Division rankings: Which turf male deserves the Eclipse?

This week I will cover the only remaining division that has generated meaningful debate over the top spot in the Eclipse vote, and that's the turf male division.

The conversation centers on three horses: Rebel’s Romance, Notable Speech and Deterministic.

Below, I’ll walk through my thought process and voting order as we head into the final two weeks of the season. For me, at least, this one never proved to be much of a debate.

Turf males

1. Rebel’s Romance. He remains on top, even after his runner-up finish in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, a performance that was far more impressive than the result suggests. Big horses simply aren’t supposed to thread through traffic on a tight course like that, yet he did just that, bursting between rivals in the stretch and finishing with authority. He gets the edge over Notable Speech on the strength of a deeper résumé and a far more demanding campaign, highlighted by four graded-stakes victories, including two at the Grade 1 level, along with placings in two additional top-tier events. He is the very definition of a globetrotting superstar.

2. Notable Speech. He was sensational in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, giving him back-to-back Grade 1 victories in North America. That said, context matters. As recently as a few months ago, he was winless in four starts on the season and off the board in three of them. Eclipse voting should reward the full body of work, not just the final chapter.

3. Deterministic. He has put together three consecutive graded-stakes victories, capped by back-to-back Grade 1 wins. Most recently, he dominated the Fourstardave (G1) at Saratoga after capturing the shortened 1 1/8-mile Manhattan (G1) run the day after the Belmont Stakes. He finished 3-for-4 in 2025.

4. Formidable Man. He turned in a career-best effort in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, finishing runner-up and quieting critics who questioned whether he had been flattered by softer California competition. On the season, he captured three graded stakes, including the Kilroe Mile (G1), earning his place among the division’s top contenders.

5. El Cordobes. He delivered a solid performance to finish third in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, beaten just two lengths by the winner. The Sword Dancer (G1) winner showed up once again, much as he did in his prior start when finishing third behind Rebel’s Romance in the Joe Hirsch (G1).

Next five: Far Bridge, Redistricting, Fort Washington, Integration, Gold Phoenix.

I’m fully aware that placing Rebel’s Romance atop my ballot will invite pushback, and that’s perfectly fine. I’ve evaluated this division carefully, and when applying my longstanding approach to internationally based runners, particularly those shipping in for limited starts but with prior North American form that clearly holds up, Rebel’s Romance simply towered over the other two finalists on my ballot.

This globetrotting superstar gelding won races in four countries in 2025 and turned the Joe Hirsch (G1) into a cakewalk, dispatching some of the best U.S.-based turf horses with a stunningly easy victory. That performance alone underscored just how far ahead of his domestic counterparts he remains. Of course, this was hardly new information. He already had proven as much with his Breeders’ Cup Turf victory the previous season.

Attempting to secure a third Breeders’ Cup Turf title at Del Mar, he was upset when finishing runner-up to long shot Ethical Diamond. That result did little to sway my opinion. He defeated every other rival in the field, and to me, the outcome reads as a fluke rather than a referendum on his ability. Beyond that, Rebel’s Romance added three more graded-stakes wins in 2025. Wherever he traveled, he was the headliner, the horse fans came to see.

He earns my vote because, in my view, he was the best turf horse to compete in North America in 2025, plain and simple.

Deterministic will receive support, but for me he is in third on my ballot, and even that required careful consideration. His résumé is straightforward: three graded stakes-starts, all in New York, all wins, including two at the Grade 1 level. That is an accomplishment worth acknowledging.

Still, I view Deterministic as comparable to the horses Rebel’s Romance defeated decisively in the Joe Hirsch. In the Manhattan (G1), Deterministic edged Far Bridge by a head and a neck. In contrast, Rebel’s Romance dismantled that same rival by six lengths in the Joe Hirsch.

Do I believe Deterministic could have defeated Rebel’s Romance on turf at any distance in 2025? I do not.

Notable Speech will draw support from a lot of voters for reasons I will outline below. He did win his two North American starts, the Woodbine Mile (G1) and the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1), but context matters. The Woodbine Mile was among the weaker renewals in recent memory, and the Breeders’ Cup Mile field was below the usual standard for that event.

Before shipping to North America, Notable Speech went winless in four starts and finished off the board three times. When the full résumé is examined rather than just the closing chapter, it falls short of top-ballot status for me. In fact, Deterministic has a legitimate case to be ranked ahead of him.

The strongest pushback to my choices will come from those who place disproportionate weight on the Breeders’ Cup result and the optics of a horse losing on the sport’s biggest stage.

For those voters, Rebel’s Romance finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Turf will be viewed as disqualifying, regardless of the rest of his résumé.

Others will argue for Notable Speech based on a more traditional North American campaign, fewer travel variables and a cleaner, easier narrative. These are voters who prioritize recency, doing as little work as possible to formulate their vote, or a single defining domestic performance over sustained excellence.

