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Despite a Breeders' Cup loss, the daughter of Karakontie was named Eclipse champion turf female at the Eclipse Awards ceremony Jan. 22, becoming the first Eclipse Award winner trained by Cherie DeVaux.

Forever Young may have raced only once in the United States in 2025, but it was an unforgettable, award-winning performance.

The 2025 season didn't go as flawlessly for 2024 Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna, but when pushed to her absolute limit in the Personal Ensign Stakes (G1), fans again saw the champion's heart.

It's hard to imagine much that would put Bill Mott into even more rarified air. But with his latest achievement—a fifth Eclipse award—he continues to elevate his status. 

Godolphin is the first entity to win dual Eclipse Award titles as outstanding owner and breeder for five consecutive years, and the first to win six consecutive outstanding owner titles.

Cool Jet, the winner of the 2025 Commonwealth Cup Stakes (NSA-1), takes the Eclipse Award for champion steeplechase horse.

Considered a "horse of a lifetime" by his connections, a historic season for New Jersey-bred Book'em Danno led to Eclipse Award honors as 2025's champion male sprinter.

Once again a victory in the Breeders' Cup unlocked the door to an Eclipse Award for the champion female sprinter.

Following a career-best year by wins and earnings in 2025, Flavien Prat earned his second consecutive Eclipse Award for outstanding jockey in 2025.

Sovereignty's excellence was recognized the evening of Jan. 22 when the dual classic winner was named champion 3-year-old male at the Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards at The Breakers Palm Beach in South Florida.

With her ability to deliver top performances regardless of surface against the top horses in her division, Nitrogen delivered one of the more versatile campaigns in recent years to secure champion 3-year-old filly honors of 2025.

Canadian jockey Pietro Moran's riding accomplishments were recognized Jan. 22 when the 20-year-old was named the Eclipse Award winner as outstanding apprentice during the Eclipse Awards ceremony at The Breakers Palm Beach in South Florida.

If there was any question whether Ted Noffey would begin his racing career by being named champion 2-year-old male, it was put to bed at the Breeders' Cup. 

Super Corredora parlayed late-developing juvenile form into Eclipse Award recognition when she was named champion 2-year-old filly Jan. 22 during an Eclipse Award ceremony at The Breakers Palm Beach in South Florida.

Ocala Breeders' Sales has cataloged 16 horses for its OBSOnline January auction, held Jan. 26-30. The OBSOnline January sale features 2-year-olds and horses of racing age.

Tom Ryan, the racing manager for SF Racing, tweeted Friday morning that Madaket Road (Quality Road) will not compete in Saturday's GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park.

“Madaket Road won't participate in the Pegasus,” read Ryan's tweet. “He seems to have an abscess brewing – unfortunate timing. He will ship back to California shortly.”

SF Racing is co-owner of the 4-year-old colt who is trained by Bob Baffert. He was 10-1 in the morning line and is coming off a fourth-place finish in the GI Malibu Stakes. With the scratch of Madaket Road, Lightning Tones (Tonalist) will draw into the race.

Madaket Road won't participate in the Pegasus. He seems to have an abscess brewing – unfortunate timing. He will ship back to California shortly.

— Tom Ryan (@TomRyanKY) January 23, 2026

The post Madaket Road Will Scratch From Pegasus World Cup Invitational appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

On Thursday in Palm Beach, Bob Duncan was honored with a Special Eclipse Award for Career Excellence acknowledging his contribution to the sport of horse racing through his work at the starting gate.

I loudly applaud the NTRA, DRF and National Turf Writers & Broadcasters for recognizing Bob's unique talent and gift to racing with this award. I applaud Bob himself for his approach to his craft and the shining example he has set in handling horses with respect as partners in winning races.

Bob and his craft are known to anyone that has worked on a racetrack in the U.S.–myself included. But it was through his efforts with Quality Road as a 4-year-old that I came to better understand just how insightful, dedicated and generous Bob is with horses and people.

After being scratched at the starting gate for the 2009 GI Breeders Cup Classic and being reluctant to load on a plane to return from California to New York, Quality Road was branded as a talented but unpredictable rogue. At that time, as General Manager for Ned Evans Spring Hill Farm, the owner/breeder of Quality Road, I knew this label was inaccurate as did his trainer Todd Pletcher, jockey John Velazquez and anyone close to the horse.

Going forward, we employed Bob to reeducate Quality Road at the gate in an effort to allow him to reach his full potential. At a point where he could have been retired as a Grade I-winning, multiple track record setting 3-year-old known for bad behavior, instead, through Bob's work and wisdom, as a 4-year-old Quality Road won three more Grade Is, set another track record, redeemed his reputation and retired to stud with the highest stud fee of his intake year.

