The Eclipse Prize debate has been a part of the award course of since its inception in 1971. Whereas a number of the 2025 divisions are up and down the talk, one class that’s certain to fire up heated debate this yr is the previous males’s dust division.
For my part, this dialogue ought to begin with whether or not voters ought to take into account Longines Breeders’ Cup Basic winner Endlessly Younger for the Eclipse Award for older dust stallions.
Endlessly Younger proved to be one of the best older dust horse to race in the USA in 2025 towards a loaded discipline on the Breeders’ Cup Basic on Nov. 1, defeating the likes of 2024 Basic winner Sierra Leone, Pacific Basic S winner Fierceness and Stephen Foster S winner Thoughts Body, amongst others. Presumably, the three finalists for the older males’s dust championship can be chosen from this group of 4.
Earlier this yr, Endlessly Younger defeated Romantic Warrior, thought of by many to be one of the best racehorse on the planet, by a neck within the $20 million Saudi Cup, maybe the race of the yr all over the world. Endlessly Younger additionally completed third within the $12 million Dubai World Cup sponsored by Emirates Airways and gained a minor stakes in Japan as a prelude to the Breeders’ Cup, however made just one begin in the USA.
What ought to voters make of a racehorse that solely runs as soon as in North America to win a U.S. award? There aren’t any strict guidelines or necessities for the Eclipse Awards. For higher or worse, magnificence is within the eye of the beholder, in accordance with Eclipse Awards voting.
Listed below are the precise pointers for voters within the horse class: Within the horse class, people are restricted to voting just for thoroughbreds that ran not less than one race in the USA or Canada in 2025.
Many citizens favor candidates who’re primarily based in the USA or who obtained the majority of their begin in North America. For these voters, Endlessly Younger in all probability is not an element.
I’ve all the time thought of worldwide horses from the U.S. to vote for the Eclipse Award, primarily these with star wins in marquee races in divisions with no different clear standouts. This occurred most frequently within the turf stallion and turf filly divisions in years when European turf horses have been far superior and not one of the U.S.-based runners had compiled a stable resume.
Endlessly Younger is a problem for me. I imagine he was one of the best older dust stallion to compete within the US in 2025. He gained as many U.S. G1 races as each Sierra Leone and Fierceness this yr, and one lower than Thoughts Body, regardless of beginning solely as soon as in North America. On the similar time, the opposite three logical finalists are all elite racehorses able to reaching worthy data in the USA. Let’s take a better have a look at that trio.
Following his Breeders’ Cup Basic victory in 2024, final yr’s champion 3-year-old colt Sierra Leone gained one in all 5 races in 2025…however it was a giant one. Within the G1 Whitney Stakes held at Saratoga in August, he made a comeback from a vastly quick tempo and gained by one size. Sierra Leone did not end within the high three in 2025, however the G1 runner-up went to Thoughts Body by Stephen Foster, the Jockey Membership Gold Cup went to Antiquarian, and the Breeders’ Cup Basic went to Endlessly Younger. Deep closers, Sierra Leone have all the time relied on tempo and have been inconsistent in moving into the winner’s circle.
Mindframe began 2025 with three consecutive wins within the G2 Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes introduced by Home Merchandise, the G1 Churchill Downs Stakes introduced by Ford, and the G1 Stephen Foster Stakes introduced by Ford. He defeated 2025 Breeders’ Cup Dust Mile winner Naissos within the Churchill Downs Stakes, excellent sprinter Bu’em Danno and Sierra Leone within the Stephen Foster. At that time, Thoughts Body seemed to be the clear chief within the division, however his jockey was unseated when Thoughts Body was bumped exhausting early within the Jockey Membership Gold Cup and he was unable to complete his subsequent begin. After that, he was unable to indicate his greatest kind when he missed the Basic, and it was primarily his first begin in over 4 months. Mindframe obtained off to an ideal begin in 2025, however it fell behind.
Fiacenes raced 5 instances in 2025, setting a file of 1 1/16 miles in Might’s G2 Alisheba Stakes introduced by Sentient Jet and profitable the G1 Pacific Basic in August by three and 1 / 4 lengths over Preakness Stakes winner Journalism. He additionally positioned second within the Hill and Dale Metropolitan Handicap and third within the Breeders’ Cup Basic by a size and a half. His solely misfire was when he completed fifth on the Whitney, however it was due to Fierceness and his connections that he was in a position to tackle all of the horses and compete towards high class competitors all year long. The colt was identified for his inconsistency early in his profession, however his 2025 was glorious from begin to end.
Will the {qualifications} of any of the three outweigh Endlessly Younger’s? It is a actually robust ask for voters, and will result in some fascinating outcomes on the fifty fifth poll.th Annual Eclipse Awards January 22, 2026 on the Breakers Palm Seashore.
