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 Turf & Sports Digest (TSD) and Daily Racing Form (DRF) began naming an annual champion. Starting in 1950, the Thoroughbred Racing Associations (TRA) began naming its 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.
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.
Honorees
Eclipse Awards Year Horse Trainer Owner2025 SovereigntyWilliam I. MottGodolphin2024 Sierra Leone Chad BrownDerrick Smith, Ms. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Westerburg, Brook T. Smith and Peter Brant2023 ArcangeloJena Antonucci Blue Rose Farm2022 EpicenterSteve Asmussen Winchell Thoroughbreds2021Essential QualityBrad H. CoxGodolphin2020 Authentic Bob Baffert Spendthrift Farm, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables, and Starlight Racing 2019 Maximum Security Jason Servis Mary & Gary West2018 Justify Bob Baffert China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners, Starlight Racing 7 WinStar Farm2017West CoastBob BaffertMary & Gary West2016ArrogateBob BaffertJuddmonte Farms2015American PharoahBob BaffertZayat Stables2014California ChromeArt ShermanSteven Coburn, Perry Martin2013Will Take ChargeD. Wayne LukasWillis D. Horton2012I'll Have AnotherDoug F. O'NeillJ. Paul Reddam2011Animal KingdomH. Graham MotionTeam Valor2010Lookin At LuckyBob BaffertMike Pegram, Karl Watson & Paul Weitman2009Summer BirdTim IceDr. K. K. & Dr. V. Devi Jayaraman2008Big BrownRichard E. Dutrow Jr.IEAH Stables & Paul Pompa Jr.2007CurlinSteve AsmussenStonestreet Stables et al.2006BernardiniThomas AlbertraniDarley Stable2005Afleet AlexTimothy F. RitcheyCash Is King Stable2004Smarty JonesJohn ServisRoy & Patricia Chapman2003Funny CideBarclay TaggSackatoga Stable2002War EmblemBob BaffertR. L. Reineman/The Thoroughbred Corp.2001Point GivenBob BaffertThe Thoroughbred Corp.2000TiznowJay M. RobbinsMichael Cooper & Cecilia Straub-Rubens1999CharismaticD. Wayne LukasBob & Beverly Lewis1998Real QuietBob BaffertMichael E. Pegram1997Silver CharmBob BaffertBob & Beverly Lewis1996Skip AwaySonny HineCarolyn Hine1995Thunder GulchD. Wayne LukasMichael Tabor1994Holy BullWarren A. Croll Jr.Warren A. Croll Jr.1993Prairie BayouThomas BohannanLoblolly Stable1992A.P. IndyNeil D. DrysdaleTomonori Tsurumaki1991HanselFrank L. BrothersLazy Lane Farm1990UnbridledCarl NafzgerFrances A. Genter1989Sunday SilenceCharles E. WhittinghamH-G-W Partners1988Risen StarLouie Roussel IIIRonnie Lamarque & Louie Roussel III1987AlyshebaJack Van BergDorothy & Pamela Scharbauer1986Snow ChiefMelvin F. StuteCarl Grinstead & Ben Rochelle1985Spend A BuckCam GambolatiHunter Farm1984SwaleWoody StephensClaiborne Farm1983Slew o' GoldSidney Watters Jr.Equusequity Stable1982Conquistador CieloWoody StephensHenryk de Kwiatkowski1981Pleasant ColonyJohn P. CampoBuckland Farm1980Temperence HillJoseph B. CanteyLoblolly Stable1979Spectacular BidBud DelpHawksworth Farm1978AffirmedLaz BarreraHarbor View Farm1977Seattle SlewWilliam H. Turner Jr.Karen & Mickey Taylor1976Bold ForbesLaz BarreraEstéban Rodriguez Tizol1975WajimaStephen A. DiMauroEast-West Stable1974Little CurrentLou RondinelloDarby Dan Farm1973SecretariatLucien LaurinMeadow Stable1972Key to the MintJ. Elliott BurchRokeby Stables1971Canonero IIJuan AriasPedro Baptista