As a result, Quality Road bred high-quality mares making him champion freshman sire. He has gone on to become a leading stallion of multiple champions with 17 Grade I winners and counting, plus he will leave a positive and lasting mark on the breed.

None of this would have been possible without Bob Duncan. What he turned around in Quality Road, he has prevented happening in countless other horses. Bob's work ethic, empathy, nonverbal communication skills and innate respect for the horse as a sentient being, led to the development of a philosophy and approach to horse handling at the starting gate that has benefitted horses and horsemen for decades.

From my perspective though, Bob's biggest gift is the example he has set–an example of horsemanship, respect, partnership, empathy and understanding. Communicate with the horse in terms he can understand, not ignorantly expecting him to learn our language. Treat the horse with respect; like with people, it must be given to be reciprocated. Develop a partnership with the horse, not a dominant/submissive relationship, if you want him to give you his all. These examples and so many more to follow in our approach to horse handling.

In this day and age where the horse can be viewed as an asset to be developed, whose nature, athleticism and will must adapt to our schedule and expectations, Bob's example glaringly reminds us that taking care of the horse, putting the horse's best interests first is not only the ethical, moral and right thing to do, it just so happens to be good business as well.

On behalf of the horse, thank you Bob!

The post Letter To The Editor: Bob Duncan’s Example appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has canceled Saturday's live racing program at Aqueduct Racetrack due to arctic temperatures and sub-zero wind chill values forecast to impact the metropolitan area throughout the day, the association said in a press release on Friday morning.

Additionally, Laurel Park in Maryland has also canceled their 10-race Saturday card due to the expected frigid temperatures.

As previously reported, NYRA has also shifted Sunday's live racing program to Wednesday due to a powerful winter storm expected to bring heavy snowfall to the region.

Saturday's featured Interborough Stakes will be brought back for Friday, Feb. 6, with entries to be taken on Saturday, Jan. 31.

The Big A will remain open for simulcasting on Saturday but closed to the public on Sunday.

Racing will resume at Laurel Park on Friday, Jan. 30.

The post Falling Temps: NYRA And Laurel Cancel On Saturday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The podium at the 55th annual Eclipse Awards ceremony was awash in Godolphin blue Thursday, with a homebred from that global bloodstock powerhouse, Sovereignty (Into Mischief), running away with both Horse of the Year and 3-year-old male championship honors.

Sovereignty's on-track tour de force included emphatic Grade I victories in the 2025 Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes, and those headline-grabbing wins helped to trigger a cascade of accolades for the colt's human connections.

Godolphin took home its sixth straight Eclipse recognition as outstanding owner and its fifth consecutive trophy as America's top breeder.

Plus, Sovereignty's trainer, Bill Mott, was voted the nation's top trainer for the fifth time at the Eclipse Awards, a feat that is ultra-impressive considering his hardware in that category now spans three full decades (1995, 1996, 2011, 2023 and 2025).

Sovereignty's Horse of the Year distinction, announced as the culminating honor during a two-hour ceremony Jan. 22 at The Breakers Palm Beach in Florida, was the second such award in three years for the Godolphin/Mott team, joining Cody's Wish, who was Horse of the Year in 2023.

Mott has now trained Horse of the Year champions in four different years, with the mighty Cigar in 1995 and 1996 joining the recent two for Godolphin.

“First of all, I can't express how proud I am to be the one to hold this award,” Mott said while flanked by the Godolphin crew after the Horse of the Year announcement.

Trainer Bill Mott flanked by his assistants | NTRA

“I mean, it is so telling of the entire Godolphin team, his Royal Highness, [Godolphin founder] Sheikh Mohammed [bin Rashid Al Maktoum], what he's done for racing in this country and all around the world is just amazing,” Mott said.

“And being able to be part of winning his first Kentucky Derby, and another Horse of the Year, is just unimaginable, unexplainable, and I'm proud to be standing up here with the Godolphin team.”

As always, the acceptance speeches that stood out were the ones that reflected gratitude back on the horse.

“As a team, we will continue to do as we do and be who we are for the love of the Thoroughbred,” said Godolphin trainer Johnny Burke in accepting the team's outstanding owner award.

“Thank you to Sovereignty for the ride of a lifetime,” said Michael Banahan, Godolphin's bloodstock director, in collecting the 3-year-old male championship trophy.

Danny Mulvihill, the United States farm manager for Godolphin, focused on the unique Grade I Kentucky Oaks and Derby double that his team parlayed in the span of 24 hours last May after Sovereignty's off-the-pace winning Run for the Roses put the exclamation point on the previous-day's victory by fellow homebred Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro) in the Oaks.

