See finalists for 16 categories in 2023 Eclipse Awards

Photo: NTRA

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters announced the finalists for the 2023 Eclipse Awards on Saturday, recognizing excellence through the past year in Thoroughbred racing.

Winners in 17 horse and human categories will be announced on FanDuel TV and other outlets during the 53rd annual Eclipse Awards on Jan. 25 at 7:30 p.m. EST. The evening at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Fla., will culminate with the announcement of the 2023 horse of the year.

Of the 250 eligible voters represented by the NTRA, consisting of member racetrack racing officials and Equibase field personnel, the NTWAB and DRF, 219 took part in the voting, or 88 percent. 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.

These are the 2023 Eclipse Awards finalists, with the exception of horse of the year, in alphabetical order within each division.

DivisionFinalists
2-year-old maleFierceness, Locked, Muth
2-year-old fillyCandied, Hard to Justify, Just F Y I
3-year-old maleArcangelo, Auguste Rodin, Mage
3-year-old fillyMawj, Pretty Mischievous, Randomized
Older dirt maleCody's Wish, Elite Power, White Abarrio
Older dirt femaleClairiere, Goodnight Olive, Idiomatic
Male sprinterCody's Wish, Elite Power, Gunite
Female sprinterEcho Zulu, Goodnight Olive, Maple Leaf Mel
Male turf horseAuguste Rodin, Master of the Seas, Up to the Mark
Female turf horseIn Italian, Inspiral, Mawj
Steeplechase horseAwakened, Merry Maker, Snap Decision
OwnerGodolphin, Juddmonte, Klaravich Stables
BreederCalumet, Godolphin, Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings
TrainerChad Brown, Brad Cox, Bill Mott
JockeyTyler Gaffalione, Irad Ortiz Jr., Flavien Prat
Apprentice jockeyAxel Concepcion, Jaime Torres, Sofia Vives

Finalists for horse of the year will be announced during the live show on Jan. 25. In addition to honoring the 17 winners in the horse and human categories, Paul Calia will receive the Eclipse Award as the 2023 horseplayer of the year. Members of the media will be honored for outstanding coverage in six categories.

The Eclipse Awards were named after the great 18th-century racehorse and foundation sire Eclipse, who began racing at age 5 and was undefeated in 18 starts, including eight walkovers. Eclipse sired the winners of 344 races, including three runnings of the Epsom Derby.

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