Kentucky-bred Thorpedo Anna was named the 2024 Horse of the Year on Thursday night at The Breakers Palm Beach during the 54th annual Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards ceremony. The Eclipse Awards, honoring excellence in North American Thoroughbred racing, are voted on by the NTRA, Equibase, Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters.
Thorpedo Anna won six of seven races last year, including the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1). Owned by Brookdale Racing, Mark Edwards, Judy Hicks, and Magdalena Racing and trained by Kenny McPeek, Thorpedo Anna received 193 out of a possible 240 first-place votes for Horse of the Year.
In a stellar season on the racetrack, Thorpedo Anna won the Fantasy S. (G2), the Kentucky Oaks (G1), the Acorn S. (G1), the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) and the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1). Her lone defeat in 2024 came against the boys in the Travers S. (G1) where she finished second by a diminishing head to Fierceness. In addition to Horse of the Year, she was a unanimous choice for Champion 3-Year-Old Filly. Bred in Kentucky by Judy Hicks, Thorpedo Anna joins Rachel Alexandra (2009) as the only 3-year-old fillies to win the Eclipse Award as Horse of the Year.
Kentucky-Breds Lead the Way at Eclipse Awards
Kentucky-bred Sierra Leone was voted Champion 3-Year-Old Male. Winner of the Blue Grass S. (G1) at Keeneland and second in the Kentucky Derby (G1), Sierra Leone capped off his championship year with a season-ending triumph in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). Bred by Debby Oxley, Sierra Leone is owned by Peter Brant, Mr. and Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, and Brook Smith and is trained by Chad Brown.
Kentucky-bred Citizen Bull, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) was named Champion 2-Year-Old Male. Campaigned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Diana Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert Masterson, Tom Ryan, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan, Citizen Bull was bred by Robert and Lawana Low and was trained by Bob Baffert.
Baffert-trained National Treasure was honored as Champion Older Dirt Male. Raced by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay Shoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan, National Treasure won the Pegasus World Cup Inv. (G1) and the Metropolitan H. (G1) during his 4-year-old season.
Brad Cox Trainees Honored
Kentucky-bred Idiomatic earned her second consecutive Older Dirt Female championship on the strength of her wins in the La Troienne S. (G1), the Molly Pitcher S. (G2) and the Spinster S. (G1). The Juddmonte homebred is trained by Brad Cox.
The Cox-trained Immersive took home the Champion 2-Year-Old Filly title. The Godolphin homebred captured the Spinaway S. (G1) at Saratoga and the Alcibiades (G1) at Keeneland before trouncing her competition in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).
Kentucky-bred Soul of an Angel, trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., won the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) and was named Champion Female Sprinter. Soul of an Angel is campaigned by C2 Racing Stable, Agave Racing Stable, and Ken Reimer. She was bred in the Bluegrass by Westbrook Stables.
The Dan Blacker-trained Straight No Chaser, who won the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) for MyRacehorse, took home the Male Sprinter title. Straight No Chaser was bred by John Eaton and Steve Laymon.
Snap Decision Champion Steeplechase Horse
Bruton Street-US’s Snap Decision won for Champion Steeplechase Horse. Trained by Jack Fisher, the 10-year-old won two Grade 1 races, taking the Calvin Houghland Iroquois S. in Tennessee and the American Grand National at Far Hills, New Jersey. He was bred in Kentucky by Phipps Stables.