“For any of you guys that foal mares in the middle of the night and the [Derby and Oaks] dreams are alive when those foals hit the ground,” Mulvihill said, “well, I guess this year was our turn for both.”

Ted Noffey's connections | NTRA

The undefeated 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Ted Noffey is aiming to make it two years in a row that an Into Mischief colt wins American's most important and historic horse race.

Even though Ted Noffey is the early Derby favorite for 2026 based on an unblemished 4-for-4 record in 2025 that he capped with an emphatic win in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, a member of his ownership team at Spendthrift Farm said the group is too busy enjoying the ride to give much consideration to what recognition the colt's accomplishments might bring.

“Regardless of what he did [in 2025], we take nothing for granted, said Eric Gustavson, co-owner and president of Spendthrift. “It's always good to remind ourselves that we aren't here without the majestic horse.”

Super Corredora (Gun Runner), another Breeders' Cup victress (GI Juvenile Fillies), whose win on the final Friday of October has her connections dreaming of the Kentucky Oaks on the first Friday in May, elicited similar feelings from Terry Finley of West Point Thoroughbreds, a syndicate that is one of the filly's ownership partners.

“This is why we do what we do,” Finely said, summing up his elation in a concise but candid manner that most racetrackers can relate to.

Although a number of the Eclipse Award winners on Thursday were groups or individuals with a global footprint in the game, several were rooted more locally and modestly.

Team Book'em Danno | NTRA

A case in point is the team behind champion male sprinter Book'em Danno (Bucchero), a New Jersey-bred gelding who raced for a New Jersey-based partnership of friends and business acquaintances under the stable name Atlantic Six Racing.

“In this sport, you need a lot of luck, a lot of dedication, and an exceptional horse,” said Atlantic Six's managing partner, Jay Briscione. “Tonight we celebrate all three.”

Rich Mendez's family-and-friends partnership, Morplay Racing, is a co-owner of the 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' and newly crowned champion female sprinter Shisospicy (Mitole).

Mendez wanted the sport's newer generation of participants to know that a trip to an Eclipse Awards podium like he had just made might not be as far a journey as it seems, even if you're just starting out.

“I come from absolutely nothing,” Mendez said. “Any young person that has dreams, [know that I am an example] that anyone can make it. If you work really, really hard and stay focused, you can make it.”

For a more detailed list of 2025 Eclipse Award winners, see TDN's additional coverage here.

The post Respect and Admiration for the Horse Carries the Evening at the Eclipse Awards appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Sovereignty (Into Mischief) capped off yet another massive evening at the Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum's far-flung Godolphin operation, capping the festivities at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida, by being named America's Horse of the Year for 2025 by a wide margin.

It marks the second time in three years that a horse bred and raced by Godolphin stole the show, following on from Cody's Wish (Curlin), who took down top honors in 2023. Godolphin was also named outstanding owner and breeder Thursday evening, and largely for his work managing the big colt, Bill Mott earned his fiith Eclipse as outstanding trainer. He also called the shots on the career of Cody's Wish.

“First of all, I can't express how proud I am to be the one to hold this award,” said Mott, accepting the night's most-coveted trophy. “I mean, it is so telling of the entire Godolphin team, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed. What he's done for racing in this country and all around the world is amazing. To be able to be part of winning his first Kentucky Derby and another Horse of the Year is just unimaginable, unexplainable. I'm so proud to be standing here with the Godolphin team: Michael (Banahan), Dan (Pride), the whole entire group.”

Though the racing public at large was denied the opportunity to see what Sovereignty could do against his elders when unfortunately withdrawn from the GI Breeders' Cup Classic early that week, there was no denying his brilliance over a six-race campaign that saw him win the first and third legs of the Triple Crown either side of a much-discussed and much-maligned decision to give the GI Preakness Stakes a miss.

If the objective was to have a relatively fresh horse for the second half of the season, it was certainly mission accomplished, as he was imperious in completing the Saratoga sophomore stakes double over the summer and by all accounts, would have been a very tough customer and favored in the Classic against the likes of Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) and 'TDN Rising Stars' presented by Hagyard Sierra Leone (Gun Runner), Mindframe (Constitution) and Fierceness (City of Light) in the main event on championship Saturday.

Alas, it wasn't meant to be, some 201 members of the three voting blocs–the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB) and Daily Racing Form (DRF)–were willing to cast a Horse of the Year vote in his favor. Sovereignty's name also appeared on the first line each of the 219 ballots (with one absention) for champion 3-year-old male, making him the evening's lone unanimous winner.

