The American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971.

The award originated in 1936 when both Turf & Sports Digest (TSD) the Daily Racing Form (DRF) began naming an annual champion. Starting in 1950, the Thoroughbred Racing Associations (TRA) began naming its own champion. The following list provides the name of the horses chosen by these organizations. The only disagreement came in 1968, when Turf & Sports Digest named Forward Pass as champion whereas the other two organizations voted for Stage Door Johnny.

Champions from 1871 through 1935 were selected retrospectively by a panel of experts as published by The Blood-Horse magazine.[1]

There were co-champions chosen retrospectively for 1876, 1882, 1885, 1886, 1888, 1893, 1894, 1904, 1906, 1917, 1923, and 1932.

The Daily Racing Form, the Thoroughbred Racing Associations, and the National Turf Writers Association all joined forces in 1971 to create the Eclipse Award.

As of 2021, Bob Baffert won the award 10 times as a trainer. No other trainer won the award more than twice.[2]

Honorees

Eclipse Awards

Year
 Horse
 Trainer
 Owner
2023 Arcangelo Jena Antonucci Blue Rose Farm
2022 Epicenter Steve Asmussen Winchell Thoroughbreds
2021 Essential Quality Brad H. Cox Godolphin
2020 Authentic Bob Baffert Spendthrift Farm, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables, and Starlight Racing
2019 Maximum Security Jason Servis Mary & Gary West
2018 Justify Bob Baffert China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners, Starlight Racing 7 WinStar Farm
2017 West Coast Bob Baffert Mary & Gary West
2016 Arrogate Bob Baffert Juddmonte Farms
2015 American Pharoah Bob Baffert Zayat Stables
2014 California Chrome Art Sherman Steven Coburn, Perry Martin
2013 Will Take Charge D. Wayne Lukas Willis D. Horton
2012 I'll Have Another Doug F. O'Neill J. Paul Reddam
2011 Animal Kingdom H. Graham Motion Team Valor
2010 Lookin At Lucky Bob Baffert Mike Pegram, Karl Watson & Paul Weitman
2009 Summer Bird Tim Ice Dr. K. K. & Dr. V. Devi Jayaraman
2008 Big Brown Richard E. Dutrow Jr. IEAH Stables & Paul Pompa Jr.
2007 Curlin Steve Asmussen Stonestreet Stables et al.
2006 Bernardini Thomas Albertrani Darley Stable
2005 Afleet Alex Timothy F. Ritchey Cash Is King Stable
2004 Smarty Jones John Servis Roy & Patricia Chapman
2003 Funny Cide Barclay Tagg Sackatoga Stable
2002 War Emblem Bob Baffert R. L. Reineman/The Thoroughbred Corp.
2001 Point Given Bob Baffert The Thoroughbred Corp.
2000 Tiznow Jay M. Robbins Michael Cooper & Cecilia Straub-Rubens
1999 Charismatic D. Wayne Lukas Bob & Beverly Lewis
1998 Real Quiet Bob Baffert Michael E. Pegram
1997 Silver Charm Bob Baffert Bob & Beverly Lewis
1996 Skip Away Sonny Hine Carolyn Hine
1995 Thunder Gulch D. Wayne Lukas Michael Tabor
1994 Holy Bull Warren A. Croll Jr. Warren A. Croll Jr.
1993 Prairie Bayou Thomas Bohannan Loblolly Stable
1992 A.P. Indy Neil D. Drysdale Tomonori Tsurumaki
1991 Hansel Frank L. Brothers Lazy Lane Farm
1990 Unbridled Carl Nafzger Frances A. Genter
1989 Sunday Silence Charles E. Whittingham H-G-W Partners
1988 Risen Star Louie Roussel III Ronnie Lamarque & Louie Roussel III
1987 Alysheba Jack Van Berg Dorothy & Pamela Scharbauer
1986 Snow Chief Melvin F. Stute Carl Grinstead & Ben Rochelle
1985 Spend A Buck Cam Gambolati Hunter Farm
1984 Swale Woody Stephens Claiborne Farm
1983 Slew o' Gold Sidney Watters Jr. Equusequity Stable
1982 Conquistador Cielo Woody Stephens Henryk de Kwiatkowski
1981 Pleasant Colony John P. Campo Buckland Farm
1980 Temperence Hill Joseph B. Cantey Loblolly Stable
1979 Spectacular Bid Bud Delp Hawksworth Farm
1978 Affirmed Laz Barrera Harbor View Farm
1977 Seattle Slew William H. Turner Jr. Karen & Mickey Taylor
1976 Bold Forbes Laz Barrera Estéban Rodriguez Tizol
1975 Wajima Stephen A. DiMauro East-West Stable
1974 Little Current Lou Rondinello Darby Dan Farm
1973 Secretariat Lucien Laurin Meadow Stable
1972 Key to the Mint J. Elliott Burch Rokeby Stables
1971 Canonero II Juan Arias Pedro Baptista

