The Eclipse Award of Merit is part of the

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

Eclipse Award The Eclipse Award is an American Thoroughbred horse racing award named after the 18th-century British racehorse and sire, Eclipse. An Eclipse Award Trophy is presented to the winner in each division that is made by a few small selected American ...

s in

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

horse racing Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...

. The industry's highest honor, it is presented to an individual or entity displaying outstanding lifetime achievement in, and service to, the Thoroughbred industry. First awarded in 1976, the Eclipse Award of Merit is voted on by a panel of representatives from the

National Thoroughbred Racing Association The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) is a broad-based coalition of American horse racing interests consisting of leading thoroughbred racetracks, owners, breeders, trainers and affiliated horse racing associations, charged with incr ...

Daily Racing Form The ''Daily Racing Form'' (DRF) (referred to as the ''Racing Form'' or "Form" and sometimes "telegraph" or "telly") is a tabloid newspaper founded in 1894 in Chicago, Illinois, by Frank Brunell. The paper publishes the past performances of race ...

and the

National Turf Writers Association The National Turf Writers Association (NTWA) is an American association of journalists, columnists and other writers involved with reporting on the horse racing industry. The organization was founded by prominent sports writer Joe Hirsch who served ...

Winners

*2021 - Earle I. Mack *2019 - ''No Award Presented'' *2018 - Joe Harper *2017 - ''No Award Presented'' *2016 -

Andrew Beyer Andrew Beyer (born 17 Nov 1943) is an American expert on horse race betting who designed the Beyer Speed Figure. In the early 1970s, while working for the ''Washington Daily News'', Beyer did extensive work on the concept of speed figures and w ...

/ Steven Crist *2015 -

Leonard Lavin Leonard H. Lavin (October 29, 1919 – August 2, 2017) was an American businessman, racehorse owner and breeder, and philanthropist, who, in 1955 founded the Alberto-Culver Company.

*2014 - Tom Durkin *2013 - D. Wayne Lukas *2012 - Nick Nicholson *2011 - W. Cothran "Cot" Campbell *2010 -

Claiborne Farm Claiborne Farm is a thoroughbred horse breeding operation near Paris, Kentucky. It was established in 1910 by Arthur B. Hancock, owner of Ellerslie Stud in Albemarle County, Virginia, and has been operated by members of his family ever since. ...

Marylou Whitney Marie Louise "Marylou" Whitney ( née Schroeder; December 24, 1925 – July 19, 2019) was an American socialite and philanthropist. A prominent owner and breeder of thoroughbred racehorses, Whitney was notable for "reigning for decades as the so ...

*2009 - William S. Farish III, Lane's End Farm *2008 - Alice Headley Chandler of Mill Ridge Farm *2007 - ''No Award Presented'' *2006 -

John A. Nerud John Andrew Nerud (February 9, 1913 – August 13, 2015) was an American thoroughbred horse trainer and owner, who was inducted in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1972. Early years Nerud, who was born on a ranch in Minatare, Ne ...

*2005 -

Penny Chenery Helen Bates "Penny" Chenery (January 27, 1922 – September 16, 2017) (married names: Penny Tweedy until 1974 and later Penny Ringquist until 1980) was an American sportswoman who bred and owned Secretariat, the 1973 winner of the Triple Crown. T ...

*2004 - The Cella Family *2003 - Richard L. Duchossois *2002 -

Ogden Phipps Ogden Phipps (November 26, 1908 – April 21, 2002) was an American stockbroker, court tennis champion and Hall of Fame member, thoroughbred horse racing executive and owner/breeder, and an art collector and philanthropist. In 2001, he was induc ...

/ Howard Battle *2001 - Harry T. Mangurian Jr. / Pete Pederson *2000 -

Jim McKay James Kenneth McManus (September 24, 1921 – June 7, 2008), better known professionally as Jim McKay, was an American television sports journalist. McKay was best known for hosting ABC's '' Wide World of Sports'' (1961–1998). His introdu ...

*1999 - ''No award presented'' *1998 - D. G. Van Clief Jr. *1997 - Bob and Beverly Lewis *1996 -

Allen E. Paulson Allen Eugene Paulson (April 22, 1922 – July 19, 2000) was an American businessman. Business career in aviation Born in Clinton, Iowa, Clinton, Iowa, Allen E. Paulson was on his own at age 13, supporting himself selling newspapers and doing ...

*1995 - James E. "Ted" Bassett III *1994 -

Alfred G. Vanderbilt II Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Jr. (September 22, 1912 – November 12, 1999) was a British-born member of the prominent Vanderbilt railroad family, and a noted figure of American thoroughbred horse racing. He was the youngest-ever member of The Jockey ...

*1993 -

Paul Mellon Paul Mellon (June 11, 1907 – February 1, 1999) was an American philanthropist and an owner/breeder of thoroughbred racehorses. He is one of only five people ever designated an "Exemplar of Racing" by the National Museum of Racing and Hall ...

*1992 -

Joe Hirsch Joe Hirsch (February 27, 1928 – January 9, 2009) was an American horse racing columnist and the founding president of the National Turf Writers Association. Biography He earned a degree in journalism from New York University, then served w ...

Robert P. Strub The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory ...

*1991 -

Fred W. Hooper Fred William Hooper (October 6, 1897 – August 4, 2000) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse owner and breeder. He was a member of The Jockey Club, an honorary director of the Breeders' Cup, and one of the founders of the Thoroughbred Owners ...

*1990 - Warner L. Jones Jr. *1989 - Michael Sandler *1988 - John Forsythe *1987 - James B. Faulconer *1986 - Herman Cohen *1985 - Keene Daingerfield *1984 - John R. Gaines *1981 -

Bill Shoemaker William Lee Shoemaker (August 19, 1931 – October 12, 2003) was an American jockey. For 29 years he held the world record for total professional jockey victories. Early life Referred to as "Bill", "Willie," and "The Shoe", William Lee Sho ...

*1980 - John D. Shapiro *1979 - Frank E. Kilroe *1978 -

Ogden Mills Phipps Ogden Mills "Dinny" Phipps (September 18, 1940 – April 6, 2016) was an American financier, Thoroughbred racehorse industry executive, and horse breeder. Widely known by the nickname "Dinny," he was chairman of the family's Bessemer Trust until ...

*1977 -

Steve Cauthen Steve Cauthen (born May 1, 1960) is a retired American jockey. In 1977 he became the first jockey to win over $6 million in a year working with agent Lenny Goodman, and in 1978 he became the youngest jockey to win the U. S. ...

*1976 - Jack J. Dreyfus

References

The Eclipse Awards at the Thoroughbred Racing Associations of America, Inc.

''The Bloodhorse.com'' Champion's history charts
{{Eclipse Awards Horse racing awards Horse racing in the United States