Eclipse Awards 2025: Finalists Revealed Ahead of U.S. Racing’s Biggest Night

They will be presented next January 22, with a few surprises already stirring debate—most notably the absences of Mindframe and Fierceness from the ballot for Champion Older Horse

Sierra Leone and Forever Young locked in a thrilling stretch duel in the Classic, ultimately won by the Japanese star / BREEDERS' CUP

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association, in partnership with the Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters, released on January 4 the list of finalists for the 2025 Eclipse Awards, honoring the season’s top equine and human performers in U.S. racing.

Winners across 17 equine and human categories will be announced on January 22 at 7:30 p.m. ET, during the 55th annual Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards ceremony, to be televised on FanDuel TV and additional platforms. The evening will culminate with the naming of the 2025 Horse of the Year.

Voter participation was robust once again, with 221 of 240 eligible voters (92%) casting ballots. Finalists were determined from each voter’s top three preferences under the 10-5-1 points system, while winners will be decided solely by first-place votes.

The finalist in each category are:

2-Year-Old Colt: Brant – Gstaad – Ted Noffey2-Year-Old Filly: Cy Fair – Explora – Super Corredora

3-Year-Old Colt: Baeza – Journalism – Sovereignty3-Year-Old Filly: Good Cheer – Nitrogen – Shisospicy

Older Dirt Male: Forever Young – Nysos – Sierra LeoneOlder Dirt Female: Scylla – Splendora – Thorpedo Anna

Male Sprinter: Bentornato – Book’em Danno – NysosFemale Sprinter: Kopion – Shisospicy – Splendora

Male Turf Horse: Deterministic – Notable Speech – Rebel’s RomanceFemale Turf Horse: Gezora – She Feels Pretty – Shisospicy

Steeplechase Horse: Cool Jet – Swore – Zanahiyr

Owner: Godolphin – Klaravich Stables – Spendthrift FarmBreeder: Don Alberto Corporation – Godolphin – WinStar FarmTrainer: Chad Brown – Brad Cox – Bill MottJockey: Irad Ortiz Jr. – Flavien Prat – John VelazquezApprentice Jockey: Christopher Elliott – Yedsit Hazlewood – Pietro Moran

The Horse of the Year finalists will be revealed live during the ceremony, which will also honor Dan Piazza as 2025 Horseplayer of the Year and recognize journalists and broadcasters across six media categories.

Named after Eclipse, the undefeated 18th-century legend and cornerstone of the modern Thoroughbred, the Eclipse Awards once again set the bar for excellence in American racing. With a slate blending established champions, emerging stars, and standout campaigns, the 2025 season now awaits its ultimate coronation.