Deterministic supporters might point to consistency and familiarity, favoring a horse whose entire season unfolded in plain sight rather than across continents.

Some of those arguments are understandable. But they ultimately ask voters to reward convenience, optics or a single afternoon over the totality of the season. Eclipse Awards are not meant to crown the most visible horse, the easiest story or the one that benefited most from circumstance. They are meant to honor the best horse.

And in this division, when the full body of work is weighed honestly, Rebel’s Romance still stands above the rest.

Older dirt males

1. Forever Young. I don’t think many racing fans fully appreciate just how exceptional this horse truly is. Since announcing himself on the international stage with his Saudi Derby (G3) victory in February 2024 over Book’em Danno and Bentornato, he has not raced in the same country in consecutive starts, a staggering and almost unheard-of accomplishment. He has crisscrossed the globe in a way few dirt horses ever have, let alone thrived while doing so, answering every challenge placed in front of him. His Breeders’ Cup Classic victory over the best the United States had to offer was nothing short of brilliant and, in all likelihood, sealed the Eclipse Award in this division. Perhaps most refreshing of all, unlike many of his American counterparts, he won’t be headed to the breeding shed. He’ll return to the races next season as a 5-year-old, giving fans a rare chance to watch a truly special horse continue his story.

2. Sierra Leone. He may have delivered the finest performance of his career in defeat, narrowly missing a repeat victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Even so, he will go down as one of the most underappreciated runners in recent memory, ultra-consistent, never off the board in 14 starts, and reliably unleashing that trademark late kick. Now headed to the breeding shed, he will be sorely missed on the racetrack. He should receive meaningful support on the Eclipse ballot in this division.

3. Fierceness. He will be missed as well, there’s no doubt about that. A Grade 1 winner in every season he raced, he went out swinging with one of the best efforts of his career, finishing third in a Breeders’ Cup Classic for the ages. Alongside longtime rivals Sierra Leone and Forever Young, he served as a reminder that last year’s so-called “weaker” crop was anything but.

4. Mindframe. His off-the-board finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic came as no surprise to regular readers of this column. Still, he put together a respectable career, capturing two Grade 1 victories from nine starts. In the end, however, he proved to be a one-paced type, honest and capable, but a clear notch below the sport’s true elite.

5. Nysos. He ground out a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile as the heavy favorite, though it fell short of the emphatic statement many expected against that field. Still, the prospect of his return next season is welcome news for an older dirt male division that could be thin heading into 2026.

Next five: Antiquarian, Hit Show, White Abarrio, Phileas Fogg, Touchuponastar.

Older dirt females

1. Thorpedo Anna. Her off-the-board finish in the Spinster (G1) came as no surprise to regular readers of these rankings. Simply put, she failed to move forward from last season and was never clearly head and shoulders above the fillies ranked below her. Still, she deserves credit for gutting out victories, even if the competition was subpar at times. She showed up all season, won races and kept running while others sat on the sidelines for months or never ventured beyond their home state. In these rankings, the full body of work matters, and for that reason, she earns my Eclipse vote.

2. Cavalieri. She missed the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, but Cavalieri’s performance in the Zenyatta (G2) was still an eye-opener, particularly in light of a disastrous break and a six-month layoff.

3. Scylla. The Breeders’ Cup Distaff heroine quietly assembled a solid season, finishing in the money in four graded stakes before her Distaff victory. Over the course of her career, she has missed the board just twice in 16 starts, proving equally effective sprinting and around two turns.

4. Dorth Vader. She didn’t run poorly in the Distaff, finishing fifth and beaten less than three lengths for the place spot. Before that, she narrowly missed another Grade 1 score in the Personal Ensign, falling short to Thorpedo Anna. Her lone victory this season came in June, when she captured the Ogden Phipps (G1) at Saratoga.

5. Seismic Beauty. She turned in a disappointing effort as the favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, eased through the wire and finishing second-to-last. Before that, she delivered a strong front-running performance to capture the Clement L. Hirsch (G1), going gate to wire.

Next five: Regaled, Gin Gin, Leslie’s Rose, Gun Song, Royal Spa.

3-year-old males

1. Sovereignty. He demolished an overmatched field in the Travers (G1), further bolstering a résumé that places him among the most accomplished Kentucky Derby winners since American Pharoah. Even after bypassing the Breeders’ Cup Classic, his overall body of work is certain to attract significant Horse of the Year support. If I were wagering on it, I’d say the Travers proved to be his swan song, with the breeding shed up next but no news is good news. If he does stay in training Dubai will certainly be on his radar with what would likely be no more than two or three races in this country.

