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KHRC Awards $14.3 Million to Kentucky Breeders for 2020

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has awarded $14.3 million to qualified breeders through the Thoroughbred Breeders' Incentive Fund for Kentucky Thoroughbreds' wins in 2020. The incentive fund requires owners to board mares in Kentucky from the time of breeding until the birth of the foal. Incentive payments are based on the foal's eventual winnings on the racetrack. Last year, nearly 3,500 races were won by a Kentucky-bred receiving a breeder award.

Kentucky-breds won over 245 graded stakes in the United States and 18 group races in Canada, England, France and Ireland last year, victories that included Authentic's (Into Mischief) success in the GI Kentucky Derby, Shedaresthedevil's (Daredevil) win in the GI Kentucky Oaks and Swiss Skydiver's (Daredevil) win in the GI Preakness S.

“We need the commonwealth's signature horse industry to stay strong and engaged as we sprint out of the COVID-19 pandemic. On top of being part of our history, the industry supports many Kentucky families today and will continue to draw new visitors to the state in the future,” said Governor Andy Beshear. “Thanks to Kentucky breeders and a strong racing circuit enhanced by historical horse racing, Kentucky remains a leader in breeding with more stallions than any other state, and representing 42% of the foal crop in North America.”

Since its inception in 2006, more than $184 million has been awarded to Kentucky breeders for winning eligible races across the globe. The fund receives 80% of the 6% sales tax paid when breeding a stallion to a mare in the commonwealth. In addition, the 2020 fund received $1.1 million from wagers on historical horse racing.

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Authentic Named 2020 Horse of the Year

We watched him grow up before our eyes.

Authentic (Into Mischief), freakishly talented, but prone to–well–mischievous behavior during the early part of 2020, was a finished product by year's end and his on-track accomplishments landed him Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old honors at Thursday's Eclipse Awards.

The ceremonies were held virtually, fittingly enough and among other locations, at Spendthrift Farm, who campaigned the Peter Blum-bred son of Flawless (Mr. Greeley) in partnership with the 5300-some micro-share holders of MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables LLC and Starlight Racing. And Authentic was virtually perfect in 2020, sometimes almost in spite of himself. Sure, he was devastating in the GIII Sham S. in January, even as he negotiated the final furlong like a drunken soldier, and his talent was such that he overcame a stutter-step start to take the GII San Felipe S. in March. As the pandemic tightened its grip, California racing grinded to a halt, forcing connections to hit the pause button on Authentic's season. Honor A. P. (Honor Code) made him pay for a slow start in the GI Santa Anita Derby in June, but he atoned in the GI Haskell S. the following month, looking a winner every step until he returned to his single-minded ways late and barely scraped in.

The takeaway? Surely Authentic would find that 10th furlong of the GI Kentucky Derby a step too far, but, with Hall of Famer John Velazquez at the controls for the first time (Smith elected to stick with the Santa Anita Derby winner), Authentic took them every step at Churchill at juicy odds of 42-5, proving that his all-conquering sire's progeny could indeed stay a Classic distance.

It would be difficult to begrudge him his defeat at the hands of a refuse-to-lose champion Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) on the square in the GI Preakness S. in early October, but those that remained in his corner were rewarded with an overlaid 4.20-1 in the Nov. 7 GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, when Authentic treated a classy field including Eclipse Award winner Improbable (City Zip), former champion Maximum Security (New Year's Day) and GI Belmont S. and Eclipse Award runner-up Tiz the Law (Consititution) to a 2 1/4-length beating.

“This is a big deal for me. I wish all owners could have the same experience and I'm happy to be a part of this,” said Spendthrift owner B. Wayne Hughes. “I think his [stud] career is going to be great. But who knows, God's in charge of that.”

Authentic was one of two Eclipse winners Thursday evening for Into Mischief and becomes the third son of Into Mischief to stand at Spendthrift, joining Goldencents and Maximus Mischief. Authentic hails from the female family of Grade I winners Reynaldothewizard, Seventh Street, American Gal and is bred on a cross over Gone West-line mares responsible for Into Mischief's GISW Mia Mischief and other graded winners Engage, Mischievous Alex, Sombeyay and Strict Compliance.

Gamine Gives Sire A Second Winner…

Michael Lund's 'TDN Rising Star' Gamine (Into Mischief) was something of a lightning rod in 2020, but she possessed arguably the most raw ability of any horse in training and while she finished a distant runner-up to Swiss Skydiver in the 3-year-old filly category, she easily outdistanced Serengeti Empress (Alternation) to take home the Eclipse for champion female sprinter. The $220,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $1.8-million Fasig-Tipton Midlantic topper became the second straight daughter of Into Mischief to both win the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint en route to a championship following on the exploits of Covfefe in 2019.

