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Full Serrano looks to make history at the 54th Annual Eclipse Awards

Writer's picture: Turf DiarioTurf Diario

The Argentinean, winner of the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), will compete for the statuette as Champion Older Dirt Male of 2024 in the United States against National Treasure and Straight No Chaser; Thorpedo Anna is a candidate for the title of Horse of the Year; Venezuelan José Torrealba will go for the Apprentice of the Year award


Full Serrano winning the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile / COURTESY BREEDERS' CUP LTD.
Full Serrano winning the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile / COURTESY BREEDERS' CUP LTD.

By Diego H. Mitagstein


It could be another historic day for the Argentine and South American horse racing. Tonight, at The Breakers, Miami, Florida, and sponsored by Resolute Racing, the 54th edition of the Eclipse Awards will take place, which recognize the best of each season, in this case, in reference to what happened in 2024.

Among so many strong names, there will be one of our own among the nominees, as the remarkable Full Serrano will dispute the title of Champion Older Dirt Horse with the locals National Treasure (Quality Road) and Straight No Chaser (Speightster).

Can the son of Full Mast bred by Haras Gran Muñeca finally win the statuette? While his formidable triumph in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) and his second in the Pacific Classic (G1), in just three starts since his landing in the US, are strong credentials, his two rivals also had interesting results, and they are local...

National Treasure, now retired as a stallion at Spendthirft Farm, won the Pegasus World Cup (G1) and the Metropolitan Handicap (G1), two very important races, as well as finishing second in the California Crown Stakes (G1) -behind Subsanador (Fortify), another Argentinean- and fourth in the Saudi Cup (G1), in his visit to the King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Saudi Arabia. Bob Baffert's former trainee is the top candidate.

Straight No Chaser, meanwhile, won the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) and the Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes (G2), and looks more evenly matched in the comparison with the Argentinean.

Trained by John Sadler and owned by Hronis Racing, Full Serrano will seek to become the sixth South American horse to win one of the prized Eclipse Awards, with the Argentineans Bayakoa (Consultant's Bid), Champion Older Mare in 1989 and 1990; Paseana (Ahmad), Champion Older Mare in 1992 and 1993; and Invasor (Candy Stripes), Horse of the Year and Champion Older Horse in 2006; Chile's Cougar (Tale of Two Cities), Champion Older Turf Horse in 1972; and Brazil's Leroidesanimaux (Candy Stripes), Champion Older Turf Horse in 2005.

The ceremony will have its main interest in knowing which will finally crowned the 2024 Horse of the Year, with the filly Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna), owner of a sensational race record over the season, as the majority favorite against the colts Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) and Fierceness (City of Lights).

South America will have another hope during the Eclipse Awards with Venezuelan José Torrealba in the nomination for Apprentice Jockey of the Year, along with Gabriel Maldonado and Erik Asmussen.

The complete shortlists for the 54th edition of the Eclipse Awards are as follows:

Two-Year-Old Male:  Chancer McPatrick, Citizen Bull, Gaming

Two-Year-Old Filly:   Good Cheer, Immersive, Lake Victoria (IRE)

Three-Year-Old Male: Dornoch, Fierceness, Sierra Leone

Three-Year-Old Filly:  Cinderella’s Dream (GB), She Feels Pretty, Thorpedo Anna

Older Dirt Male:       Full Serrano (ARG), National Treasure, Straight No Chaser

Older Dirt Female:     Adare Manor, Idiomatic, Raging Sea

Male Sprinter:           Cogburn, Straight No Chaser, The Chosen Vron

Female Sprinter:       Society, Soul of an Angel, Ways and Means

Male Turf Horse:  Carl Spackler (IRE), Johannes, Rebel’s Romance (IRE)

Female Turf Horse:  Cinderella’s Dream (GB), Moira, She Feels Pretty

Steeplechase Horse:  Carloun (IRE), L’Imperator (FR), Snap Decision

Owner: Godolphin LLC, Juddmonte, Klaravich Stables, Inc.

Breeder: Calumet Farm, Godolphin, Judy Hicks

Trainer: Chad Brown, Brad Cox, Kenny McPeek

Jockey:  Tyler Gaffalione, Irad Ortiz Jr., Flavien Prat

Apprentice Jockey: Erik Asmussen, Gabriel Maldonado, J.G. Torrealba

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