American Champion Older Dirt Male Horse

The title of American Champion Older Dirt Male Horse is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a stallion or gelding, four years old and up, for performances on dirt and main track racing surfaces. In 1971, it became part of the Eclipse Awards program as the award for Champion Older Male Horse.

The award originated in 1936 when the Daily Racing Form (DRF) began naming an annual champion. In the same year, the Baltimore-based Turf and Sports Digest magazine instituted a similar award. 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. Whenever there were different champions named, the horses are listed side-by-side with the one chosen as champion by the Daily Racing Form noted with the letters (DRF), the one chosen by the Thoroughbred Racing Associations by the letters (TRA) and the one chosen by Turf and Sports Digest by the letters (TSD). Prior to 1971 this award was referred to as "Champion Handicap Male Horse". The Daily Racing Form version was open to any horse, three years old and up and this award was given to some Champions at the age of three, such as Citation, Buckpasser, Damascus and Arts and Letters.

Champions from 1887 through 1935 were selected retrospectively by a panel of experts as published by The Blood-Horse magazine.[1]

In 2015, the Daily Racing Form, the Thoroughbred Racing Associations, and the National Turf Writers Association decided that the award would be renamed and awarded to older horses proficient in dirt and main track races.[2]

Honorees

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Eclipse Award for Champion Older Dirt Male

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Year
Horse
Age Trainer
Owner
2023 Cody's Wish 5 William I. Mott Godolphin
2022 Flightline 4 John Sadler Hronis Racing
2021 Knicks Go 5 Brad H. Cox Korea Racing Authority
2020 Improbable 4 Bob Baffert WinStar Farm LLC, CHC Inc. and SF Racing LLC
2019 Vino Rosso 4 Todd Pletcher Repole Stable (Mike Repole) &
St. Elias Stable (Vincent Viola)
2018 Accelerate 5 John Sadler Hronis Racing
2017 Gun Runner 4 Steve Asmussen Winchell Thoroughbreds & Three Chimneys Farm
2016 California Chrome 5 Art Sherman California Chrome LLC
2015 Honor Code 4 Claude R. McGaughey III Lane's End Racing
2014 Main Sequence 5 Graham Motion Flaxman Holdings
2013 Wise Dan 6 Charles Lopresti Morton Fink
2012 Wise Dan 5 Charles Lopresti Morton Fink
2011 Acclamation 5 Donald Warren Old English Rancho
2010 Blame 4 Albert Stall Jr. Claiborne Farm
2009 Gio Ponti 4 Christophe Clement Castleton Lyons
2008 Curlin 4 Steve Asmussen Stonestreet Stables/Midnight Cry Stables
2007 Lawyer Ron 4 Todd A. Pletcher Stonewall Farm
2006 Invasor 4 Kiaran McLaughlin Shadwell Stable
2005 Saint Liam 5 Richard E. Dutrow Jr. M/M William K. Warren Jr.
2004 Ghostzapper 4 Robert J. Frankel Frank Stronach
2003 Mineshaft 4 Neil J. Howard W. S. Farish/W. T. Webber/J. Elkins
2002 Left Bank 5 Todd A. Pletcher Michael B. Tabor
2001 Tiznow 4 Jay M. Robbins Cee's Stable
2000 Lemon Drop Kid 4 Scotty Schulhofer Jeanne G. Vance
1999 Victory Gallop 4 W. Elliott Walden Prestonwood Farm
1998 Skip Away 5 Sonny Hine Carolyn Hine
1997 Skip Away 4 Sonny Hine Carolyn Hine
1996 Cigar 6 William I. Mott Allen E. Paulson
1995 Cigar 5 William I. Mott Allen E. Paulson
1994 The Wicked North 5 David Bernstein Philip & Sophie Hersh Trust
1993 Bertrando 4 Robert J. Frankel Ed Nahem & Marshall Naify
1992 Pleasant Tap 5 Christopher Speckert Buckland Farm
1991 Black Tie Affair 5 Ernie T. Poulos Jeffrey Sullivan
1990 Criminal Type 5 D. Wayne Lukas Calumet & Jurgen K. Arnemann
1989 Blushing John 4 Richard J. Lundy Allen E. Paulson
1988 Alysheba 4 Jack Van Berg Dorothy & Pamela Scharbauer
1987 Ferdinand 4 Charlie Whittingham Elizabeth A. Keck
1986 Turkoman 4 Gary F. Jones Corbin J. Robinson
1985 Vanlandingham 4 Claude R. McGaughey III Loblolly Stable
1984 Slew o' Gold 4 John O. Hertler Equusequity Stable
1983 Bates Motel 4 John H. M. Gosden Jacqueline Phillips & Michael Riordan
1982 Lemhi Gold 4 Laz Barrera Aaron U. Jones
1981 John Henry 6 Ron McAnally Dotsam Stable
1980 Spectacular Bid 4 Bud Delp Hawksworth Farm
1979 Affirmed 4 Laz Barrera Harbor View Farm
1978 Seattle Slew 4 Douglas R. Peterson K. & M. Taylor/J. & S. Hill
1977 Forego 7 Frank Y. Whiteley Jr. Lazy F Ranch
1976 Forego 6 Frank Y. Whiteley Jr. Lazy F Ranch
1975 Forego 5 Frank Y. Whiteley Jr. Lazy F Ranch
1974 Forego 4 Frank Y. Whiteley Jr. Lazy F Ranch
1973 Riva Ridge 4 Lucien Laurin Estate of C. T. Chenery
1972 Autobiography 4 Pancho Martin Sigmund Sommer
1971 Ack Ack 5 Charlie Whittingham Buddy Fogelson

