January 29, 2021 
After a surprising 2020, it was no surprise that pandemic-altered Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Authentic claimed dual crowns as Champion Three-Year-Old Male and Horse of the Year during the 50th Anniversary Eclipse Award ceremony broadcast virtually Thursday evening from the winner’s new home, Spendthrift Farm in Lexington KY.
Breeders’ Cup races figured prominently in the Eclipse Award results, particularly in the Horse of the Year category, with Authentic’s HOY win solidified by his Breeders’ Cup Classic victory.
His rivals for Horse of the Year honors did not go away empty-hooved. Improbable trotted off with the trophy for Champion Older Dirt Male while Monomoy Girl claimed the honor as Champion Older Dirt Female.
Swiss Skydiver swooped in to gather up the Eclipse as Champion Three-Year-Old Filly largely on the strength of her gutty victory over Authentic in the Oct. 3 Preakness Stakes:
The reimagined Eclipse Award ceremony was conducted virtually from Spendthrift Farm and other locations. Authentic and owner B. Wayne Hughes, who leads Spendthrift, both appeared live to accept their awards. Champion retired mare Beholder, now in foal, also had a cameo.
The broadcast featured a segment honoring the many horsemen and women who passed away during the year, ending with a lengthy tribute to Juddmonte’s Prince Khalid bin Abdullah, whose passing was announced a fortnight ago. Horse Network’s own tribute to Prince Khalid appeared on the site earlier this week:
RELATED READING: Prince Khalid bin Abdullah: A Personal Appreciation
Breeders’ Cup race results also figured in other Eclipse Awards.
The Eclipse Award sprint category results were about “age” versus “beauty.” In perhaps the evening’s only surprise, seven-year-old wonder Whitmore was voted Champion Male Sprinter after defeating a crop of young challengers in his fourth try at winning the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland Nov. 7. Trainer Bob Baffert finally identified the one-turn sprint as the best placement for his Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint winner and Eclipse-winning Champion Female Sprinter Gamine.
Trainer Brad Cox rose into the elite trainer ranks with his Breeders’ Cup success and took home the Eclipse as the year’s top trainer while Irad Ortiz Jr. had his phenomenal year in the saddle acknowledged with the Eclipse Award as Champion Jockey.
In what may serve as a precursor to shaking off the Kentucky Derby jinx, Godolphin and its owner Sheikh Mohammed brought the top Owner Eclipse Award back to Dubai while its undefeated Tapit colt Essential Quality was chosen the year’s quality Two-Year-Old, largely on the strength of his Breeders’ Cup Juvenile win. Vequist took female Two-Year-Old honors. Winstar Farm was tipped as the year’s top Breeder.
The complete list of 2021 Eclipse Award finalists in each category is as follows:
| CATEGORY | WINNER | FINALISTS |
| Horse of the Year | Authentic | Improbable, Monomoy Girl |
| 2-Year-Old Male | Essential Quality | Fire At Will, Jackie’s Warrior |
| 2-Year-Old Filly | Vequist | Aunt Pearl, Dayoutoftheoffice |
| 3-Year-Old Male | Authentic | Nadal, Tiz the Law |
| 3-Year-Old Filly | Swiss Skydiver | Gamine, Shedaresthedevil |
| Older Dirt Male | Improbable | Maximum Security, Vekoma |
| Older Dirt Female | Monomoy Girl | Midnight Bisou, Serengeti Empress |
| Male Sprinter | Whitmore | Vekoma, Volatile |
| Female Sprinter | Gamine | Glass Slippers, Serengeti Empress |
| Male Turf Horse | Channel Maker | Order of Australia, Zulu Alpha |
| Female Turf Horse | Rushing Fall | Audarya, Tarnawa |
| Steeplechase Horse | Moscato | Rashaan, Snap Decision |
| Owner | Godolphin | Klaravich Stables; Spendthrift Farm/MyRaceHorse Stable/Madaket Stables/Starlight Racing |
| Breeder | WinStar Farm | Calumet Farm, Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds |
| Trainer | Brad Cox | Steve Asmussen, Bob Baffert |
| Jockey | Irad Ortiz, Jr. | Joel Rosario, John Velazquez |
| Apprentice Jockey | Alexander Crispin | Luis Cardenas, Yarmarie Correa |
The Eclipse Awards are named after the 18th-century British Champion racehorse. The Awards are overseen by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) and award outstanding efforts in 17 categories. The winners are determined by voting among the members of the NTRA, the Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB).
Eclipse Awards are also given for outstanding media coverage in six categories with winners chosen by a three-judge panel for each category. Horse Network’s Richard R. Gross was awarded Honorable Mention in the News/Enterprise writing for “Authentic Proves He’s Just That,” a race recap of Kentucky Derby.
