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Thoroughbred Racing Associations
420 Fair Hill Drive • Suite 1 Elkton, MD 21921-2573
Phone: 410-392-9200
Fax: 410-398-1366

 

The Eclipse Awards are presented annually to recognize those horses and individuals whose outstanding achievements have earned them the title of Champion in their respective categories.

The Eclipse Awards are co-sponsored by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers Association. Prior to the start of the Eclipse Awards in 1971, the TRA and the Daily Racing Form separately honored racing's annual champions.

The Eclipse Awards are named after the great 18th century racehorse and sire, Eclipse, who didn't begin racing until age five. He was undefeated in 18 starts, including eight walkovers. Eclipse sired the winners of 344 races, three of his get winning the Epsom Derby.

Click each category below to view this year's winners and previous winners.

Click here to view winners prior to 1971.
 

2003 ECLIPSE AWARDS
Voting Summary
(Click each category for previous winners)

Horse of the Year

Mineshaft, 209; Congaree, 11; Halfbridled, 9; Funny Cide, 4; Candy Ride (ARG), 3; High Chaparral (IRE), 2; Medaglia d'Oro, 2; Azeri, 1; Empire Maker, 1; Perfect Drift, 1; Pleasantly Perfect, 1, Six Perfections (FR), 1. Voter Abstentions, 3.

Two-Year-Old Colt or Gelding (Name, First-Place Votes)

Action This Day, 114; Cuvee, 42; Birdstone, 23; Lion Heart, 22; Eurosilver, 13; Read the Footnotes, 12; Chapel Royal, 9; Silver Wagon, 3; Ruler's Court, 2; The Cliff's Edge, 2; Cactus Ridge, 1; Sir Oscar, 1; Tapit, 1. Voter Abstentions, 3.

Two-Year-Old Filly

Halfbridled, 247; Ashado, 1. No Abstentions.

Three-Year-Old Colt or Gelding

Funny Cide, 150; Empire Maker, 92; Ten Most Wanted, 4; Peace Rules, 1. Voter Abstention, 1.

Three-Year-Old Filly

Bird Town, 96; Six Perfections (FR), 94; Composure, 20; Elloluv, 15; Island Fashion, 14; Spoken Fur, 6; House Party, 1; Lady Tak, 1. Voter Abstention, 1.

Older Colt or Gelding

Mineshaft, 221; Congaree, 11; Pleasantly Perfect, 7; Medaglia d'Oro, 5; Candy Ride (ARG), 3; Perfect Drift, 1. No Abstentions.

Older Filly or Mare

Azeri, 123; Sightseek, 107; Adoration, 9; Wild Spirit (CHI), 5; Harmony Lodge, 2; Starrer, 1. Voter Abstention, 1.

Sprinter

Aldebaran, 137; Cajun Beat, 74; Congaree, 27; Shake You Down, 7; Ghostzapper, 3. No Abstentions.

Male Turf Horse

High Chaparral (IRE), 138; Storming Home (GB), 73; Johar, 17; Sulamani (IRE), 12; Falbrav (IRE), 3; Redattore (BRZ), 2; Balto Star, 1; Voter Abstentions, 2.

Female Turf Horse

Islington (IRE), 90; Heat Haze (GB), 74; Six Perfections (FR), 66; Tates Creek, 11; Ipi Tombe (ZIM), 6; Bien Nicole, 1. No abstentions.

Steeplechase Horse

McDynamo, 225; Praise the Prince (NZ), 4; Voter Abstentions 19.

Outstanding Owner

Juddmonte Farms, 102; Michael Gill, 51; Edmund Gann, 32; Sackatoga Stable, 27; Stronach Stable, 13; Richard Englander, 9; John Franks, 3; Eugene and Laura Melnyk, 1; Farnsworth Farms, 1; Flaxman Holdings/Niarchos Family, 1; Wertheimer Farm LLC, 1; William S. Farish et al, 1. Voter Abstentions, 6.

Outstanding Breeder

Juddmonte Farms, 171; Adena Springs/Stronach Entities, 36; John Franks, 9; Flaxman Holdings/Niarchos Family, 8; William S. Farish et al, 8; Farnsworth Farms, 6; WinStar Farm, 4; Albert and Joyce Bell, 1; Mockingbird Farm/Harry Mangurian, 1. Voter Abstentions, 4.

Outstanding Trainer

Robert Frankel, 193; Richard Mandella, 44; Steve Asmussen, 5; Todd Pletcher, 5; Scott Lake, 1. No Abstentions.

Outstanding Jockey

Jerry Bailey, 211; Patrick Valenzuela, 17; Edgar Prado, 10; Ramon Dominguez, 5; Julie Krone, 2; Jose Santos, 2; John Velazquez, 1. No Abstentions.

Outstanding Apprentice Jockey

Eddie Castro, 147; Ryan Fogelsonger, 52; Pablo Fragoso, 12; John McKee, 11; Luis Chavez, 3; Mick Ruis, 1; Voter Abstentions, 22.

Voter participation rate: 79% (248/313)

The winner of the Eclipse Award of Merit, voted on by a panel of representatives from the three presenting organizations and previously announced, is Richard L. Duchossois. The Eclipse Award of Merit is presented to an individual displaying outstanding lifetime achievement in, and service to, the Thoroughbred industry.

Media Eclipse Awards also are given in the categories of photography, audio/multi-media Internet, news/commentary, feature/enterprise writing, local television, national television–feature and national television–live racing programming to recognize members of the media for outstanding coverage of Thoroughbred racing. The 2003 Media Eclipse Awards winners, determined by a judges' panel for each category and previously announced, are:

  • Photography: Frank Anderson, fallen jockey Patty Cooksey endangered by runaway horse, Thoroughbred Times, April 19, 2003.
     
  • Writing - Feature: William Nack, "Horse Racing: Why Everybody Hates Bob Baffert," GQ (Gentlemen's Quarterly), May 2003.
     
  • Writing - News/Commentary: Jay Hovdey, three-part series on the late Bill Shoemaker, Daily Racing Form, Oct. 15, 17 and 24, 2003.
     
  • TV - Live Racing: David Michaels, Preakness Stakes, NBC Sports, May 14, 2003.
     
  • TV – Feature (tie): Dora Militaru and Craig Delaval/Sierra Tango Productions, "Thoroughbred: Stable to Stardom," MSNBC, Aug. 24, 2003; Joan Ciampi, "Seabiscuit: The Making of the Movie, Presented by Equibase," ESPN2, July 2, 2003 and 12 subsequent airings on ESPN Classic.
     
  • TV - Local: by G.D. Hieronymus, "If It Was Easy, Everyone Would Do It," WKYT-27, Lexington, Ky., Oct. 11, 2003.
     
  • Audio/Multi-Media Internet (tie): Kip Hannan and Vic Stauffer, "56th Birthday Tribute to Laffit Pincay, Jr.," KSPN ESPN Radio 710, Dec. 29, 2002; Mark Miller, "Pimlico's Homestretch?", WBAL, May 17, 2003.