Daily Racing Form, Turf & Sport Digest and Thoroughbred Racing Association Awards Year Horse Trainer Owner1970PersonalityJohn W. JacobsEthel D. Jacobs1969Arts and LettersJ. Elliott BurchRokeby Stables1968Stage Door Johnny (TRA) (DRF)John M. Gaver Sr.Greentree Stable1968Forward Pass (TSD)Henry ForrestCalumet Farm1967DamascusFrank Y. Whiteley Jr.Edith W. Bancroft1966BuckpasserEdward A. NeloyOgden Phipps1965Tom RolfeFrank Y. Whiteley Jr.Powhatan Stable1964Northern DancerHoratio LuroWindfields Farm1963ChateaugayJames P. ConwayDarby Dan Farm1962JaipurWinbert F. MulhollandGeorge D. Widener Jr.1961Carry BackJack A. PriceKatherine Price1960KelsoCarl HanfordBohemia Stable1959Sword DancerJ. Elliott BurchBrookmeade Stable1958Tim TamHorace A. JonesCalumet Farm1957Bold RulerJames E. FitzsimmonsWheatley Stable1956NeedlesHugh L. FontaineD & H Stable1955NashuaJames E. FitzsimmonsBelair Stud1954High GunMax HirschKing Ranch1953Native DancerWilliam C. WinfreyAlfred G. Vanderbilt II1952One CountOscar WhiteSarah F. Jeffords1951CounterpointSylvester VeitchCornelius Vanderbilt Whitney1950Hill PrinceCasey HayesMeadow Stud, Inc.
Daily Racing Form and Turf & Sport Digest Awards Year Horse Trainer Owner1949CapotJohn M. Gaver Sr.Greentree Stable1948CitationBen A. JonesCalumet Farm1947PhalanxSylvester VeitchCornelius Vanderbilt Whitney1946AssaultMax HirschKing Ranch1945Fighting StepCharles C. NormanMurlogg Farm1944By JimminyJames W. SmithAlfred P. Parker1943Count FleetDon CameronFannie Hertz1942AlsabSarge SwenkeAlbert Sabath1941WhirlawayBen A. JonesCalumet Farm1940BimelechWilliam A. HurleyIdle Hour Stock Farm1939ChalledonLouis J. SchaeferBranncastle Farm1938StagehandEarl SandeCol. Maxwell Howard1937War AdmiralGeorge ConwayGlen Riddle Farm1936GranvilleJames E. FitzsimmonsWilliam Woodward Sr.
The Blood-Horse retrospective champions
Year Horse Trainer Owner1935OmahaJames E. FitzsimmonsBelair Stud1934CavalcadeRobert Augustus SmithBrookmeade Stable1933Head PlayWillie CrumpSuzanne Mason1932Burgoo King ‡Herbert J. ThompsonEdward R. Bradley1932Faireno ‡James E. FitzsimmonsBelair Stud1931Twenty GrandJames G. Rowe Jr.Greentree Stable1930Gallant FoxJames E. FitzsimmonsBelair Stud1929Blue LarkspurHerbert J. ThompsonEdward R. Bradley1928Reigh CountBert S. MichellFannie Hertz1927WhiskeryFred HopkinsHarry Payne Whitney1926CrusaderGeorge ConwayGlen Riddle Farm1925American FlagGwyn R. TompkinsGlen Riddle Farm1924SarazenMax HirschVirginia Fair Vanderbilt1923Zev ‡David J. LearyRancocas Stable1923In Memoriam ‡George LandCarl Weidemann1922WhiskawayJames G. Rowe Sr.Harry Payne