2024 Eclipse Awards Finalists

The 2024 Eclipse Awards Finalists, with the exception of Horse of the Year, in alphabetical order.

Two-Year-Old Male: Chancer McPatrick, Citizen Bull, Gaming

Two-Year-Old Filly: Good Cheer, Immersive, Lake Victoria (IRE)

Three-Year-Old Male: Dornoch, Fierceness, Sierra Leone

Three-Year-Old Filly: Cinderella’s Dream (GB), She Feels Pretty, Thorpedo Anna

Older Dirt Male: Full Serrano (ARG), National Treasure, Straight No Chaser

Older Dirt Female: Adare Manor, Idiomatic, Raging Sea     

Male Sprinter: Cogburn, Straight No Chaser, The Chosen Vron

Female Sprinter: Society, Soul of an Angel, Ways and Means

Male Turf Horse: Carl Spackler (IRE), Johannes, Rebel’s Romance (IRE)

Female Turf Horse: Cinderella’s Dream (GB), Moira, She Feels Pretty

Steeplechase Horse: Carloun (IRE), L’Imperator (FR), Snap Decision

Owner: Godolphin LLC, Juddmonte, Klaravich Stables, Inc.

Breeder: Calumet Farm, Godolphin, Judy Hicks

Trainer: Chad Brown, Brad Cox, Kenny McPeek

Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione, Irad Ortiz Jr., Flavien Prat

Apprentice Jockey: Erik Asmussen, Gabriel Maldonado, J.G. Torrealba


Of the 240 eligible voters represented by the NTRA, consisting of racetrack racing officials and Equibase field personnel, the NTWAB, and Daily Racing Form, 208 (87%) took part in the voting. 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.


Finalists for Horse of the Year will be announced during the live show on January 23. In addition to honoring the 17 winners in the horse and human categories, Mike Gillum will receive the Eclipse Award as the 2024 Horseplayer of the Year. Members of the media will be honored for outstanding coverage in six categories. Each finalist will receive two complimentary tickets to the Eclipse Awards, courtesy of The Jockey Club.


Eclipse Awards voting is conducted by the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB), the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), and Daily Racing Form. The Eclipse Awards ceremony is produced by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association.


The Eclipse Awards are named after the great 18th-century racehorse and foundation sire, Eclipse, who began racing at age five and was undefeated in 18 starts, including eight walkovers. Eclipse sired the winners of 344 races, including three Epsom Derbies.

January 23, 2026
Cutting to the chase, and to the surprise of almost no one, the HORSE OF THE YEAR is SOVEREIGNTY. Other finalists were Forever Young and Journalism. Congratulations!
January 8, 2026
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters today announced the winners of the 2025 Media Eclipse Awards in six categories. Every entry must have been primarily published or aired for the first time between November 16, 2024, and November 14, 2025.
January 4, 2026
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB) today announced the finalists for the 2025 Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards, recognizing excellence through the past year in Thoroughbred racing.
December 26, 2025
The National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB), with matching financial support from The Jockey Club, has agreed to support a record nine internship applications at horse racing media outlets in 2026, by far the largest group funded since the program began in 2023.
December 4, 2025
It was great seeing so many of you at Del Mar for the 2025 Breeders’ Cup and during our annual NTWAB Awards Dinner and our general membership meeting during Breeders’ Cup week.
December 2, 2025
The National Turf Writers and Broadcasters with matching financial support from The Jockey Club, today announced a substantial expansion of its internship funding program for equine media outlets in 2026. Both organizations have authorized contributions of up to $12,000 each, co-funding potentially eight paid internships designed to bolster staffing in horse racing media and foster the next generation of equine journalists.
By Dick Downey November 1, 2025
A sold-out crowd attended the 65th edition of the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters Annual Awards Dinner at The Brigantine Del Mar on Oct. 29 where four traditional NTWAB Awards and four Breeders'.Cup Media Awards were presented. Photo array by Skip Dickstein. Narration by Dick Downey with contributions by Byron King.
October 23, 2025
I’m excited to see many of you at our 65th annual NTWAB Annual Awards Dinner on Oct. 29, the next day during our bi-annual general membership meeting Oct. 30 at Del Mar in the auxiliary press box, and during the two-day Breeders’ Cup World Championships Oct. 31-Nov. 1.
October 7, 2025
Lexington, Ky. (Oct. 7, 2025) ─ The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), in conjunction with Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers And Broadcasters today released the guidelines for the 2025 Media Eclipse Awards. The media awards are presented by the NTRA, Daily Racing Form, and the NTWAB in recognition of outstanding achievement in media coverage of Thoroughbred racing.
By Dick Downey September 9, 2025
Bill Christine, a multiple award-winning sports and turf writer and former president of NTWAB, died at age 87.