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

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Year
Horse
Age Trainer
Owner
1970 Fort Marcy (DRF)[3] 6 J. Elliott Burch Rokeby Stables
1970 Nodouble (TRA) 5 J. Bert Sonnier Gene Goff
1969 Arts and Letters (DRF) 3 J. Elliott Burch Rokeby Stables
1969 Nodouble (TRA) 4 J. Bert Sonnier Gene Goff
1968 Dr. Fager 4 John A. Nerud William L. McKnight
1967 Damascus (DRF)[4] 3 Frank Y. Whiteley Jr. Edith W. Bancroft
1967 Buckpasser (TRA) (TSD)[5] 4 Edward A. Neloy Ogden Phipps
1966 Buckpasser (DRF) 3 Edward A. Neloy Ogden Phipps
1966 Bold Bidder (TRA)[6] 4 Woody Stephens John R. Gaines
1965 Roman Brother 4 Burley Parke Harbor View Farm
1964 Kelso 7 Carl Hanford Bohemia Stable
1963 Kelso 6 Carl Hanford Bohemia Stable
1962 Kelso 5 Carl Hanford Bohemia Stable
1961 Kelso 4 Carl Hanford Bohemia Stable
1960 Bald Eagle 5 Woody Stephens Cain Hoy Stable
1959 Sword Dancer (DRF) 3 J. Elliott Burch Brookmeade Stable
1959 Round Table (TRA) 5 William Molter Kerr Stable
1958 Round Table 4 William Molter Kerr Stable
1957 Dedicate 5 G. Carey Winfrey Jan Winfrey Burke
1956 Swaps 4 Mesh Tenney Rex C. Ellsworth
1955 High Gun 4 Max Hirsch King Ranch
1954 Native Dancer 4 William C. Winfrey Alfred G. Vanderbilt II
1953 Tom Fool 4 Duval A. Headley Greentree Stables
1952 Crafty Admiral 4 Robert B. Odom Charfran Stable
1951 Hill Prince (DRF) 4 Casey Hayes Christopher Chenery
1951 Citation (TSD) 6 Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm
1950 Noor 5 Burley Parke Charles S. Howard