2. Journalism. He delivered a career-best effort in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, finishing fourth and less than four lengths behind the winner. Before that, he was runner-up to Fierceness in the Pacific Classic (G1). It has been a strong campaign for the 3-year-old, and although a return at age 4 appears likely, where that next chapter begins remains to be seen. The Pegasus World Cup (G1) has not been ruled out by his connections.

3. Baeza. As expected, he went off as an underlay in the Breeders’ Cup, made a move around the far turn, but couldn’t stay with the top-tier runners once the real running began. The waters were simply deeper than what he had been facing. Still, he established himself as a clear third-best in this division, and the encouraging news is that a return next season appears likely. The Pegasus World Cup in January remains a possibility.

4. Magnitude. He took another step forward in his development with one of his most professional efforts to date, scoring a victory in the Clark (G2) while defeating older rivals. Although his two wins this season both came at the Grade 2 level, he has established himself as one to watch heading into 2026.

5. Nevada Beach. Yes, he won the Native Diver (G3), but he didn’t exactly perform like a 1–9 favorite, needing to outlast long-shot British Isles by just a half-length. He was far more convincing when defeating older rivals in the Goodwood (G1), scoring an impressive victory over last year’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner, Full Serrano.

Next 5: Disco Time, Chunk of Gold, Burnham Square, Citizen Bull, Gosger.

3-year-old fillies

1. Nitrogen. She exceeded expectations with a runner-up finish in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, a performance that likely secured the Eclipse in what was otherwise an uninspiring division this season. Before that, she delivered a solid second-place effort in the Spinster, finishing behind Gin Gin.

2. Shisospicy. The Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) winner enters on a five-race winning streak in the United States. She was dominant in all three of her graded-stakes victories this season and, when weighing the full body of work, clearly deserves a place on the Eclipse ballot.

3. Clicquot. Her fourth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff was a respectable effort and capped a late-season surge that likely positioned her into the top three of this division. She was a surprise winner of the Cotillion (G1) before the Breeders’ Cup and had reeled off four consecutive victories, including the Indiana Oaks (G3).

4. Good Cheer. She was clearly not the same filly who captured the Kentucky Oaks (G1), finishing off the board in the Cotillion and beaten by more than six lengths. Still, her earlier-season efforts carry weight, and they are enough to keep her in the top five here.

5. La Cara. She is tied for the most top-level wins in the division, but she finished off the board in three other Grade 1 events, including her final two starts.

Next five: Laurelin, Fionn, Scottish Lassie, Quietside, Shred the Gnar.

Turf females

1. She Feels Pretty. She once again showed up in a big way, turning in a gutsy performance in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf over a distance I felt stretched her limitations. Even so, she finished runner-up and did more than enough over the course of the season to secure the Eclipse. She won three of her five starts and finished second in the other two.

2. Special Wan. She capped her season with a dominant victory in the Goldikova (G3) on the Breeders’ Cup undercard, cementing her status among the division’s best in 2025. Earlier in the year, she captured the Ladies Turf (G3) at Kentucky Downs in her third start of the season. Overall, it was a strong campaign, highlighted by a third-place finish behind Dynamic Pricing in the Just a Game (G1) and a victory in the Honey Fox (G3).

3. Excellent Truth. After three near-misses, she finally broke through with her first Grade 1 victory in the Diana. Though retired after a training injury, she remains in my top five for now and stays on my Eclipse ballot.

4. Bellezza. She finished sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, beaten just five lengths. Earlier in the season, she captured both the Flower Bowl (G2) and the Sheepshead Bay (G3), and in between those victories she more than held her own against top company, placing in the New York (G1) behind She Feels Pretty and again in the Glens Falls (G2).

5. Dynamic Pricing. She finished off the board in the First Lady (G1) at Keeneland, but her overall résumé still justifies a top-five ranking. She ran third in the Diana, well behind the division’s top two, and earlier in the summer she broke through with her first Grade 1 victory in the Just a Game before backing it up with a win in the Perfect Sting at Saratoga.

Next five: Segesta, Lush Lips, Simply in Front, Laurelin, Fionn.

Male sprinters

1. Book’em Danno. His Forego (G1) victory further tightened his grip on the sprint division, giving him three consecutive high-level wins and separating him from the pack. Even without a Breeders’ Cup Sprint appearance, his season-long body of work is impossible to overlook. When weighing consistency, quality, and impact, he earns my Eclipse vote.

2. Bentornato. He delivered a dominant performance in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint in just his second start of the season. That effort alone earns respect, but for those arguing he deserves the Eclipse simply because Danno skipped the Breeders’ Cup, the question remains: where was Bentornato during the other five months while Danno was consistently showing up and winning? Bentornato belongs on the ballot, but for me, he ranks a clear second. He is expected to return next season and likely point toward early-year races in the Middle East.

