Ten champions sold here and/or raced here during season
Keeneland congratulates the equine champions and outstanding horsemen in Thoroughbred racing in 2022 who were honored tonight at the 52nd annual Eclipse Awards Ceremony at The Breakers Palm Beach in Florida. All 10 horses recognized as flat racing champions have a Keeneland connection either through auctions or races, which in 2022 included the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
Keeneland joined John Deere and The Jockey Club as presenting sponsors of the ceremony.
Eclipse Awards winners were selected by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form and National Turf Writers and Broadcasters.
Seven graduates of Keeneland sales, including six alumni of the September Yearling Sale, were named champions. Those horses and their 2022 graded stakes victories are:
Forte (Two-Year-Old Male): Winner of the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1), both at Keeneland, and the Hopeful (G1), Forte is a graduate of two Keeneland sales. Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services, agent for breeder South Gate Farm, consigned the son of Violence as a weanling to the 2020 November Breeding Stock Sale, where he sold to Silver Hill Farm for $80,000. At the 2021 September Sale, West Bloodstock, agent for owners Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable, purchased Forte for $110,000 from the consignment of Eaton Sales, agent.
Wonder Wheel (Two-Year-Old Filly): Three Chimneys Farm and Clearsky Farms bred Wonder Wheel, who won the NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and Darley Alcibiades (G1), both at Keeneland. Clearsky, agent, consigned the daughter of Into Mischief to the 2021 September Sale, where owner D.J. Stable bought her for $275,000.
Epicenter (Three-Year-Old Male): Owner Winchell Thoroughbreds paid $260,000 for Epicenter at the 2020 September Sale, where he was consigned by breeder Bettersworth Westwind Farms. In 2022, the colt by Not This Time won the Runhappy Travers (G1), Jim Dandy (G2), Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) and Risen Star (G2) Presented by Lamarque Ford.
Nest (Three-Year-Old Filly): Nest, who won the Central Bank Ashland (G1) at Keeneland and the Alabama (G1), Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) and Beldame (G2), sold to Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Repole Stable for $350,000 at the 2020 September Sale. The Curlin filly was consigned by Ashview Farm (Bryan Lyster and Gray Lyster), who bred her with Colts Neck Stable. Eclipse and Repole raced Nest with Michael House.
Malathaat (Older Dirt Female): Winner of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1), Juddmonte Spinster (G1) and Baird Doubledogdare (G3) at Keeneland and the Personal Ensign (G1), Malathaat sold to owner Shadwell Stable for $1.05 million at the 2019 September Sale. The daughter of Curlin, also a champion in 2021, was bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings and consigned to the September Sale by Denali Stud, agent for Stonestreet Bred & Raised.
Elite Power (Male Sprinter): Owner Juddmonte purchased Elite Power, who won the Qatar Racing Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Keeneland and the Vosburgh (G2), for $900,000 at the 2019 September Sale from the consignment of Lane’s End, agent. Alpha Delta Stables bred the son of Curlin.
Regal Glory (Female Turf): Owner Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm paid $925,000 for Regal Glory at Keeneland’s 2021 Horses of All Ages Sale, where she was consigned by Lane’s End, agent for the Complete Dispersal of the Estate of her breeder, Paul J. Pompa Jr. In 2022, the daughter of Animal Kingdom won the Jenny Wiley (G1) at Keeneland, Matriarch (G1), Just a Game (G1) and TAA Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational (G3) Presented by PEPSI.
In addition, these newly crowned champions captured 2022 Breeders’ Cup races at Keeneland:
Horse of the Year and Champion Older Dirt Male Flightline won the Classic (G1). Two days later at Keeneland’s November Sale, a 2.5 percent ownership interest in Flightline sold for $4.6 million;
Goodnight Olive (Female Sprinter) won the Filly and Mare Sprint (G1); and
Modern Games (IRE) (Male Turf Horse) took the FanDuel Mile (G1) Presented by PDJF.
Meanwhile, these winners of Eclipse Awards as outstanding horsemen are active at Keeneland:
Godolphin (Owner and Breeder) won nine races to lead all owners in 2022 and recorded six stakes victories. Spring Meet stakes winners were Matareya (Beaumont-G3 Presented by Keeneland Select) and Prevalence (Commonwealth-G3). Breeders’ Cup winners were the aforementioned Cody’s Wish and Modern Games along with Mischief Magic (IRE) (Juvenile Turf Sprint-G1) and Rebel’s Romance (IRE) (Turf-G1).
Irad Ortiz Jr. (Jockey) won 27 races, including 10 stakes. He rode Forte to his two Keeneland stakes wins; took additional Breeders’ Cup races on Elite Power and Goodnight Olive; won the Central Bank Ashland on Nest; and recorded other stakes victories on Annapolis (Coolmore Turf Mile-G1), Campanelle (IRE) (Giant’s Causeway-L), Golden Pal (Shakertown-G2 and Woodford-G2 Presented by FanDuel) and Sy Dog (Kentucky Utilities Transylvania-G3).
Todd Pletcher (Trainer) won 19 races, including seven stakes. He conditioned Forte, Malathaat and Nest and won the Coolmore Turf Mile with Annapolis.
Since its first race meet more than 85 years ago, the Keeneland Association has devoted itself to the health and vibrancy of the Thoroughbred industry. The world’s largest Thoroughbred auction house, Keeneland conducts five sales a year, in January, April, September and November. Graduates of Keeneland sales dominate racing across the globe at every level. In April and October, Keeneland offers some of the highest caliber and richest Thoroughbred racing in the world. Keeneland hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships in 2015, 2020 and 2022. Uniquely structured, Keeneland is a privately held company with a not-for-profit mission that returns its earnings to the industry and the community in the form of higher purses and millions of dollars donated in support of horse industry initiatives and charitable contributions for education, research, and health and human services throughout Central Kentucky. Keeneland also maintains the Keeneland Library, a world-renowned public research institution with the mission of preserving information about the Thoroughbred industry. To learn more, visit Keeneland.com.
For more information contact:
Amy Gregory at 859 361-3490
Amy Owens at 859 421-2566