Eclipse Award Winners Named

Mark Smith - Friday January 26

On the eve of bringing down his racetrack career in the $16 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park, Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm's Gun Runner was crowned Horse of the Year at Thursday's Eclipse Awards.

The son of Candy Ride (ARG) won five of his six starts in 2017 highlighted by his victory in the Group 1 Breeders Cup Classic.

The Steve Asmussen-trained entire suffered his lone defeat when second behind Arrogate (Unbridled's Song) in the Group 1 Dubai World Cup.

Gun Runner was also honoured as the Champion Older Dirt Male.

In a competitive division, China Horse Club's Abel Tasman was crowned Champion Three-Year-Old Filly a tile she earned with wins in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, the Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park and the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Saratoga.

Advertisement

She was one of two winners on the night for Lane's End Farm's Quality Road who is a product of former Darley shuttler Elusive Quality and the Strawberry Road mare Kobla.

Vinery Stud's champion stallion More Than Ready (USA) (pictured )  featured as the sire of Champion Male Sprinter Roy H.

The Breeders' Cup Sprint winner is remarkably enough out of a daughter of the now pensioned Elusive Quality.


The Full List Of Eclipse Award Winners.

HORSE OF YEAR & CHAMPION OLDER DIRT MALE Gun Runner (Candy Ride x Quiet Giant)

CHAMPION OLDER DIRT FEMALE Forever Unbridled (Unbridled's Song x Lemons Forever)

CHAMPION 2-YEAR-OLD FILLY Caledonia Road (Quality Road x Come a Callin)

CHAMPION 3-YEAR-OLD FILLY Abel Tasman (Quality Road x Vargas Girl)

CHAMPION 2-YEAR-OLD MALE Good Magic (Curlin x Glinda the Good)

CHAMPION 3-YEAR-OLD MALE West Coast (Flatter x Caressing)

CHAMPION TURF MALE World Approval (Northern Afleet x Win Approval)

CHAMPION TURF FEMALE Lady Eli (Divine Park x Sacre Coeur) CHAMPION MALE SPRINTER Roy H (More Than Ready x Elusive Diva)

CHAMPION FEMALE SPRINTER Unique Bella (Tapit x Unrivaled Belle)

CHAMPION STEEPLECHASE HORSE Scorpiancer (Scorpion x Janebailey)

OUTSTANDING TRAINER Chad Brown

OUTSTANDING BREEDER Clearsky Farms

OUTSTANDING OWNER Juddmonte Farms

OUTSTANDING JOCKEY Jose Ortiz

OUTSTANDING APPRENTICE JOCKEY Evin Roman

Advertisment
More Reading...
One to Watch – Scone
Kris Lees often sends a talented horse to the country to cast off maiden status and a two year-old Exceedance gelding did just that on debut at Scone on Monday.
Sires With Winners - Monday June 23
Here is the full list of 29 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Highview Makes Welcome Return to Weanling Sale
Many of the vendors at this month’s NZB National Weanling Sale are familiar faces who are renowned for their quality drafts at this sale every year, but the 2025 edition also sees an old friend being welcomed back to the fold.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Canterbury
There were a whopping 10 heats won by juveniles at the Canterbury trials on Monday morning that included some interesting unraced youngsters by Zoustar, Zousain and Trapeze Artist, plus a good looking youngster that may see the benefit of gelding.
Aussie Owned Filly Wins G1 Royal Ascot Coronation Stakes
Long shots were the order of the day at Royal Ascot on Day 4 and there was no bigger or better upset than the 33-1 shock winner of the Group I Coronation Stakes (1m) for three year-old fillies with the winner Cercene sired by Epsom Derby winner Australia and owned by Australian Shane Stafford.
Countdown to NZB’s 2025 Weanling Sale
The countdown to NZB’s 2025 National Weanling Sale is underway, with a compact yet quality catalogue of 134 youngsters, plus 10 supplementary lots, selling this Thursday 26 June at Karaka. 
Aussie Golden Eagle Form Delivers Royal Ascot G1 Finale
There were a couple of Aussie elements to the brilliant victory of Lazzat in the Group I Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (6f) at Royal Ascot overnight as he came to our shores last year and very nearly won the $10million Golden Eagle.
Aussie Bred HK G3 Double
A pair of Group III races were run at Sha Tin on Sunday with victory in the two last stakes races of the HK season both going to Aussie bred geldings Beauty Joy and Copartner Prance, who is a half-brother to Aquis based sire Kobayashi.
Sires With Winners - Sunday June 22
Here is the full list of 76 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
One to Watch – Cranbourne
Second in the Group III VRC Maribyrnong Plate last year to Tycoon Star, this Cosmic Force colt made light work of a maiden at Cranbourne on Sunday when bolting away to win as he pleased.