But for single votes cast for the impressive GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Gstaad (GB) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) and Spendthrift Farm's 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Further Ado (Gun Runner), the latter ownership's 'TDN Rising Star' Ted Noffey (Into Mischief) would have also been a unanimous choice for champion 2-year-old male off a 4-for-4 season that was capped by success in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar on Oct. 31. The fillies' counterpart also supplied the champion 2-year-old filly in the form of Super Corredora (Gun Runner), who comfortably beat GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint victress and 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Cy Fair (Not This Time) by a count of 146-49.

Ted Noffey | Breeders' Cup/Eclipse Sportswire

For the fourth time in the space of just five years, a Charlie Appleby-conditioned son of Dalham Hall Stud's magnificent Dubawi (Ire) provided Godolphin with the Eclipse statuette for champion turf male. 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Notable Speech (GB) endured a bit of a frustrating run in Europe in the first part of 2025, but that all changed in his last two starts of the preparation, including a fast-finishing victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile to improve on a somewhat unlucky third in the same event 12 months prior. It was coincidentally a fourth win in five years in that race for Godolphin-bred and -raced sons of Dubawi. Rebel's Romance (Ire), the reigning Eclipse turf champion, was a distant second in this year's balloting.

Up-and-coming trainer Cherie DeVaux was represented by the first champion of her burgeoning career when Lael Stables' She Feels Pretty (Karakontie {Jpn}) took home the hardware in the turf female category, with Grade I victories north and south of the border. She received 151 of the 220 first-place votes, outdistancing the 3-year-old filly who defeated her in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, Gezora (Fr) (Almanzor {Fr}), who tallied 36 votes.

Outside of Sovereignty and Ted Noffey, the next most-dominant divisional winner was D J Stables' Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) who attracted all but 37 of the votes to earn champion 3-year-old filly honors. Equally adept on the turf and on the dirt, the homebred defeated GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint heroine and 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Shisospicy (Mitole), who picked up 24 votes to finish a clear second.

The latter was also third behind She's So Pretty in the turf female category, but was not denied her own moment in the spotlight when her connections accepted the Eclipse Award for champion female sprinter. Her wire-to-wire tour-de-force in the Turf Sprint earned her top honors over Splendora (Audible), the convincing winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.

The older dirt male divisions, both short and long, were the subject of many a heated discussion across social media since the Eclipse finalists were announced on Jan. 4. In the older dirt male division, the voters ultimately decided that Forever Young's historic victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic was the most convincing piece of form in a division which never truly yielded a leader over the course of the season. In the end, the voting was surprisingly decisive, as the G1 Saudi Cup winner received 117 votes to the 50 for the reigning champion 3-year-old colt and defending Classic winner Sierra Leone.

The male sprint division tossed up the evening's closest contest, but by a count of 115 to 82, Eclipse voters rewarded Atlantic Six Racing's Book'em Danno (Bucchero) for his consistent body of work from March through to the end of August, a stretch which included an unprecedented sequence of victories at Saratoga, among them the GI Forego Stakes. His absence from the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint proved no detriment, as he outpointed Bentornato (Valiant Minister), who posted a pair of towering Beyer Speed Figures in his two starts–including in the Sprint–but was penalized for the abbreviated campaign.

Book'em Danno | Sarah Andrew

Similar to its male counterpart, the 2025 dirt female division was characterized by unpredictability and the lack of a dominating presence. 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) was not the same animal that was anointed Horse of the Year and champion of her generation during these ceremonies 12 months ago, but a pair of elite-level successes which took her career total to seven earned her a third statue, this one for champion older dirt female. 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Scylla (Tapit) finally put it all together in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff, but was soundly defeated into second in divisional balloting.

In the battle for champion steeplechase horse, Riverdee Stables' Cool Jet (Ire) (Jet Away {GB}) was also rewarded for his consistency, romping from on or near the pace in the Commonwealth Cup in May, the Mariann de Tejada Memorial in October and the Noel Lainge in early November.

On the heels of yet another hugely successful year in the saddle, Flavien Prat picked up his second straight Eclipse Award as outstanding journeyman jockey, while Pietro Moran landed the Eclipse for outstanding apprentice in a season highlighted by a victory in the King's Plate.

A total of 240 ballots were distributed to members of the three aforementioned voting blocs, of which 220 (91.7%) were returned. In voting that concluded Jan. 1, 2026, Eclipse Awards voters cast their ballots to rank the top three horses and individuals in each Championship division on a 10-5-1 point system. This voting established the top three finalists in each division, whose names were released on Jan. 4, 2026. The Eclipse Awards are determined by first-place votes only.

The post ‘Sovereign’ Rule: Sovereignty A Runaway Winner of Horse of the Year, Champion 3YO Male appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.