Whitney1921Grey LagSam HildrethRancocas Stable1920Man o' WarLouis FeustelSamuel D. Riddle1919Sir BartonH. Guy BedwellJ. K. L. Ross1918JohrenJames G. Rowe Sr.Harry Payne Whitney1917Hourless ‡Sam HildrethAugust Belmont Jr.1917Omar Khayyam ‡Richard F. CarmenWilfrid Viau1916Friar RockSam HildrethAugust Belmont Jr.1915The FinnEdward W. HeffnerHarry C. Hallenbeck1914RoamerA. J. GoldsboroughAndrew Miller1913Rock ViewLouis FeustelAugust Belmont Jr.1912The ManagerThomas Clay McDowellThomas Clay McDowell1911MeridianAlbert EwingRichard F. Carman1910Sweep ‡James G. Rowe Sr.James R. Keene1910Dalmatian ‡Sam HildrethSam Hildreth1909Fitz HerbertSam HildrethSam Hildreth1908ColinJames G. Rowe Sr.James R. Keene1907Peter PanJames G. Rowe Sr.James R. Keene1906Burgomaster ‡John W. RogersHarry Payne Whitney1906Accountant ‡Matthew M. AllenJames B. Brady1905SysonbyJames G. Rowe Sr.James R. Keene1904Delhi ‡James G. Rowe Sr.James R. Keene1904Ort Wells ‡Enoch WishardJohn A. Drake1903AfricanderRichard O. MillerHampton Stable1902HermisJohn H. McCormackLouis V. Bell1901CommandoJames G. Rowe Sr.James R. Keene1900KilmarnockJohn E. MaddenWilliam Collins Whitney1899EthelbertA. Jack JoynerPerry Belmont1898HamburgWilliam LakelandMarcus Daly1897OrnamentCharles T. PattersonCharles T. Patterson1896RequitalJames G. Rowe Sr. William P. Thompson1895KeenanJohn J. HylandDavid Gideon & John Daly1894Domino ‡William LakelandJames R. Keene1894Henry of Navarre ‡Byron McClellandByron McClelland1893Clifford ‡H. Eugene LeighH. Eugene Leigh & Robert L. Rose1893Morello ‡Frank Van Ness Elkton Stable1892TammanyMatthew ByrnesMarcus Daly1891PotomacHardy Campbell Jr.Michael F. Dwyer1890TournamentMatthew M. AllenGeorge Hearst1889SalvatorMatthew ByrnesJames B. A. Haggin1888Emperor of Norfolk ‡Robert W. ThomasE. J. "Lucky" Baldwin1888Sir Dixon ‡Frank McCabeDwyer Brothers Stable1887HanoverFrank McCabeDwyer Brothers Stable1886Inspector B. ‡Frank McCabe Dwyer Brothers Stable1886The Bard ‡John HugginsAlexander J. Cassatt1885Joe Cotton ‡Alex Perry James T. Williams 1885Bersan ‡Green B. MorrisGreen B. Morris1884St. SaviourEvert V. Snedecker Frederick Gebhard1883LeonatusRolla ColstonGeorge Morgan & Jack P. Chinn1882Runnymede ‡James G. Rowe Sr. Dwyer Brothers Stable1882Forester ‡Lewis Stuart Appleby & Johnson 1881HindooEdward D. BrownDwyer Brothers Stable1880GrenadaR. Wyndham WaldenGeorge L. Lorillard1879FalsettoEli JordanJ. W. Hunt Reynolds1878Duke of MagentaR. Wyndham WaldenGeorge L. Lorillard1877Baden-BadenJames WilliamsWilliam B. Astor Jr.1876Vigil ‡Evert V. SnedeckerDwyer Brothers Stable1876Vagrant ‡A. Davis PryorWilliam B. Astor Jr.1875Tom OchiltreeR. Wyndham WaldenJohn F. Chamberlain1874AcrobatCharles S. LloydK. W. Sears1872Joe DanielsDavid McDanielDavid McDaniel1871Harry BassettDavid McDanielDavid McDaniel
A ‡ designates co champion three-year-olds.
References
The Bloodhorse.com Champion's history charts American Champion Three-Year-Old Male