Each year since 1971, Eclipse Awards have been given to the elite runners from each division, as well as to racing’s top owners, breeders, and jockeys.
The awards, which are named for foundation sire Eclipse, are voted on by a three-member panel consisting of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters Association (NTWAB), and the Daily Racing Form (DRF). But even before the awards were known as Eclipses, championship honors were awarded by various polling entities.
And throughout history, a total of 66 Kentucky Derby winners have been crowned champion 3-year-old, the most recent being last year’s winner Sovereignty, who also picked up the honor as 2025 Horse of the Year.
Additionally, 79 juvenile champions made the gate for the Kentucky Derby, with 21 wearing the garland of roses after crossing the finish line in front. The most recent 2-year-old champion to win the Derby was Nyquist in 2015. Last year’s juvenile champion, Ted Noffey, is sidelined due to injury this year.
In 2020, Storm The Court finished sixth, and that year’s 2-year-old Eclipse winner, Essential Quality, crossed the wire fourth under the Twin Spires in 2021. The 2021 juvenile champion Corniche did not make the gate in 2022, and in 2023, the 2022 champion Forte (the morning line-favorite) was scratched a day out by veterinarians for an injured right front foot.
The 2024 champion juvenile, Fierceness, finished 15th as the 3-1 favorite under the Twin Spires a year ago.
Everyone but one of the 13 Triple Crown winners was crowned Horse of the Year; the only exception was Omaha in 1935. He lost the title to the 4-year-old Discovery, who won 11 of 19 starts that year, and defeated Omaha in that year’s Brooklyn Handicap.
Four Kentucky Derby winners are two-time Horse of the Year winners -- Whirlaway (1941-42), Secretariat (1972-73), Affirmed (1978-79), and California Chrome (2014, ’16).
A Kentucky Derby winner has been crowned Horse of the Year after its 3-year-old season 11 times -- Old Rosebud (1917), Exterminator (1922), Whirlaway (1942), Swaps (1956), Affirmed (1979), Spectacular Bid (1980), Ferdinand (1987), Alysheba (1988), California Chrome (2016), Authentic (2020) and Sovereignty (2025).
So far, 39 Kentucky Derby winners are members of racing’s Hall of Fame, including 2015 winner American Pharoah, 2016 winner California Chrome, and 2018 winner Justify.
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
