Every few years the Eclipse Award goes to a horse (always a turf horse) who ships in from overseas–usually fresh–and wins a Breeders' Cup race and our designated voters make the horse an American champion.
I remember going down to New Orleans 25 years ago to watch the 9-year-old gelding John's Call (Lord At War {Arg})–a people's horse if there ever was–be named champion turf horse after watching him win the Sword Dancer (by nine lengths) and the Man o' War.
Unfortunately in the GI Breeder's Cup Turf he got trapped, but was flying to just come up a length short beaten by a horse who was making his only start in America that year. This was the only American stakes he ever won–some stayer named Kalanisi (Ire) (Doyoun {Ire}) was named champion turf horse of America!
I wrote a letter after that suggesting that to be an American champion you need to run in America three times that year. It happened again eight years later win when one-time American starter Conduit (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) upset Grade l American-raced Dancing Forever (Rahy).
It also happens occasionally in the Filly & Mare Turf–like when the Japanese bred, owned and raced, Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) won by a neck beating the hard-hitting War Like Goddess (English Channel) who was coming off five straight graded stakes wins!
This year the voters did it again when the stayer Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) won–he didn't even beat the two other nominees. Please NTRA leaders change the rule!
–John Stuart, Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services
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