Daily Racing Form and Turf & Sport Digest Awards

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Year
Horse
Age Trainer
Owner
1949 Coaltown 4 Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm
1948 Citation (DRF) 3 Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm
1948 Shannon II (TSD)[7] 7 William Molter Neil S. McCarthy
1947 Armed 6 Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm
1946 Armed 5 Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm
1945 Stymie 4 Hirsch Jacobs Ethel D. Jacobs
1944 Devil Diver 5 John M. Gaver Sr. Helen Hay Whitney
1943 Market Wise (TSD)[8] 5 George W. Carroll Louis Tufano
1943 Devil Diver (DRF) 4 John M. Gaver Sr. Helen Hay Whitney
1942 Whirlaway 4 Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm
1941 Mioland (DRF) 4 Tom Smith Charles S. Howard
1941 Big Pebble (TSD)[9] 5 William B. Finnegan Edward S. Moore
1940 Challedon 4 Louis J. Schaefer William L. Brann
1939 Kayak II 4 Horatio Luro Charles S. Howard
1938 Seabiscuit 5 Tom Smith Charles S. Howard
1937 Seabiscuit 4 Tom Smith Charles S. Howard
1936 Discovery 5 Bud Stotler Alfred G. Vanderbilt II

The Blood-Horse retrospective champions

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Year
Horse
Age Trainer
Owner
1935 Discovery 4 Bud Stotler Alfred G. Vanderbilt II
1934 Equipose 6 Thomas J. Healey C. V. Whitney
1933 Equipose 5 Thomas J. Healey C. V. Whitney
1932 Equipose 4 Thomas J. Healey C. V. Whitney
1931 Sun Beau 6 Andy Schuttinger Willis Sharpe Kilmer
1930 Sun Beau 5 William A. Crawford Willis Sharpe Kilmer
1930 Blue Larkspur 4 Herbert J. Thompson Edward R. Bradley
1929 Sun Beau 4 Andrew G. Blakely Willis Sharpe Kilmer
1929 Diavolo 4 James E. Fitzsimmons Wheatley Stable
1928 Mike Hall 4 Walter W. Taylor Hal Price Headley
1927 Chance Play 4 John I. Smith Log Cabin Stable
1926 Sarazen 5 Max Hirsch Virginia Fair Vanderbilt
1925 Sarazen 4 Max Hirsch Virginia Fair Vanderbilt
1924 Epinard 4 H. Eugene Leigh Pierre Wertheimer
1923 Grey Lag 5 Sam Hildreth Harry F. Sinclair
1922 Exterminator 7 Eugene Wayland Willis Sharpe Kilmer
1922 Grey Lag 4 Sam Hildreth Harry F. Sinclair
1921 Exterminator 6 Willie Knapp Willis Sharpe Kilmer
1921 Mad Hatter 5 Sam Hildreth Harry F. Sinclair
1920 Exterminator 5 Henry McDaniel Willis Sharpe Kilmer
1919 Cudgel 5 H. Guy Bedwell J. K. L. Ross
1919 Sun Briar 4 Henry McDaniel Willis Sharpe Kilmer
1918 Cudgel 4 H. Guy Bedwell J. K. L. Ross
1917 Old Rosebud 6 Frank D. Weir F. D. Weir & Hamilton Applegate
1916 Roamer 5 A. J. Goldsborough Andrew Miller
1916 Short Grass 8 John J. Flannigan Emil Herz
1915 Roamer 4 A. J. Goldsborough Andrew Miller
1914 Great Britain 4 John Walters George M. Hendrie
1914 Borrow 6 James G. Rowe Sr. Harry Payne Whitney
1913 Whisk Broom II 6 James G. Rowe Sr. Harry Payne Whitney
1912 Star Charter 4 John F. Schorr John W. Schorr
1911 Plate Glass 5 Jake Byer Philip S. P. Randolph
1910 Fitz Herbert 4 Sam Hildreth Charles Kohler
1910 Ballot 6 James G. Rowe Sr. James R. Keene
1909 King James 4 Sam Hildreth Sam Hildreth
1908 Ballot 4 James G. Rowe Sr. James R. Keene
1907 Nealon 4 Frank M. Taylor Charles E. Durnell
1906 Go Between 5 William Shields Edward R. Thomas
1905 Ort Wells 4 Enoch Wishard John A. Drake
1905 Delhi 4 James G. Rowe Sr. James R. Keene
1904 Hermis 5 William Shields Edward R. Thomas
1903 Hermis 4 William Shields Edward R. Thomas
1903 Waterboy 4 A. Jack Joyner James Ben Ali Haggin
1902 Gold Heels 4 Matthew M. Allen Fred C. McLewee & Diamond Jim Brady
1901 Banastar 6 Charles F. Hill Clarence H. Mackay
1900 Kinley Mack 4 Peter Wimmer Augustus Eastin & Samuel E. Larabie
1899 Voter 5 James G. Rowe Sr. James R. Keene
1898 Ornament 4 Charles E. Patterson H. P. Headley & W. P. Norton
1897 Ben Brush 4 Hardy Campbell Jr. Michael F. Dwyer
1896 Henry of Navarre 5 John J. Hyland August Belmont Jr.
1895 Henry of Navarre 4 John J. Hyland August Belmont Jr.
1894 Clifford 4 H. Eugene Leigh H. Eugene Leigh & Robert L. Rose
1894 Ramapo 4 John J. Hyland David Gideon & John Daly
1893 Lamplighter 4 John Huggins Pierre Lorillard IV
1893 Tammany 4 Matthew Byrnes Marcus Daly
1892 Longstreet 6 Hardy Campbell Jr. Michael F. Dwyer
1891 Longstreet 5 Hardy Campbell Jr. Michael F. Dwyer
1890 Salvator 4 Matthew Byrnes James Ben Ali Haggin
1890 Kingston 6 Hardy Campbell Jr. Michael F. Dwyer
1889 The Bard 6 John Huggins Alexander Cassatt
1889 Kingston 5 Frank McCabe Dwyer Brothers Stable
1888 none selected n/a n/a
1887 Troubadour 5 John W. Rogers Samuel S. Brown

