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.

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.
August 28, 2025
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Breeders’ Cup Limited is proud to announce the addition of two new media awards for exceptional coverage of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, with the Tracy Award for Outstanding Photography and the Tracy Award for Outstanding Videography joining two existing writing awards – the Joe Hirsch Award for Outstanding News Reporting and the Bill Leggett Award for Outstanding Feature Writing.
August 26, 2025
LOUISVILLE, KY (Aug. 26, 2024) 71-year-old Perry Ouzts – who this summer passed Russell Baze for the most rides by a jockey in North American racing history - will be honored along with track executive Joe Harper, turf writer Steve Andersen and broadcaster Nick Luck during the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters’ 65th Annual Awards Dinner on Wednesday, Oct. 29 in Del Mar, Calif.
July 25, 2025
Breeders’ Cup Limited is proud to announce the addition of two new media awards for exceptional coverage of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, with the Tracy Award for Outstanding Photography and the Tracy Award for Outstanding Videography joining two existing writing awards – the Joe Hirsch Award for Outstanding News Reporting and the Bill Leggett Award for Outstanding Feature Writing.
May 28, 2025
The NTWAB general membership meeting was held on Wednesday, April 30, 2025 in the Media Center at Churchill Downs.
May 23, 2025
For those covering the Belmont Stakes, we hope the following information is beneficial. We appreciate NYRA addressing some challenges our membership experienced covering the event last year. They welcomed our feedback.
May 12, 2025
My fellow NTWAB members, i t was great seeing many of you in person and those and others on Zoom at our bi-annual meeting during Derby week.
May 7, 2025
Two-time Eclipse Award winner and NTWAB past president Tom Law, managing editor of ST Publishing which produces The Saratoga Special and Thisishorseracing.com, has been named recipient of the Old Hilltop Award for covering Thoroughbred racing with excellence and distinction.
By Dick Downey April 25, 2025
With Kentucky Derby week fast approaching, this note serves as a reminder that our upcoming spring NTWAB meeting will take place on Wednesday, April 30, at 11 a.m. ET.
By Dick Downey April 12, 2025
Caton Bredar has been named the recipient of the Charles W. Engelhard Award by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders.