Frank Stronach will receive the Eclipse Award of Merit in recognition of his outstanding success in racing, breeding, racetrack ownership and support of retired racehorse programs, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters announced Tuesday.
“I am flattered and touched to be recognized with the prestigious Eclipse Award of Merit,” Stronach said. “Horses and racing have been my passion, my labor of love, since I was a boy. It's been an honor to be part of this great sport and help in creating world-class races, facilities and training centers with our friends, partners and co-workers. What's most important, however, has been working and being around the incredible horses. I want to share this award with all of those who have contributed to all our success.”
Stronach, a native of Austria, emigrated to Canada in the 1950s and built a one-man tool and die shop in a rented garage into Magna International, one of the world's largest and most diversified suppliers of automotive components with annual sales of more than $30 billion and over 120,000 employees in close to 30 countries.
He purchased his first Thoroughbred in 1962 and by 1989 he established Adena Springs near Versailles, Kentucky. The farm has locations in Kentucky, Florida and Canada and last year Stronach announced plans to expand to California.
Stronach has captured the outstanding breeder Eclipse Award a record eight times (2000, 2004-2008; 2010-2011) and has been honored as the outstanding owner on four occasions (1998-2000, 2008). Stronach-campaigned horses have won five Eclipse Awards: Glorious Song, 1980 older female; Macho Uno, 2000 champion 2-year-old male; Ghostzapper, the 2004 Horse of the Year and champion older male; and Ginger Punch, 2007 champion older female. He has won five Breeders' Cup races, including the Classic twice with Awesome Again and Ghostzapper. Stronach also won the 2002 GI Preakness S. with Red Bullet.
Adena Springs was also the leading money-earning breeder in North America for 11 consecutive years (2003-2013), and was second in 2016. Stronach was the leading North American owner in earnings in 2000, 2002 and 2007.
Stronach expanded his participation in the industry to racetrack ownership with the 1998 acquisition of Santa Anita. He acquired Gulfstream Park and Golden Gate Fields the following year and, in 2002, he added the Maryland Jockey Club tracks of Laurel Park and Pimlico, as well as Lone Star Park.
Through a reorganization in 2007, the tracks are now owned under the name of The Stronach Group, with Frank Stronach as its founder and chairman. His daughter, Belinda, now serves as chairman and president of the company.
Stronach's trailblazing innovations include the first running of the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational in 2017. Worth $12 million a year ago, starting berths in the world's richest race were sold for $1 million apiece to individual ownership groups. The second Pegasus World Cup, which will be held Jan. 27, two days after the Eclipse Awards, now will carry a record $16-million purse.
“You've got to be innovative,” Stronach said a few years ago. “If you want to be number one, you need to make a big investment to attract people. You know, a turtle only makes progress if he sticks his neck out a little.”
Stronach created the Adena Springs Retirement program in 2004, with locations in Florida and in Canada and he also created aftercare and retirement programs at his racetracks. These endeavors earned him the inaugural Earle I. Mack Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation Champion Award, honoring outstanding efforts and influence on Thoroughbred welfare, safety and retirement.
“Frank Stronach has had an undeniable impact on the Thoroughbred industry, accentuated by his tremendous commitment to excellence in so many facets of our sport,” Alex Waldrop, NTRA President and CEO said. “Through his indomitable will, spirit and bold business ventures, Frank has built a tower of tremendous accomplishments with The Stronach Group, Adena Springs and now the world's richest horse race, the Pegasus World Cup. We salute him as a most deserving Award of Merit recipient.”
The 47th Annual Eclipse Awards dinner and ceremony will be held Jan. 25 in the Sport of Kings theatre at Gulfstream Park.
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