint (1st) – $450,000
G1 – The Cup Of July (1st) – $450,000
G1 – King Kong Sprint (3rd) – $75,000

Older Turf Female Route – GASGANO – lenny271 (Master)

A question for Lenny271…Don’t you have enough Eclipse Awards? The reason for the question is that GASGANO has won the 2023 award for the Older Filly Turf class. The Wootton Bassett bred gal had four wins and four seconds in stake races this year. In listed stakes, she won three times with a second. In graded company, she grabbed a win in the G1 Yellow Submarine and stacked three seconds that came in the G2 Randy Vet, G1 Best of Rome and in the Itch tribute G1 Itchstock.

WOOTTON BASSETT (GB) x SEA THE STARS x EL PRADO (Dam – LOWER PENINSULA)

G2 – The Randy Vet (2nd) – $93,750
G1 – Yellow Submarine Stakes (1st) – $450,000
G1 – The Best Of Rome (2nd) – $187,500
G1 – Itchstock (2nd) – $125,000

Older Turf Male Route – SAND IN MY BOOTS – beerkeg (Master)

This division is always a tough one as it combines the milers with the mile and a quarter runners and on the turf there are as many prestigious races at one distance as the other. Sand In My Boots definitely falls into the latter category and at that distance he won the G1 Eclipse Stakes and the G1 King Kong Cup to end the year. He began the year as just an allowance winner but he progressed through the ranks and ends up a champion.

NO NAY NEVER x DANSILI (GB) x SADLER’S WELLS (Scratch Bred)

G1 – Eclipse Stakes (1st) – $1,800,000
G1 – King Kong Cup (1st) – $1,800,000

Older Turf Female Long – PLATINUM WIPE CLUB – ace (Master)

Back for her second Eclipse trophy is Hall of Famer and last year’s Horse of the Year PLATINUM WIPE CLUB. She is a scratchbred out of Deep Impact. The pacesetting lady started the year with a pair of seconds in the Ackland Cup and Spring Cup before she earned her first win as she successfully defended her 2022 championship in the Gold Glass. Platinum would again defend her championship in the Millwood Cup to win that race for a second time for owner Ace and in the process suprassed $10 million in earnings (currently bankrolled over $11.9 million). A very nice lady who loves the 2-mile distance and easily beats the men…congrats to Ace and Platinum for picking up another award.

DEEP IMPACT x MONTJEU x KINGMAMBO (Scratch Bred)

G1 – Ackland Cup (2nd) – $375,000
G1 – The Spring Cup (2nd) – $500,000
G1 – The Gold Glass (1st) – $900,000
G1 – Millwood Cup (1st) – $2,400,000

Older Turf Male Long – TEXILEO – kingranch (Master) *HORSE OF THE YEAR*

Texileo scored his first grade one victory late in 2022. He had a three month holiday during that winter and returned to the races in the G2 Kyoto Handicap where he ran second. He put everything together in his next start, the G1 Sand Castle Golden Turf Classic which he scored decisively going wire to wire with a 122 speed. He went one point better in the G1 Kakarauzauka Kinen Cup before falling back to earth in two spots where he was off the board. Texileo put it all back together at the end of the year, winning the G1 Japan Classic where he showed a new dimension by sitting off the early pace.

GALILEO (IRE) x DYNAFORMER x NIJINSKY 2ND (Scratch Bred)

G2 – The Kyoto Handicap (2nd) – $93,750
G1 – Sand Castle Golden Turf Classic (1st) – $1,800,000
G1 – Kakarazuka Kinen Cup (1st) – $1,200,000
G1 – Japan Classic (1st) – $2,400,000