Daily Racing Form, Turf & Sport Digest and Thoroughbred Racing Association Awards

Year
 Horse
 Trainer
 Owner
1970 Personality John W. Jacobs Ethel D. Jacobs
1969 Arts and Letters J. Elliott Burch Rokeby Stables
1968 Stage Door Johnny (TRA)[3] (DRF)[4] John M. Gaver Sr. Greentree Stable
1968 Forward Pass (TSD)[5] Henry Forrest Calumet Farm
1967 Damascus Frank Y. Whiteley Jr. Edith W. Bancroft
1966 Buckpasser Edward A. Neloy Ogden Phipps
1965 Tom Rolfe Frank Y. Whiteley Jr. Powhatan Stable
1964 Northern Dancer Horatio Luro Windfields Farm
1963 Chateaugay James P. Conway Darby Dan Farm
1962 Jaipur Winbert F. Mulholland George D. Widener Jr.
1961 Carry Back Jack A. Price Katherine Price
1960 Kelso Carl Hanford Bohemia Stable
1959 Sword Dancer J. Elliott Burch Brookmeade Stable
1958 Tim Tam Horace A. Jones Calumet Farm
1957 Bold Ruler James E. Fitzsimmons Wheatley Stable
1956 Needles Hugh L. Fontaine D & H Stable
1955 Nashua James E. Fitzsimmons Belair Stud
1954 High Gun Max Hirsch King Ranch
1953 Native Dancer William C. Winfrey Alfred G. Vanderbilt II
1952 One Count Oscar White Sarah F. Jeffords
1951 Counterpoint Sylvester Veitch Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney
1950 Hill Prince Casey Hayes Meadow Stud, Inc.

Daily Racing Form and Turf & Sport Digest Awards

Year
 Horse
 Trainer
 Owner
1949 Capot John M. Gaver Sr. Greentree Stable
1948 Citation Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm
1947 Phalanx Sylvester Veitch Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney
1946 Assault Max Hirsch King Ranch
1945 Fighting Step Charles C. Norman Murlogg Farm
1944 By Jimminy James W. Smith Alfred P. Parker
1943 Count Fleet Don Cameron Fannie Hertz
1942 Alsab Sarge Swenke Albert Sabath
1941 Whirlaway Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm
1940 Bimelech William A. Hurley Idle Hour Stock Farm
1939 Challedon Louis J. Schaefer Branncastle Farm
1938 Stagehand Earl Sande Col. Maxwell Howard
1937 War Admiral George Conway Glen Riddle Farm
1936 Granville James E. Fitzsimmons William Woodward Sr.