Trainer Bob Baffert had his hands on a third Eclipse winner for 2020 in the form of 'TDN Rising Star' Improbable (City Zip). Denied a potential Horse of the Year crown by his stablemate on the first Saturday in November, the burly chestnut had a phenomenal season of his own, with victories in the GI Gold Cup at Santa Anita, GI Whitney S. and GI Awesome Again S. Knicks Go (Paynter) also received a smattering of first-place votes and has since returned to win the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational.

'Quality', 'Monomoy' Aid Cox's Cause…

It was a banner season for trainer Brad Cox, whose four winners on Breeders' Cup weekend helped secure for him his first statuette as America's Outstanding Trainer.

'TDN Rising Star' Essential Quality (Tapit) did his part, ripping through his competition in three starts and clinching the Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old male with a sizzling finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) won her second Eclipse Award in the last three years, adding to her 3-year-old filly championship with the 2020 Eclipse as champion older female. Purchased by Spendthrift for $9.5 million at Fasig-Tipton November, the chestnut is nearing her 6-year-old debut.

Other Wide-Margin Winners…

Vequist (Nyquist) provided her sire a champion from his very first crop to the races, securing the Eclipse as champion 2-year-old filly on the strength of victories in the GI Spinaway S. in September before turning the tables on GI Frizette S. winner Dayoutoftheoffice (Into Mischief) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Channel Maker (English Channel) capped a very productive season with a third in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf and proved a handy winner of the Eclipse Award as champion turf male. The soft-ground loving 6-year-old got underfoot conditions to suit when racing away to a 5 3/4-length victory in Saratoga's GI Sword Dancer Invitational S. in August, but the going was substantially quicker when he led past every pole to take out the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational ahead of his Breeders' Cup effort. He is set to represent the U.S. in the $1-million Middle Distance Turf Cup in Saudi Arabia next month.

A Couple of Tighter Contests…

The male sprint category was expected to come down to a choice between the horse with the more complete campaign versus a more brilliant and statistically faster runner whose campaign was truncated. In the end, the veteran Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect)–the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint winner–got the nod over Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}), the GI Carter H. and GI Met Mile hero who was forced to miss the second half of the season. Whitmore received 132 first-place votes to Vekoma's 83.

The evening's most hotly contested championship was the turf female division. For the third straight year and for the fourth time in six years, 'TDN Rising Star' Rushing Fall (More Than Ready) gave trainer Chad Brown another Eclipse Award winner in the category. But it was a razor-thin battle, as Rushing Fall–who sold for $5.5 million at FTKNOV–got just the better of GI Breeders' Cup Turf winner Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal). The final count of first-place votes was 115-106.

Moscato (GB) (Hernando {Fr}) took home the Eclipse for Champion Steeplechase horse.

Among the human categories, in addition to Cox, Irad Ortiz, Jr. was named outstanding jockey for the third year in a row; WinStar Farm received the Eclipse for champion breeder; and Godolphin was named outstanding owner.

Root, Root, Root for the Home Team…

Media Eclipse Awards were announced earlier this month. Among the winners were the TDN's Joe Bianca and Patty Wolfe in the 'Audio/Multimedia Internet' category for a piece written and narrated by Bianca and produced by Wolfe entitled “To Hell and Back: Belmont Marks a Deserved Triumph for New York City.”

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2020 Eclipse Awards: Authentic Voted Horse Of The Year In A Landslide

Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic winner Authentic was named Horse of the Year for 2020 in the 50^th annual Eclipse Awards hosted by Spendthrift Farm on Thursday evening but held virtually with no live audience because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

A 2017 foal sired by Into Mischief out of Flawless, by Mr. Greeley, Authentic was bred in Kentucky by Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, Inc., owned by Spendthrift Farm LLC, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables LLC and Starlight Racing, and trained by Bob Baffert. After a maiden victory in his career debut as a 2-year-old in 2019, Authentic won five of seven starts in 2021, including three Grade 1 stakes: the TVG.com Haskell Stakes, Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve, and Longines Breeders' Cup Classic.

He also won the G3 Sham Stakes and G2 San Felipe Stakes at his home base at Santa Anita Park. Authentic's lone defeats came in the G1 Santa Anita Derby and G1 Preakness (to 3-year-old filly champion Swiss Skydiver.

Authentic got 224 first-place votes for Horse of the Year, with Monomoy Girl receiving seven, Swiss Skydiver six and Vekoma one.

Authentic was retired to Spendthrift, where he will stand alongside his sire.

