Politics

True. But why on earth would anyone want to stop the tide? The export business keeps the whole industry afloat. 50% of next weeks book 1/2 yearlings will be exported. Wouldn't you want to support it?

The podium at the 55th annual Eclipse Awards ceremony was awash in Godolphin blue Thursday, with a homebred from that global bloodstock powerhouse, Sovereignty (Into Mischief), running away with both Horse of the Year and 3-year-old male championship honors. Sovereignty's on-track tour de force included emphatic Grade I victories in the 2025 Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes, and those headline-grabbing wins helped to trigger a cascade of accolades for the colt's human connections. Godolphin took home its sixth straight Eclipse recognition as outstanding owner and its fifth consecutive trophy as America's top breeder. Plus, Sovereignty's trainer, Bill Mott, was voted the nation's top trainer for the fifth time at the Eclipse Awards, a feat that is ultra-impressive considering his hardware in that category now spans three full decades (1995, 1996, 2011, 2023 and 2025). Sovereignty's Horse of the Year distinction, announced as the culminating honor during a two-hour ceremony Jan. 22 at The Breakers Palm Beach in Florida, was the second such award in three years for the Godolphin/Mott team, joining Cody's Wish, who was Horse of the Year in 2023. Mott has now trained Horse of the Year champions in four different years, with the mighty Cigar in 1995 and 1996 joining the recent two for Godolphin. “First of all, I can't express how proud I am to be the one to hold this award,” Mott said while flanked by the Godolphin crew after the Horse of the Year announcement. Trainer Bill Mott flanked by his assistants | NTRA “I mean, it is so telling of the entire Godolphin team, his Royal Highness, [Godolphin founder] Sheikh Mohammed [bin Rashid Al Maktoum], what he's done for racing in this country and all around the world is just amazing,” Mott said. “And being able to be part of winning his first Kentucky Derby, and another Horse of the Year, is just unimaginable, unexplainable, and I'm proud to be standing up here with the Godolphin team.” As always, the acceptance speeches that stood out were the ones that reflected gratitude back on the horse. “As a team, we will continue to do as we do and be who we are for the love of the Thoroughbred,” said Godolphin trainer Johnny Burke in accepting the team's outstanding owner award. “Thank you to Sovereignty for the ride of a lifetime,” said Michael Banahan, Godolphin's bloodstock director, in collecting the 3-year-old male championship trophy. Danny Mulvihill, the United States farm manager for Godolphin, focused on the unique Grade I Kentucky Oaks and Derby double that his team parlayed in the span of 24 hours last May after Sovereignty's off-the-pace winning Run for the Roses put the exclamation point on the previous-day's victory by fellow homebred Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro) in the Oaks. “For any of you guys that foal mares in the middle of the night and the [Derby and Oaks] dreams are alive when those foals hit the ground,” Mulvihill said, “well, I guess this year was our turn for both.” Ted Noffey's connections | NTRA The undefeated 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Ted Noffey is aiming to make it two years in a row that an Into Mischief colt wins American's most important and historic horse race. Even though Ted Noffey is the early Derby favorite for 2026 based on an unblemished 4-for-4 record in 2025 that he capped with an emphatic win in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, a member of his ownership team at Spendthrift Farm said the group is too busy enjoying the ride to give much consideration to what recognition the colt's accomplishments might bring. “Regardless of what he did [in 2025], we take nothing for granted, said Eric Gustavson, co-owner and president of Spendthrift. “It's always good to remind ourselves that we aren't here without the majestic horse.” Super Corredora (Gun Runner), another Breeders' Cup victress (GI Juvenile Fillies), whose win on the final Friday of October has her connections dreaming of the Kentucky Oaks on the first Friday in May, elicited similar feelings from Terry Finley of West Point Thoroughbreds, a syndicate that is one of the filly's ownership partners. “This is why we do what we do,” Finely said, summing up his elation in a concise but candid manner that most racetrackers can relate to. Although a number of the Eclipse Award winners on Thursday were groups or individuals with a global footprint in the game, several were rooted more locally and modestly. Team Book'em Danno | NTRA A case in point is the team behind champion male sprinter Book'em Danno (Bucchero), a New Jersey-bred gelding who raced for a New Jersey-based partnership of friends and business acquaintances under the stable name Atlantic Six Racing. “In this sport, you need a lot of luck, a lot of dedication, and an exceptional horse,” said Atlantic Six's managing partner, Jay Briscione. “Tonight we celebrate all three.” Rich Mendez's family-and-friends partnership, Morplay Racing, is a co-owner of the 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' and newly crowned champion female sprinter Shisospicy (Mitole). Mendez wanted the sport's newer generation of participants to know that a trip to an Eclipse Awards podium like he had just made might not be as far a journey as it seems, even if you're just starting out. “I come from absolutely nothing,” Mendez said. “Any young person that has dreams, [know that I am an example] that anyone can make it. If you work really, really hard and stay focused, you can make it.” For a more detailed list of 2025 Eclipse Award winners, see TDN's additional coverage here. The post Respect and Admiration for the Horse Carries the Evening at the Eclipse Awards appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Godolphin may not have been a presenting sponsor of the 55th annual Eclipse Awards, but the international racing and breeding behemoth surely dominated the Jan. 22 presentations.View the full article

9 steps forward, 10 steps back.  Ohope Wins, while not in the Kiwi, sold to Yulong, will race here up until the Oaks and/or Derby. One potential quality 4 year old that won't race here again. Like trying to stop the tide coming in That is 4 of the best 3 year olds produced in NZ (Leica Lucy, Willydoit, Well Written and Ohope Wins that will never race in NZ as 4-year-olds and above  

Despite a Breeders' Cup loss, the daughter of Karakontie was named Eclipse champion turf female at the Eclipse Awards ceremony Jan. 22, becoming the first Eclipse Award winner trained by Cherie DeVaux.View the full article