Eclipse Awards finalists testament to a brilliant 2022 in North America
Racenews
9 January, 2023
Godolphin’s exploits in North America last year have been recognised with seven nominations for the 2022 Eclipse Awards, including a clean sweep of finalists in the Champion Male Turf Horse division.
Three of Godolphin’s Breeders’ Cup heroes are among the finalists, with Cody's Wish in the running for Champion Male Sprinter thanks to his victories in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and Forego Stakes at Saratoga.
Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Rebel’s Romance features alongside Breeders' Cup Mile scorer Modern Games in the Champion Male Turf Horse Award, won by Yibir in 2021. Nations Pride, successful in the Saratoga Derby and Jockey Club Derby, is nominated in the same category, ensuring a Godolphin horse will receive the prize.
Modern Games, who captured the Woodbine Mile during a superb international campaign, is also a finalist in the Champion Three-Year-Old Male division – an award won by Essential Quality 12 months ago.
Godolphin was crowned Outstanding Owner and Outstanding Breeder at last year’s Eclipse Awards and looks well placed to pick up both accolades again, with 14 individual homebreds winning 23 Graded races in the royal blue silks during 2022.
The Eclipse Awards take place on Thursday, 26 January, although the recipients of the 2022 Media Eclipse Awards were announced last week. NBC Sports picked up the Feature Television Programming Award for a piece highlighting the remarkable bond between Cody’s Wish and Cody Dorman, which aired during its Breeders’ Cup coverage.
2023 has already started brightly, with Exploring scoring on New Year’s Day at Flemington and Cruzeiro do Sul posting an impressive win in the first Black-Type race of the year in Japan, the Listed Junior Cup.
Al Suhail powered home to take the G2 Al Fahidi Fort, the turf highlight on week one of the Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan, while classy sprinter Lazuli scored on the same card when beating Man Of Promise in the Listed Ertijaal Dubai Dash.
Week two of the Dubai World Cup Carnival on Friday includes the G2 Al Rashidiya, won in recent seasons by Benbatl and Barney Roy. Entries for this year’s race include Bahrain International Trophy winner Dubai Future and Newmarket Listed scorer Ottoman Fleet.
