Uncover the 2024 Eclipse Award Front-Runners
No-Brainers
Horse of the Year: Thorpedo Anna is set to make history as the first female to win racing's top honor since Havre de Grace in 2011. This 3-year-old filly achieved an impressive 6-for-6 record in her division, with five Grade 1 victories, including a dominant win in the Breeders' Cup Distaff on Nov. 2. Trained by Kenny McPeek, her only setback was a narrow defeat by Fierceness when facing the boys. Another contender is Sierra Leone, who won the BC Classic, was second in the Kentucky Derby (G1), and third in the Belmont Stakes (G1). In the Travers, he finished third behind Thorpedo Anna.
Three-year-old filly: Thorpedo Anna is a clear favorite among the 3-year-old fillies. She won six races in six starts, including Fantasy (G2), Kentucky Oaks (G1), Acorn (G1), Golden Rod (G2), Cotillion (G1), and BC Distaff (G1).
Two-year-old filly
Immersive emerged as a strong contender with her remarkable 4 ½-length victory in the BC Juvenile FIllies (G1). The filly posted a 4-for-4 record, with three Grade 1 wins, namely the Spinaway and the Darley Alcibiades.
Two-year-old male
Citizen Bull (3-for-4) is on a winning streak and gives Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert a chance to add another Eclipse Award to his collection. His front-running, 1 1/2-length win in the BC Juvenile was a standout performance. He defeated other top 2-year-olds like East Avenue, Chancer McPatrick, and stablemate Gaming. Chancer McPatrick also performed well, going 3-for-4 with Grade 1 wins in the Hopeful and the Champagne, despite finishing sixth in the BC Juvenile.
A Two-Horse Race
3-year-old male: Sierra Leone and Fierceness are in a close race. Sierra Leone's win in the BC Classic gave him the edge over Fierceness, who was 1 ½ lengths back in second. Each horse has a pair of Grade 1 wins - Florida Derby and Travers for Fierceness, Blue Grass and BC Classic for Sierra Leone - and a Grade 2 win - the Jim Dandy for Fierceness, the Risen Star for Sierra Leone. One significant difference is that Sierra Leone was beaten a nose by Mystik Dan in the Derby, while Fierceness finished 15th.
Tough Calls
Older dirt male
National Treasure has a pair of Grade 1 wins - the Pegasus World Cup in January and the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) in June. He was sixth in the Whitney (G1) and a close second in the California Crown (G1). His resume gives him an edge over other contenders. Subsanador won the California Crown and the Philip H. Islein (G3) in his four starts, while Newgate won the Santa Anita Handicap (G1), was a close third in the California Chrome, and fourth in the BC Classic.
Older dirt female
Idiomatic missed the Breeders’ Cup due to an injury but still managed to produce three wins in five starts, including two Grade 1s. Raging Sea is a contender, having won the Beldame (G1) and upset Idiomatic in the Personal Ensign (G1), while Adare Manor won two Grade 1s - the Apple Blossom and Clement Hirsch - and the Santa Margarita (G2), but also missed the BC with an injury.
Turf male
Carl Spackler is perhaps the most popular contender. He won the Fourstardave (G1), the Coolmore Turf Mile (G1), and the Kelso Stakes (G3), along with being a longshot winner in the Breeders’ Cup races Rebel’s Romance (Turf) and More Than Looks. Johannes won four graded stakes, including the Shoemaker Mile (G1), and ran second in the Mile.
Turf female
Moira had a light campaign but still won the BC Filly & Mare Turf (G1) and the Beverly D. (G2), and ran second in the Diana (G1) and the E.P. Taylor (G1). Didia is a contender with a pair of graded stakes wins - the New York (G1) and the Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf (G2) - in six starts.
Male sprinter
Our chosen one is The Chosen Vron, who won five of six starts, including the Bing Crosby (G1). His only loss was by a neck to Raging Torrent in the Pat O’Brien (G2) after building a 5-0 record. He was a vet scratch from the BC Sprint. Mullikin went 4-0 to start the year, then ran third in the BC Sprint (G1) and second in the Cigar Mile (G2). Straight No Chaser ran three times in 2024, winning twice, including the BC Sprint.
Female sprinter
BC Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) winner Soul of an Angel could be the top vote-getter. The 5-year-old mare won four of 10 races in 2024, with her other graded stakes win coming in the one-mile Princess Rooney (G3). However, most of her races were at longer distances. Ballerina (G1) winner Society is a contender, finishing second in the BC Filly & Mare Sprint.
Picking Human Eclipse Winners an Easier Task
Jockey: Flavien Prat is the favorite to win his first Eclipse with a record 80 stakes wins, 55 of them graded stakes, including 16 Grade 1s. He is also the nation's leading money-earner ($36.7 million through Dec. 12), ahead of five-time Eclipse winner Irad Ortiz, Jr. He added two BC wins - Immersive (BC Juvenile Fillies) and Sierra Leone (BC Classic) - to his impressive year.
Trainer: Chad Brown, a four-time Eclipse winner, has 47 graded stakes wins, including 15 Grade 1s with 12 different horses. He leads the nation in purse money won with $30.6 million as of Dec. 10. Kenny McPeek is a contender, being the first trainer in 72 years (and third ever) to win the Derby (Mystik Dan) and Oaks (Thorpedo Anna) in the same year.
Owner: Godolphin is set for its fifth Eclipse in a row. Sheikh Mohammed's global operation won two Breeders’ Cup races last month with Immersive (Juvenile Fillies) and Rebel’s Romance (Turf), and has a total of 32 graded stakes wins, including 15 Grade 1s as of Dec. 10.
The Voters
The Eclipse Awards are voted on by three groups - the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters, the Daily Racing Form, and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.