Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner Cody's Wish , Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) winner Idiomatic, and Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner White Abarrio lead a list of Eclipse Award finalists announced Jan. 6.
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, in a Jan. 25 ceremony at The Breakers Palm Beach in South Florida that begins at 7:30 p.m. ET. The evening will culminate with the announcement of the 2023 Horse of the Year.
The Eclipse Awards recognize excellence through the past year in Thoroughbred racing, with championships determined by votes issued by National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters. Of the 250 eligible voters, 219 (88%) took part in the voting. The NTRA's block of voters consists of racetrack racing officials and Equibase field personnel.
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, except those for Horse of the Year (which will be announced on the night of the ceremony), are:
Two-Year-Old Male:
Two-Year-Old Filly:
Candied
Hard to Justify
Just F Y I
Three-Year-Old Male:
Three-Year-Old Filly:
Mawj
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
Master of The Seas
Up to the Mark
Female Turf Horse:
In Italian
Inspiral
Mawj
Steeplechase Horse:
Awakened
Merry Maker
Snap Decision
Owner:
Godolphin
Juddmonte
Klaravich Stables
Breeder:
Calumet Farm
Godolphin
Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings
Trainer:
Chad Brown
Brad Cox
Bill Mott
Jockey:
Tyler Gaffalione
Irad Ortiz Jr.
Flavien Prat
Apprentice Jockey:
Axel Concepcion
Jaime Torres
Sofia Vives
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.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