Thoroughbred Heritage retrospective champions

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Year
Horse
Age Trainer
Owner
1886 Troubadour 4 John W. Rogers Samuel S. Brown
1885 Freeland 6 John W. Rogers Edward Corrigan
1884 General Monroe 6 Walter C. Rollins E. J. McElmeel
1884 Drake Carter 4 Green B. Morris Morris & Patton
1883 Eole 5 Evert V. Snedecker Frederick Gebhard
1882 Hindoo 4 James G. Rowe Sr. Dwyer Brothers Stable
1881 Glenmore 6 William Jennings Sr. William Jennings Sr.
1881 Checkmate 6 not found James T. Williams
1880 Monitor 4 R. Wyndham Walden George L. Lorillard
1879 Bramble 4 James G. Rowe Sr. Dwyer Brothers Stable
1878 Parole 5 William Brown Pierre Lorillard IV
1877 Ten Broeck 5 Harry Colston Frank B. Harper
1877 Parole 4 William Brown Pierre Lorillard IV
1876 Tom Ochiltree 4 R. Wyndham Walden George L. Lorillard
1876 Ten Broeck 4 Harry Colston Frank B. Harper
1875 Preakness 5 Charles S. Littlefield Milton H. Sanford
1875 Springbok 5 Col. David McDaniel Col. David McDaniel
1874 Springbok 4 Col. David McDaniel Col. David McDaniel

References

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Notes

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  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. ^ Hegarty, Matt (February 19, 2015). "Eclipse Awards: Turfers no longer eligible in older-male, older-female categories". drf.com. Daily Racing Form. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  3. ^ "Fort Marcy Top Horse". Ottawa Citizen. 1970-12-01. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
  4. ^ "Damascus top horse". Leader-Post. November 24, 1967. Retrieved 2012-07-14.
  5. ^ "Sports brief". Phoenix. December 6, 1967. Retrieved 2012-07-14.
  6. ^ "T.R.A. Selects Bold Bidder As Top Older Horse of '66". New York Times. 2012-06-10. Retrieved 2012-07-14.
  7. ^ "Citation named Horse of Year". Middlesboro Daily News. December 6, 1948. Retrieved 2012-07-14.
  8. ^ "Count named top". Miami News. December 17, 1943. Retrieved 2012-07-14.
  9. ^ "Whirlaway is Horse of Year". Times Daily. December 8, 1941. Retrieved 2012-07-14.