The complete list of 2020 Eclipse Awards winners appears below:

Horse Of The Year: Authentic
Two-Year-Old Male: Essential Quality
Two-Year-Old Filly: Vequist
Three-Year-Old Male: Authentic
Three-Year-Old Filly: Swiss Skydiver
Older Dirt Male: Improbable
Older Dirt Female: Monomoy Girl
Male Sprinter: Whitmore
Female Sprinter: Gamine
Male Turf Horse: Channel Maker
Female Turf Horse: Rushing Fall
Steeplechase Horse: Moscato (GB)
Owner: Godolphin, LLC
Breeder: WinStar Farm LLC
Jockey: Irad Ortiz,
Apprentice Jockey: Alexander Crispin
Trainer: Brad Cox

In voting that concluded January 4, 2021, Eclipse Awards voters cast their ballots to rank the top three horses and individuals in each Championship division on a 10-5-1 point system.

This voting established the top three finalists in each division, whose names were released on Jan. 16, 2021.

The tallies below represent only first-place votes from members of the consolidated voting entities, NTRA, Daily Racing Form, and National Turf Writers And Broadcasters.

Voter participation rate: 238/249 = 95.58%

Two-Year-Old Male
Essential Quality, 231; Jackie's Warrior, 6; Fire At Will, 1.

Two-Year-Old Filly
Vequist, 212; Aunt Pearl (IRE), 24; Malathaat, 1; Voter Abstention, 1.

Three-Year-Old Male
Authentic, 236; Tiz the Law, 2.

Three-Year-Old Filly
Swiss Skydiver, 218; Gamine, 20.

Older Dirt Male
Improbable, 218; Knicks Go; 8, Vekoma, 5; Maximum Security, 4; Global Campaign, 1; Tom's d'Etat, 1; Whitmore, 1.

Older Dirt Female
Monomoy Girl, 234; Midnight Bisou, 4.

Male Sprinter
Whitmore, 132; Vekoma, 83; Volatile, 16; Charlatan, 4; C Z Rocket, 3.

Female Sprinter
Gamine, 219; Serengeti Empress, 13; Frank's Rockette, 4; Guarana, 1; Voter Abstention, 1.

Male Turf Horse
Channel Maker, 180; Zulu Alpha, 17; Order of Australia (IRE), 15; Factor This, 7; United, 7; Gufo, 4; Domestic Spending (GB), 3; Arklow, 2; War of Will, 1; Voter Abstentions, 2.

Female Turf Horse
Rushing Fall, 115; Tarnawa (IRE), 106; Magical (IRE), 8; Audarya (FR), 5; Starship Jubilee, 2; Newspaperofrecord (IRE) 1; Sharing, 1.

Steeplechase Horse
Moscato (GB), 155; Snap Decision, 28; Rashaan (IRE), 21; Iranistan,2; Voter Abstentions, 32.

Owner
Godolphin, LLC, 78; Spendthrift Farm, LLC, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables LLC, and Starlight Racing, 56; Klaravich Stables Inc., 47; Gary Barber, 23; Sackatoga Stables, 7; End Zone Athletics Inc., 6; Peter Callahan, 4; Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables, LLC, The Elkstone Group LLC, and Bethlehem Stables, 3; Calumet Farm, 1; Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, 1; M and M Racing, 1; Maggi Moss, 1; Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey 1; Gary and Mary West, 1; Voter Abstentions, 8.

Breeder
WinStar Farm, LLC, 128; Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, LLC, 52; Calumet Farm, 45; Godolphin, 6; Charles Fipke, 1; Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC, 1; Voter Abstentions, 5.

Trainer
Brad Cox, 106; Bob Baffert, 69; Steve Asmussen, 44; Chad Brown, 8; Christophe Clement, 1; Michael Maker, 1; Peter Miller, 1; Ron Moquett, 1; Bill Mott, 1; Barclay Tagg, 1; Wesley Ward, 1; Voter Abstentions, 4.

Jockey
Irad Ortiz, Jr., 162; Joel Rosario, 54; John Velazquez, 14; Florent Geroux, 3; Tyler Gaffalione, 2; Flavien Prat, 1; Luis Saez, 1; Voter Abstention, 1.

Apprentice Jockey
Alexander Crispin, 79; Yarmarie Correa, 74; Luis Cardenas, 38; Charlie Marquez, 15; Cristian Torres, 3; Sunday Diaz, Jr. 1; Voter Abstentions, 28.

Media Eclipse Awards
Media Eclipse Awards also are given in the categories of photography, audio and multi-media Internet, news/enterprise writing, feature/commentary writing, television–feature, and television–live racing programming to recognize members of the media for outstanding coverage of Thoroughbred racing. The 2020 Media Eclipse Awards winners, determined by a judges' panel for each category and previously announced, are:

Photography – Alex Evers, Paulick Report, “A Derby Without Fans,” Sept. 21, 2020.

