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Godolphin Named Outstanding Owner

For the first time in nine years and for the third time overall, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid al Maktoum's Godolphin LLC was recognized at the Eclipse Award ceremonies as America's Outstanding Owner.

Horses carrying Godolphin's royal blue colors got their pictures taken 80 times in 2020, good for a remarkable strike rate of 22.2%. The operation was represented by no fewer than a joint-best eight winners at the graded stakes level (tied with Gary Barber) for a broad swath of conditioners, highlighted by the Brad Cox-trained champion Essential Quality (Tapit), who won the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity and the GI TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile a handful of furlongs away from Darley America's base at Jonabell Farm. Another Godolphin homebred Fair Maiden (Street Boss), closed the season on a high note with an upset victory in Santa Anita's GI La Brea S. for trainer Eoin Harty. Godolphin's three top-level wins was good for a second-place tie behind Klaravich Stables' four Grade I tallies. 'TDN Rising Star' Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) and Pixelate (City Zip) were trained by Mike Stidham to victories in the GII Jim Dandy S. and GII Del Mar Derby, respectively, while Brendan Walsh sent out the comebacking Maxfield (Street Sense) to win the GIII Matt Winn S. Darley America's aforementioned Eclipse Award-winning juvenile was also responsible for Shared Sense, who annexed the GIII Indiana and Oklahoma Derbys for Eclipse Award winner Cox.

Essential Quality is likely to begin his assault on this year's Triple Crown in the GIII Southwest S. at Oaklawn Feb. 15, while Maxfield has races like the $20-million Saudi Cup and G1 Dubai World Cup as potential targets.

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Rushing Fall and Channel Maker Win Eclipse Awards in Turf Divisions

Second in the balloting for champion 2-year-old filly of her generation in 2017, 'TDN Rising Star' Rushing Fall (More Than Ready) joined the likes of former Chad Brown stablemates Lady Eli (Divine Park, 2017), Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}), 2018) and Uni (GB) (More Than Ready) to become the stable's fourth Eclipse Award-winning turf female in a row and second in succession for her legendary sire. To do so, she outpointed GI Breeders' Cup Turf heroine Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) and Audarya (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who defeated Rushing Fall by a neck in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

Sportingly kept in training at five by Bob Edwards's e Five Thoroughbreds, the $320,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga steal got this year's delayed Belmont meet off to a rousing start, handily taking the GIIII Beaugay S. June 3 before becoming just the second horse to win consecutive runnings of the GI Coolmore Jenny Wiley S. at Keeneland. That victory made her a top-level scorer for the fourth year in a row and tied Rushing Fall with Take Charge Lady on four Keeneland stakes successes. The bay continued her winning ways in the GI Diana S. at Saratoga Aug. 23, just reeling in front-running Mean Mary (Scat Daddy) and only a letter-perfect steer Pierre-Charles Boudot atop Audarya cost her a perfect season.
Rushing Fall made the short drive from Keeneland to Fasig-Tipton for the 2020 Night of the Stars sale and sold for $5.5 million to Jamie McCalmont, agent for M.V. Magnier, from the Indian Creek draft. Rushing Fall is set to be covered by Galileo (Ire) in 2021.

It's not how you start. It's how you finish.

After a lackluster first half of 2020, Channel Maker (English Channel) ended the year in career form, posting back-to-back Grade I victories and a strong third–beaten only a length–in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Nov. 7, good for three straight Beyer Speed Figures of 108 and the trophy for champion male turf horse.
Off the board in his first four starts of the season, including a fourth-place finish in the GI Manhattan S. July 4, he crossed the wire fourth once again in the GII Bowling Green S. Aug. 1, and was moved up to third via disqualification.

The chestnut continued his affinity for a soft going with a powerful, front-running score in the GI Sword Dancer S. at Saratoga Aug. 29, then added his second career victory in Belmont's GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic S. Oct. 3, this time over firm turf.

He gave his backers a good run for their money at odds of 9-1 in the Championships at Keeneland, gamely leading the field of 10 into the final furlong after enjoying a clear advantage into the stretch. He just got nosed out for second by the classy, globe-trotting MG1SW Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

Adam Wachtel and Gary Barber purchased Channel Maker privately as a 2-year-old prior to the 2016 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. R.A. Hill Stable and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing later joined the ownership line in the fall of 2018.

Channel Maker, Canada's champion 3-year-old colt and a full-brother to fellow Canadian champion Johnny Bear, has remained in training at Mott's Payson Park base for a 7-year-old campaign and is being aimed at the $1-million Middle Distance Turf Cup on the Saudi Cup undercard Feb. 20.

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Vequist & Essential Quality Take Home Juvenile Championships

Vequist (Nyquist) cemented her status as the leader of what appeared to be an open division earlier in the fall with a decisive score in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 6.

The dark bay finished second in her July 29 debut at Parx, but her connections clearly had plenty of faith in her after that effort, sending her to Saratoga for the GI Spinaway S. Sept. 6. She demolished the field that day, earning her diploma by 9 1/2 lengths and becoming her freshman sire's first Grade I winner. Second to Dayoutoftheoffice (Into Mischief) as the favorite next out in Belmont's GI Frizette S. Oct. 10, Vequist turned the tables on that rival next out at the World Championships at Keeneland, winning by two lengths at odds of 6-1.

Essential Quality (Tapit) started on his path towards the roses and stamped himself as the top juvenile male of the year with a perfect 2020 season. Tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' off a dominant graduation in his Sept. 5 unveiling at Churchill Downs, the Brad Cox trainee scored another good-looking win in Keeneland's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity S. Oct. 3. The gray returned to that venue for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Nov. 6, where he rallied from well back to register a 3/4-length victory.

Owned and bred by Godolphin, Essential Quality is out of GSP Delightful Quality (Elusive Quality), a half-sister to champion juvenile filly Folklore (Tiznow), whose own half-sister Rhodochrosite (Unbridled's Song) is the dam of 2020 Japanese Triple Crown hero Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).

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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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