The Blood-Horse retrospective champions

Year
 Horse
 Trainer
 Owner
1935 Omaha James E. Fitzsimmons Belair Stud
1934 Cavalcade Robert Augustus Smith Brookmeade Stable
1933 Head Play Willie Crump Suzanne Mason
1932 Burgoo King ‡ Herbert J. Thompson Edward R. Bradley
1932 Faireno ‡ James E. Fitzsimmons Belair Stud
1931 Twenty Grand James G. Rowe Jr. Greentree Stable
1930 Gallant Fox James E. Fitzsimmons Belair Stud
1929 Blue Larkspur Herbert J. Thompson Edward R. Bradley
1928 Reigh Count Bert S. Michell Fannie Hertz
1927 Whiskery Fred Hopkins Harry Payne Whitney
1926 Crusader George Conway Glen Riddle Farm
1925 American Flag Gwyn R. Tompkins Glen Riddle Farm
1924 Sarazen Max Hirsch Virginia Fair Vanderbilt
1923 Zev ‡ David J. Leary Rancocas Stable
1923 In Memoriam ‡ George Land Carl Weidemann
1922 Whiskaway James G. Rowe Sr. Harry Payne Whitney
1921 Grey Lag Sam Hildreth Rancocas Stable
1920 Man o' War Louis Feustel Samuel D. Riddle
1919 Sir Barton H. Guy Bedwell J. K. L. Ross
1918 Johren James G. Rowe Sr. Harry Payne Whitney
1917 Hourless ‡ Sam Hildreth August Belmont Jr.
1917 Omar Khayyam ‡ Richard F. Carmen Wilfrid Viau
1916 Friar Rock Sam Hildreth August Belmont Jr.
1915 The Finn Edward W. Heffner Harry C. Hallenbeck
1914 Roamer A. J. Goldsborough Andrew Miller
1913 Rock View Louis Feustel August Belmont Jr.
1912 The Manager Thomas Clay McDowell Thomas Clay McDowell
1911 Meridian Albert Ewing Richard F. Carman
1910 Sweep ‡ James G. Rowe Sr. James R. Keene
1910 Dalmatian ‡ Sam Hildreth Sam Hildreth
1909 Fitz Herbert Sam Hildreth Sam Hildreth
1908 Colin James G. Rowe Sr. James R. Keene
1907 Peter Pan James G. Rowe Sr. James R. Keene
1906 Burgomaster ‡ John W. Rogers Harry Payne Whitney
1906 Accountant ‡ Matthew M. Allen James B. Brady
1905 Sysonby James G. Rowe Sr. James R. Keene
1904 Delhi ‡ James G. Rowe Sr. James R. Keene
1904 Ort Wells ‡ Enoch Wishard John A. Drake
1903 Africander Richard O. Miller Hampton Stable
1902 Hermis John H. McCormack Louis V. Bell
1901 Commando James G. Rowe Sr. James R. Keene
1900 Kilmarnock John E. Madden William Collins Whitney
1899 Ethelbert A. Jack Joyner Perry Belmont
1898 Hamburg William Lakeland Marcus Daly
1897 Ornament Charles T. Patterson Charles T. Patterson
1896 Requital James G. Rowe Sr. William P. Thompson
1895 Keenan John J. Hyland David Gideon & John Daly
1894 Domino ‡ William Lakeland James R. Keene
1894 Henry of Navarre ‡ Byron McClelland Byron McClelland
1893 Clifford ‡ H. Eugene Leigh H. Eugene Leigh & Robert L. Rose
1893 Morello ‡ Frank Van Ness Elkton Stable
1892 Tammany Matthew Byrnes Marcus Daly
1891 Potomac Hardy Campbell Jr. Michael F. Dwyer
1890 Tournament Matthew M. Allen George Hearst
1889 Salvator Matthew Byrnes James B. A. Haggin
1888 Emperor of Norfolk ‡ Robert W. Thomas E. J. "Lucky" Baldwin
1888 Sir Dixon ‡ Frank McCabe Dwyer Brothers Stable
1887 Hanover Frank McCabe Dwyer Brothers Stable
1886 Inspector B. ‡ Frank McCabe Dwyer Brothers Stable
1886 The Bard ‡ John Huggins Alexander J. Cassatt
1885 Joe Cotton ‡ Alex Perry James T. Williams
1885 Bersan ‡ Green B. Morris Green B. Morris
1884 St. Saviour Evert V. Snedecker Frederick Gebhard
1883 Leonatus Rolla Colston George Morgan & Jack P. Chinn
1882 Runnymede ‡ James G. Rowe Sr. Dwyer Brothers Stable
1882 Forester ‡ Lewis Stuart Appleby & Johnson
1881 Hindoo Edward D. Brown Dwyer Brothers Stable
1880 Grenada R. Wyndham Walden George L. Lorillard
1879 Falsetto Eli Jordan J. W. Hunt Reynolds
1878 Duke of Magenta R. Wyndham Walden George L. Lorillard
1877 Baden-Baden James Williams William B. Astor Jr.
1876 Vigil ‡ Evert V. Snedecker Dwyer Brothers Stable
1876 Vagrant ‡ A. Davis Pryor William B. Astor Jr.
1875 Tom Ochiltree R. Wyndham Walden John F. Chamberlain
1874 Acrobat Charles S. Lloyd K. W. Sears
1872 Joe Daniels David McDaniel David McDaniel
1871 Harry Bassett David McDaniel David McDaniel

A ‡ designates co champion three-year-olds.

References

  1. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original on September 4, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2008.((cite web)): CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  2. ^ White, Jon (January 30, 2019). "An Extraordinary Feat Largely Unnoticed". Xpressbet. Retrieved 2019-01-30.
  3. ^ "Dark Mirage wins honor". Spokane Daily Chronicle. December 4, 1968. Retrieved 2012-07-13.
  4. ^ "Unprecedented turf sweep by Dr Fager". Press-Courier. November 28, 1968. Retrieved 2012-07-13.
  5. ^ "Dr Fager Named top horse". Montreal Gazette. November 13, 1968. Retrieved 2012-07-13.
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