News/Enterprise Writing – Natalie Voss, Paulick Report – Multi-part Series: “A Decade In, How Are We Doing With Thoroughbred Aftercare?” Dec. 2, 2019; “Emptying The Ocean With A Teaspoon: The Challenges Of Aftercare,” Dec. 3, 2019; and “Aftercare Should Not Be An Afterthought: Solutions For The Future,” Dec. 4, 2019.

Feature/Commentary Writing – Natalie Voss, Paulick Report, “'An Angel On His Shoulder': This Thoroughbred's Fate Was Written In Ink,” May 13, 2020.

Television – Feature – NBC Sports, “Riders Up: The World's First Sports Bubble,” Oct. 2, 2020 on NBCSN; Produced by the Hennegan Brothers.

Television – Live Racing Programming – NBC Sports, “The Breeders' Cup World Championships,” Nov. 7, 2020; Billy Matthews and Lindsay Schanzer, producers.

Audio/Multi-Media Internet – Thoroughbred Daily News (TDN), “To Hell and Back: Belmont Marks A Deserved Triumph for New York City,” June 19, 2020; Joe Bianca, writer and narrator, Patty Wolfe, producer.

The Eclipse Awards are sponsored by Spendthrift Farm, Roberts Communications, Four Roses Bourbon, Daily Racing Form, Breeders' Cup, FanDuel Group, The Stronach Group, TVG, Dean Dorton, Stonestreet Farm, Keeneland, Racetrack Television Network, Jackson Family Wines, Florida HBPA, Runhappy, Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, Hallway Feeds, and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.

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Swiss Skydiver and Authentic Top Sophomore Divisions

Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) dominated the 3-year-old filly division in 2020 and even defeated some of the top older males of her generation, making her the clear-cut choice for this award. Kicking off her sophomore season with a third in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. at Fair Grounds in February, the $35,000 KEESEP buy rebounded with a trio of decisive victories in the Mar. 28 GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, May 1 GIII Fantasy S. and June 6 GII Santa Anita Oaks. Trainer Ken McPeek tried his charge against males for the first time in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland July 11, where she finished a valiant second to Art Collector (Bernardini).

Returning to winning ways with a facile victory in Saratoga's prestigious GI Alabama S. Aug. 15, Swiss Skydiver checked in second to Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) next out in the delayed GI Longines Kentucky Oaks Sept. 4. Despite that loss, McPeek and owner Peter Callahan had enough faith in their star filly to take on males yet again, this time in the GI Preakness S. Oct. 3. Swiss Skydiver dueled stride-for-stride with fellow champion and GI Kentucky Derby winner Authentic (Into Mischief) in the lane, turning back that foe in the final strides for a gutsy victory. The chestnut is the sixth filly to win the Preakness and the first since Hall of Famer Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro) in 2009. She was last seen finishing a disappointing seventh behind two-time Eclipse winner Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) after stumbling at the start of the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland Nov. 7.

Over the summer many would have thought Tiz the Law (Constitution) would be taking home the award for top sophomore male, but Authentic (Into Mischief) seized the throne after a sensational fall campaign during which he took home the season's two biggest prizes. A good-looking debut winner at Del Mar in November of 2019, the leggy bay demolished the field in the GIII Sham S. at the start of 2020, despite ducking in harshly in the lane. Following suit with a game victory in the GII San Felipe S. at Santa Anita in March, the $350,000 KEESEP acquisition tasted defeat for the first time at the hooves of Honor A.P. (Honor Code), finishing second in the June 6 GI Santa Anita Derby after breaking a step slow, traveling wide and drifting in the stretch.

Off to a sharp start next out in the nine-furlong GI Haskell Invitational S. July 18, Authentic took the field wire-to-wire, holding off a determined Ny Traffic (Cross Traffic) by a nose. Many doubted his ability to see out the GI Kentucky Derby's 10-furlong distance after that effort, but the May foal silenced all doubters with a front-running victory over favored GI Belmont S. and GI Runhappy Travers S. victor Tiz the Law. The Bob Baffert pupil did not get his preferred position on the front end in the GI Preakness S. Oct. 3 and came up a neck short of champion filly Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) after a gritty stretch duel. Facing his elders for the first time including champion stablemates Improbable (City Zip) and Maximum Security (New Year's Day) in the Nov. 7 GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, Authentic went straight to the lead on a Keeneland oval favoring speed and ran his rivals off their feet for a 2 1/4-length score. Following that career-high, the colt was retired to the Spendthrift stallion barn, where he will stand alongside his red hot sire Into Mischief.

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