3. Patch Adams. After proving he was not suited to longer distances, this 3-year-old found his niche in sprinting, rattling off back-to-back Grade 1 victories against his peers, highlighted by the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1) at Saratoga. Retired due to injury, he remains ranked here, as he would still appear on my Eclipse ballot if the season were judged strictly on merit to date.

4. Imagination. He backed up his previous win with a strong runner-up effort in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. The Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G2) winner made just three starts in 2025, but each was competitive, earning him a spot among the division’s top five.

5. Dr. Venkman. The hard-knocking gelding showed up once again, missing the runner-up spot in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint by a nose. Earlier in the season, he captured the Pat O’Brien (G2) and consistently hit the board in three additional graded stakes, rounding out another dependable and productive campaign.

Next five: Lovesick Blues, Straight No Chaser, Nakatomi, Mullikin, Barnes.

Female sprinters

1. Kopion. She retains the top spot despite finishing off the board against the males in the Breeders' Cup Sprint. Over the course of the season, she was the division’s most consistent and accomplished female sprinter, highlighted by the defining performance of the year in the Derby City Distaff (G1) in May. There’s no ambiguity here, she gets my Eclipse vote.

2. Shisospicy. The Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) winner enters on a five-race winning streak in the United States. She was dominant in all three of her graded-stakes victories this season and, when weighing the full body of work, clearly merits a place on the Eclipse ballot.

3. Sweet Azteca. She picked up her second victory of the season last out in the Rancho Bernardo (G3), following a remarkable comeback score in the Great Lady M (G2) where she defeated Kopion. That win came nine months after her previous start, a puzzling off-the-board finish as the 1-9 favorite in the four-horse Chillingworth (G3) at Santa Anita. Scratched from the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, this spot is a close call between her and Splendora.

4. Splendora. She capitalized on her opportunity with a win in a somewhat watered-down seven-horse Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, marking her first graded-stakes victory of the season. She also finished in the money in two other graded events. She and Sweet Azteca are interchangeable in the three and four spots.

5. Hope Road. She dominated the Bayakoa (G3) last out, drawing off by more than six lengths. That effort followed a disappointing third-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, where she was beaten by six lengths. Earlier in the season, she stamped herself as a Grade 1 winner with a commanding victory in the Ballerina at Saratoga, a result that also flattered Kopion, whom she had been chasing earlier in the year.

Next five: Ways and Means, Positano Sunset, Vahva, Tamara, Ragtime.

2-year-old males

1. Ted Noffey. He capped off a 4-for-4 campaign with a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, giving him three Grade 1 wins on the season. Although I don’t view him as a major Triple Crown threat once distances increase next year, there’s no denying he was an above-average 2-year-old by modern standards and the clear leader of this division.

2. Brant. The division’s hype horse heading into the Breeders’ Cup, he backed it up with a game third-place finish. Added distance might blunt his effectiveness, but his body of work as a 2-year-old this season places him firmly among the division’s best.

3. Mr. A. P. A maiden winner entering stakes company for the first time, he made an immediate impression by nearly pulling off the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, finishing a close second and beaten just a length. It was a breakout performance that stamped him as a serious player in this crop.

4. Desert Gate. He was a bit unlucky in the American Pharoah (G1), finishing second and beaten less than a length. Earlier in the season, the Best Pal (G3) winner delivered a strong effort in the Del Mar Futurity (G1), closing late on Brant to finish just a length behind.

5. Blackout Time. He ran a solid race at Keeneland in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1), finishing runner-up to Ted Noffey. Though still without a stakes win and scratched from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, he gives the impression of a colt who may be better than what we’ve seen on paper so far.

Next 5: Further Ado, Napoleon Solo, Paladin, Litmus Test, Intrepido.

2-year-old fillies

1. Cy Fair. She is the filly I am leaning toward at the top of this division. The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) winner went 3-for-4 on the season and consistently delivered when it mattered. When weighing both performance and participation, she checks the most boxes for me.

2. Tommy Jo. She disappointed in the Breeders’ Cup, finishing fifth, but her résumé still carries weight with two Grade 1 victories, even if one came via disqualification. That body of work keeps her firmly in the conversation.

3. Super Corredora. Are we really prepared to award an Eclipse to a filly with only one stakes appearance all season? It has never happened in the Eclipse Award era. Although her Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies victory was impressive, she would need another start before earning my vote.

4. Explora. She was dominant in the Oak Leaf (G2), followed by a strong runner-up effort in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Her other stakes appearance came in the Del Mar Debutante (G1), where she finished second, giving her a solid and well-rounded résumé.

5. Percy’s Bar. She finished third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and appears to be moving in the right direction. Before that, she was clearly the best horse in the Alcibiades (G1), crossing the wire first before being disqualified for stretch interference, a performance that followed a runner-up finish in the Spinaway (G1) at Saratoga.

Next 5: Taken by the Wind, Bottle of Rouge, Rileytole, Zany, Consequent.