Blood-Horse

After living a life celebrated for its extraordinary accomplishments and stunning longevity, James E. "Ted" Bassett III died at his Lexington home Jan. 23. He was 103.

After the Road to the Kentucky Derby series passed through Louisiana last week with the Lecomte Stakes (G3), the next qualifying race moves to Arkansas Jan. 25 when Oaklawn Park stages the Southwest Stakes (G3).

During an evening celebrating excellence in North American Thoroughbred racing, a star filly, as expected, was the culminating focus of attention at the 54th annual Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards ceremony Jan. 23 at The Breakers Palm Beach.

Back in January 2024, trainer Kenny McPeek discussed an up-and-coming 3-year-old filly that had him so impressed he preemptively dubbed her class champion. Little did he know he could have included Horse of the Year when anointing Thorpedo Anna.

After losing the Kentucky Derby (G1) by a nose, it figured that Sierra Leone's drive for the 3-year-old male championship would come down to the final furlong of America's richest dirt race.

National Treasure may have won only two races in 2024, but he surely rose to the occasion at the right time.

After winning the 2024 Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) for a second time after his initial success in 2022, Rebel's Romance is an Eclipse Award winner, announced as North America's champion older turf male at a ceremony Jan. 23.

Citizen Bull cemented his title as the top 2-year-old male in the land with a dazzling gate-to-wire triumph in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) Nov. 1 at Del Mar.

They say patience will be rewarded, but in the case of Straight No Chaser patience was awarded Jan. 23 when the son of Speightster was honored as 2024's Eclipse Award champion male sprinter.

In his 10th year riding full time in America, Flavien Prat's ascension to the highest level of the sport was indisputably marked by the 32-year-old Frenchman setting records for stakes (82) and graded stakes victories (56) in a single season.

Chad Brown was named the 2024 Eclipse Award winner for outstanding trainer Jan. 23, capping off what the trainer called his "best year since I started training."

Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin becomes the first person or entity to win four consecutive dual Eclipse titles as outstanding owner and outstanding breeder.

Thorpedo Anna's stellar season won't be remembered just for winning the Kentucky Oaks (G1), but also for being named champion 3-year-old filly.

Godolphin's homebred Immersive swept the title for the champion 2-year-old female with a flawless 4-for-4 campaign in 2024.

Racing Hall of Fame member Steve Asmussen is North America's all-time winningest trainer, and in 2024 his youngest son Erik won more races than any other apprentice rider and was honored with the Eclipse Award for outstanding apprentice jockey.

Soul of an Angel made only two of her 11 starts last year at seven furlongs, but she made those races count. She won both races, including the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1), to vault to championship honors as champion female sprinter.

Moira's connections were rewarded for their belief in the 6-year-old mare, when she finally got her well-deserved win in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T), and clinched the title for 2024 champion turf female.

Already an accomplished steeplechase horse, Snap Decision reached new heights in 2024 when the 10-year-old son of classic-placed Hard Spun would sweep two of the signature events in United States steeplechase racing.

In the final start of her career, Idiomatic provided quite a memory, drawing off in the stretch to post a 6 1/2-length victory in the Spinster Stakes (G1) Oct. 6 at Keeneland. That effort likely lifted her to a second straight Eclipse Award.

In advance of the 2025 Pegasus World Cup day, 1/ST and the Ed Brown Society are pleased to announce the extension of their initial three-year partnership to provide opportunities for young people of color.