Fifth Eclipse for Irad Ortiz, Concepcion Named Champion Apprentice

Irad Ortiz, Jr., who continued to break earnings records in 2023, won his fourth Eclipse Award as champion jockey Thursday night in Florida. Ortiz, whose mounts earned $39,192,585 last year, rode Eclipse finalists White Abarrio, Elite Power and Goodnight Olive to Breeders' Cup victories in 2023.

The Eclipse Award for leading Apprentice Jockey went to Axel Concepcion. The 18-year-old Puerto Rican led apprentice riders in both wins and earnings having ridden the winners of 199 races and earners of $5,179,154. He was also the leading rider at Laurel Park's spring meeting.

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Up to the Mark, Inspiral Earn Turf Titles

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables' Up to the Mark (Not This Time) and Cheveley Park Stud's Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) were named turf champions during Thursday's Eclipse Award ceremony in Florida.

Up the Mark won three straight Grade I events, starting off with the GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic in May, adding the GI Manhattan S. in June and the GI Coolmore Turf Mile in October. On championship weekend, he found just European invader Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) too good while trying 1 1/2 miles for the first time in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf.

Inspiral secured her spot in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mark Turf via the 'Win and You're In' G1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay Le Buffard Jacques Le Marois. Championship weekend would mark her only start in the U.S., but without a clear domestic standout, that Breeders' Cup win was enough to best Americans not only on their home turf but in the Eclipse Awards, where she was named champion turf female.

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Bill Mott Wins Fourth Eclipse Award

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott won his fourth Eclipse Award as the nation's leading trainer in 2023. The 70-year-old saddled the winners of 10 Grade I races in 2023, including Eclipse finalists Cody's Wish, Elite Power, and Just F Y I, and his stable recorded earnings of $17.43 million–most ever in his storied career. Mott also earned Eclipse championships in 1995, 1996 and 2011.

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Elite Power, Goodnight Olive Repeat as Champion Sprinters

Elite Power (Curlin) and Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper) repeated as Eclipse champion sprinters during Thursday's ceremony in Florida.

Juddmonte's Elite Power traveled to Saudi Arabia to begin 2023 with a win in the G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint. Returned stateside, he won the GII True North S. and GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. before having an eight-race win streak interrupted with a runner-up effort in the GI Forego S. at Saratoga in August. He returned to the winner's circle and earned his second straight win in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint just over two months later.

First Row Partners & Team Hanley's Goodnight Olive opened 2023 with a win in the GI Madison S. at Keeneland in April. She won the GII Bed o' Roses S. before finishing second to Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) in the Aug. 26 GI Ballerina H. With that fellow Eclipse finalist injured, Goodnight Olive swept to her second straight win in the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint. Just days later, the 5-year-old mare sold for $6 million to John Stewart at the Fasig-Tipton November sale.

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