Watching from afar, from the comfort of a fully equipped BarcaLounger, this viewer of the Eclipse Awards ceremony via FanDuel Jan. 22 was tossed back through the years, to the days when the event was a slapdash affair, untelevised and loosely organized around the rhythm of the host and the meandering speeches of the trophy winners. Time was of no essence at all.
But now times have changed, and there is no time to waste. At the top of a telecast bound by no commercial breaks, Britney Eurton, otherwise an efficient and personable co-host, was moved to remind folks not once but twice that the clock would be ticking and brevity needed to be the order of the night, if you please. She was not, it should be noted, wearing a watch.
Clearly, potential winners had been warned. Bill Mott poked fun of the one-minute gag rule as he accepted his fifth award as outstanding trainer, introduced assistants Neil Poznansky, Leanna Willaford, and Kenny McCarthy, then came in at 58 seconds flat. Typical Mott.
Then again, this viewer could have listened to Jonathan Green talk about his father, Len Green, all night long as they represented 3-year-old filly champion Nitrogen, described by her early handlers as a horse who "breathes different air," hence her name.
As the elder Green cradled the Eclipse trophy, his son placed a hand on his shoulder and proclaimed, "Dad, you are the patriarch of this program, the guiding force behind this organization, the secret sauce to our success, and, like this filly, you breathe different air."
The night was pretty much dedicated to the memory of the late D. Wayne Lukas, whose career was celebrated in presenter comments citing his numerous champions in the Eclipse Award categories.
As in recent years, the Godolphin operation again had to empty out its upper Kentucky management to keep up with an onslaught of awards. Michael Banahan was up first to accept a trophy for Sovereignty as champion 3-year-old male. Farm manager Danny Mulvihill was next for outstanding breeder, followed by farm trainer Johnny Burke for outstanding owner, and sales manager Darren Fox for Notable Speech, champion male turf horse. Mott got the return gig for Sovereignty's golden Horse of the Year statuette.
The only name heard more often than "Lukas" or "Godolphin" during the ceremony was "Beyer," as in Andrew Beyer, the creator of the speed figures that are found in the past performances of Daily Racing Form.
For some reason, the introductory bios of equine nominees were liberally decorated with noteworthy Beyer Speed Figures recorded during the season, but did Sovereignty's mighty effort in the Travers Stakes (G1) really need embellishment? The practice smacked of egregious filler, completely out of context to the task at hand. Otherwise, Cy Fair would have outpolled Super Corredora for the 2-year-old filly title, Kopion would have dusted Shisospicy in the female sprint division, and Rebel's Romance would have earned his second straight title as male turf champion instead of passing the baton to stablemate Notable Speech.
The In Memoriam portion of the evening required no "shhh" to the mumblers in the audience from Lindsay Czarniak, a smoothly professional co-host who can't help letting her inner substitute teacher loose once in a while. Forks were down, and all eyes were on the screens. The visual parade of those lost to this mortal coil is always sobering. But as the survivors age, the pangs intensify, primarily because these fine people meant so much when they—we—were young.
The late Charles Osgood of CBS would celebrate the passing of each year with a tribute to those who died during the dozen months freshly put to rest. Accompanied by "In My Life" by The Beatles emanating from the car radio, it was a feature that required a driver to briefly pull over and park. No matter the year, the names always hit home—Kurt Vonnegut, Jack Whitaker, William Holden, Audrey Hepburn, John Denver—making it impossible to imagine the world if they'd never been alive.
This time around, California's representation among the fondly remembered was striking. The death of John Harris removed a power hitter from the lineup of owners and breeders. Kathy Walsh left a training legacy for the ages, while Humberto Ascanio was always the secret to Bobby Frankel's success. Richard Craigo, a gentleman of the highest order, was attorney to the stars.
Way too many were associates from the West Coast world of racing journalism. Bill Christine of the Los Angeles Times, Bryce Miller of the San Diego Union, and Jerry Antonucci of the old Herald-Examiner took their storytelling seriously. Antonucci's colleague, Gordon Jones, seemed inexhaustible in his pursuit of the game's deepest satisfactions. And we all miss Jeff Siegel, California's true renaissance racing man.
"I know I'll often stop and think about them ..."
I've kept Ed Bowen's email of Jan. 8, 2025, that read, "Worried about so many friends in seeing about the dreadful fires. Hope you and home are safe." I answered that we were, down here in San Diego County. Bowen, a tireless historian and advocate of the sport, died 12 days later, which makes the Eclipse Award of Merit accepted by his family both perfectly fitting and way too late.
The Special Awards committee got it right, though, by honoring retired starter Bob Duncan, best friend of both jockeys and horses, and Trevor Denman, who stepped away from the announcer's booth out West after redefining the craft during more than four decades on the job. Racetrack executive Craig Fravel, Denman's boss at Del Mar, was on the nose when he said, "Just as Churchill mobilized the English language and sent it into battle in World War II, Trevor Denman took a South African accent on the road to California and changed Thoroughbred racing."
There were any number of other satisfying winners this time around, including the sensible choice of Flavien Prat for the second straight year as the outstanding jockey. Standing on stage, in a tux so tailored it might have been sprayed on, the Frenchman read dutifully prepared remarks from the screen of his iPhone and hit all the right notes. His ascension to the top of the sport has been a reminder that, thank heavens, a North American champion can come from anywhere.
Anywhere, such as Japan. Leading up to the 2025 Eclipse process, there was an uncomfortable theme in corners of racing's chattering class that gave voice to prejudice against horses who raced only once in the United States as viable candidates. Whether this is a reflection of these jingoistic times or an artificial construct, the sentiment was rendered moot in the category of older dirt male with the conclusive selection of Forever Young.
Since early April of 2024, when Forever Young won the UAE Derby (G2) on the Dubai World Cup (G1) program, he has been an unavoidable part of any serious racing conversation. Winning the 2025 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar sealed his argument for all time.
Forever Young's comprehensively North American main track pedigree embraces Sunday Silence, Storm Cat, A.P. Indy, and Deputy Minister, along with a cross of two daughters of Mr. Prospector. Beyond his native Japan, he has franked his form in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Kentucky, and California. Yes, he raced only once in the U. S. in 2025, but so what? And guess what? Forever Young also was selected as Horse of the Year in Japan, and he only raced once there, too.
Trainer Yoshito Yahagi, wearing one of his trademark hats and an American flag bow tie, was at The Breakers Palm Beach Thursday night to accept Forever Young's honor as only the third Eclipse Award champion of the older dirt male division bred somewhere other than North America (the Irish-bred Black Tie Affair was older male and Horse of the Year in 1991, and Argentine Invasor duplicated that feat in 2006).
Speaking English far better than most people in the audience could speak Japanese, Yahagi began, "Good evening everyone. I am Yoshito Yahagi, trainer of Forever Young. Another name is the 'Man in the Hat.'"
This was greeted by dead silence, until Yahagi spread his arms in a gesture of permission to laugh.
"I am truly honored to receive this award, and I would like to express my utmost respect to everyone in the United States," he continued. "Our horse raced just once in America last year—arigato gozaimasu."
His "thank you" required no translation. Yahagi went on to confirm that Forever Young, now 5, would be aimed for a prize in the Middle East in the short term, and then would be targeting North American opposition later in the year.
"I always want to be a rival to American horses," Yahagi said. "I'll do my best. Thank you everyone. Thank you for tonight. And thank you Forever Young."
Then he bowed and doffed his hat.
