American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse Explained
The American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971.
The award originated in 1936 when both Turf & Sports Digest (TSD) the Daily Racing Form (DRF) began naming an annual champion. Starting in 1950, the Thoroughbred Racing Associations (TRA) began naming its own champion. The following list provides the name of the horses chosen by these organizations. The only disagreement came in 1968, when Turf & Sports Digest named Forward Pass as champion whereas the other two organizations voted for Stage Door Johnny.
Champions from 1871 through 1935 were selected retrospectively by a panel of experts as published by The Blood-Horse magazine.[1]
There were co-champions chosen retrospectively for 1876, 1882, 1885, 1886, 1888, 1893, 1894, 1904, 1906, 1917, 1923, and 1932.
The Daily Racing Form, the Thoroughbred Racing Associations, and the National Turf Writers Association all joined forces in 1971 to create the Eclipse Award.
As of 2021, Bob Baffert won the award 10 times as a trainer. No other trainer won the award more than twice.[2]
Honorees
Eclipse Awards
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Year
| Horse
| Trainer
| Owner
|
|---|
| 2024 | Sierra Leone | Chad Brown | Derrick Smith, Ms. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Westerburg, Brook T. Smith and Peter Brant |
| 2023 | Arcangelo | Jena Antonucci | Blue Rose Farm |
| 2022 | Epicenter | Steve Asmussen | Winchell Thoroughbreds |
| 2021 | Essential Quality | Brad H. Cox | Godolphin |
| 2020 | Authentic | Bob Baffert | Spendthrift Farm, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables, and Starlight Racing |
| 2019 | Maximum Security | Jason Servis | Mary & Gary West |
| 2018 | Justify | Bob Baffert | China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners, Starlight Racing 7 WinStar Farm |
| 2017 | West Coast | Bob Baffert | Mary & Gary West |
| 2016 | Arrogate | Bob Baffert | Juddmonte Farms |
| 2015 | American Pharoah | Bob Baffert | Zayat Stables |
| 2014 | California Chrome | Art Sherman | Steven Coburn, Perry Martin |
| 2013 | Will Take Charge | D. Wayne Lukas | Willis D. Horton |
| 2012 | I'll Have Another | Doug F. O'Neill | J. Paul Reddam |
| 2011 | Animal Kingdom | H. Graham Motion | Team Valor |
| 2010 | Lookin At Lucky | Bob Baffert | Mike Pegram, Karl Watson & Paul Weitman |
| 2009 | Summer Bird | Tim Ice | Dr. K. K. & Dr. V. Devi Jayaraman |
| 2008 | Big Brown | Richard E. Dutrow Jr. | IEAH Stables & Paul Pompa Jr. |
| 2007 | Curlin | Steve Asmussen | Stonestreet Stables et al. |
| 2006 | Bernardini | Thomas Albertrani | Darley Stable |
| 2005 | Afleet Alex | Timothy F. Ritchey | Cash Is King Stable |
| 2004 | Smarty Jones | John Servis | Roy & Patricia Chapman |
| 2003 | Funny Cide | Barclay Tagg | Sackatoga Stable |
| 2002 | War Emblem | Bob Baffert | R. L. Reineman/The Thoroughbred Corp. |
| 2001 | Point Given | Bob Baffert | The Thoroughbred Corp. |
| 2000 | Tiznow | Jay M. Robbins | Michael Cooper & Cecilia Straub-Rubens |
| 1999 | Charismatic | D. Wayne Lukas | Bob & Beverly Lewis |
| 1998 | Real Quiet | Bob Baffert | Michael E. Pegram |
| 1997 | Silver Charm | Bob Baffert | Bob & Beverly Lewis |
| 1996 | Skip Away | Sonny Hine | Carolyn Hine |
| 1995 | Thunder Gulch | D. Wayne Lukas | Michael Tabor |
| 1994 | Holy Bull | Warren A. Croll Jr. | Warren A. Croll Jr. |
| 1993 | Prairie Bayou | Thomas Bohannan | Loblolly Stable |
| 1992 | A.P. Indy | Neil D. Drysdale | Tomonori Tsurumaki |
| 1991 | Hansel | Frank L. Brothers | Lazy Lane Farm |
| 1990 | Unbridled | Carl Nafzger | Frances A. Genter |
| 1989 | Sunday Silence | Charles E. Whittingham | H-G-W Partners |
| 1988 | Risen Star | Louie Roussel III | Ronnie Lamarque & Louie Roussel III |
| 1987 | Alysheba | Jack Van Berg | Dorothy & Pamela Scharbauer |
| 1986 | Snow Chief | Melvin F. Stute | Carl Grinstead & Ben Rochelle |
| 1985 | Spend A Buck | Cam Gambolati | Hunter Farm |
| 1984 | Swale | Woody Stephens | Claiborne Farm |
| 1983 | Slew o' Gold | Sidney Watters Jr. | Equusequity Stable |
| 1982 | Conquistador Cielo | Woody Stephens | Henryk de Kwiatkowski |
| 1981 | Pleasant Colony | John P. Campo | Buckland Farm |
| 1980 | Temperence Hill | Joseph B. Cantey | Loblolly Stable |
| 1979 | Spectacular Bid | Bud Delp | Hawksworth Farm |
| 1978 | Affirmed | Laz Barrera | Harbor View Farm |
| 1977 | Seattle Slew | William H. Turner Jr. | Karen & Mickey Taylor |
| 1976 | Bold Forbes | Laz Barrera | Estéban Rodriguez Tizol |
| 1975 | Wajima | Stephen A. DiMauro | East-West Stable |
| 1974 | Little Current | Lou Rondinello | Darby Dan Farm |
| 1973 | Secretariat | Lucien Laurin | Meadow Stable |
| 1972 | Key to the Mint | J. Elliott Burch | Rokeby Stables |
| 1971 | Canonero II | Juan Arias | Pedro Baptista | |
Daily Racing Form, Turf & Sport Digest and Thoroughbred Racing Association Awards
Daily Racing Form and Turf & Sport Digest Awards
The Blood-Horse retrospective champions
A ‡ designates co champion three-year-olds.
References
Notes and References
- Web site: Archived copy . August 27, 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120904120526/http://www.bloodhorse.com/eclipsewinners/pdf/History_Charts.pdf . September 4, 2012 . bot: unknown . mdy-all .
- News: Jon. White. An Extraordinary Feat Largely Unnoticed . Xpressbet . January 30, 2019 . 2019-01-30.
- News: Dark Mirage wins honor . Spokane Daily Chronicle . December 4, 1968 . 2012-07-13.
- News: Unprecedented turf sweep by Dr Fager . Press-Courier . November 28, 1968 . 2012-07-13.
- News: Dr Fager Named top horse . Montreal Gazette . November 13, 1968 . 2012-07-13.
