champions

Champions Battle in Apple Blossom

Saturday's GI Apple Blossom H. at Oaklawn Park features a clash between champions Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) and Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil). Named champion 3-year-old filly off a sparkling 2018 campaign, Monomoy Girl returned from a year and a half on the sidelines to win all four starts in 2020, including Churchill's GI La Troienne S. followed by a successful title defense in the Nov. 7 GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland. After realizing $9.5 million from Spendthrift Farm at Fasig-Tipton in November, the 6-year-old mare marked her debut sporting the MyRacehorse...

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Godolphin Named Outstanding Owner

For the first time in nine years and for the third time overall, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid al Maktoum's Godolphin LLC was recognized at the Eclipse Award ceremonies as America's Outstanding Owner. Horses carrying Godolphin's royal blue colors got their pictures taken 80 times in 2020, good for a remarkable strike rate of 22.2%. The operation was represented by no fewer than a joint-best eight winners at the graded stakes level (tied with Gary Barber) for a broad swath of conditioners, highlighted by the Brad Cox-trained champion Essential Quality (Tapit),...

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Rushing Fall and Channel Maker Win Eclipse Awards in Turf Divisions

Second in the balloting for champion 2-year-old filly of her generation in 2017, 'TDN Rising Star' Rushing Fall (More Than Ready) joined the likes of former Chad Brown stablemates Lady Eli (Divine Park, 2017), Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}), 2018) and Uni (GB) (More Than Ready) to become the stable's fourth Eclipse Award-winning turf female in a row and second in succession for her legendary sire. To do so, she outpointed GI Breeders' Cup Turf heroine Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) and Audarya (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who defeated Rushing Fall by a...

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Vequist & Essential Quality Take Home Juvenile Championships
Vequist & Essential Quality Take Home Juvenile Championships

Vequist (Nyquist) cemented her status as the leader of what appeared to be an open division earlier in the fall with a decisive score in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 6. The dark bay finished second in her July 29 debut at Parx, but her connections clearly had plenty of faith in her after that effort, sending her to Saratoga for the GI Spinaway S. Sept. 6. She demolished the field that day, earning her diploma by 9 1/2 lengths and becoming her freshman sire's first Grade I...

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Swiss Skydiver and Authentic Top Sophomore Divisions

Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) dominated the 3-year-old filly division in 2020 and even defeated some of the top older males of her generation, making her the clear-cut choice for this award. Kicking off her sophomore season with a third in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. at Fair Grounds in February, the $35,000 KEESEP buy rebounded with a trio of decisive victories in the Mar. 28 GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, May 1 GIII Fantasy S. and June 6 GII Santa Anita Oaks. Trainer Ken McPeek tried his charge against males for the...

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Authentic, Improbable, Monomoy Girl to Fight Out Horse Of The Year

Authentic (Into Mischief), winner of the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic; 'TDN Rising Star' Improbable (City Zip), a dual Grade I winner and runner-up in the Classic; and Monomoy Girl (Tapizar), who capped a four-for-four season with a second victory in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff, are the finalists for 2020 Horse of the Year as Eclipse Award finalists were announced Saturday on TVG. Authentic is one of three individual Eclipse finalists in four separate categories for the all-conquering Into Mischief, whose daughter Gamine was...

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Sovereign Awards Postponed

The 45th annual Sovereign Awards ceremonies, scheduled for Apr. 20 in northwest suburban Toronto, has been postponed indefinitely in response to the coronavirus crisis, The Jockey Club of Canada announced Monday. "The health and safety of our finalists, our guests and their families is of the utmost importance and we feel this is a necessary precaution in the current situation," a release said. "We would like to assure all our stakeholders that we will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves and will provide regular updates throughout. "Once an...

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Vino Rosso and Mitole Get First Mares in Foal

Champions and Breeders' Cup winners Vino Rosso (Curlin) and Mitole (Eskendereya) both had their first mares confirmed in foal. Shine Time (Malibu Moon) checked in foal to Vino Rosso Feb. 25 for breeders Pam and Jim Robinson of Brandywine Farm. Strike Accord (Smart Strike) checked in foal to Mitole Feb. 28 at Frankfort Park Farm.

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