2020 Eclipse Awards: Peter E. Blum

Peter E. Blum, who bought his first horse while at the University of North Carolina, climbed to the pinnacle in 2020 as the breeder of Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve and Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Authentic, the favorite to be named Horse of the Year at the Eclipse Awards.

Blum selected the broodmare Oyster Baby for $160,000 at the 2007 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale; the foal she was carrying at the time was the winning Mr. Greeley daughter Flawless, who has now produced three winners from as many starters. Those are led by the Into Mischief colt Authentic, who Blum sold for $350,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September yearling sale. Handling the consignment was Bridie Harrison, who, with her family, has been involved with breeding and sales for Blum’s top-class Thoroughbred band for more than 30 years. Authentic won six of eight career starts and was never worse than second; in addition to the Derby and Classic, he won the Grade 1 TVG.com Haskell Invitational, Grade 2 San Felipe, and Grade 3 Sham, and was a hard-fought second in the Preakness Stakes.

:: Full list of 2020 Eclipse Awards finalists, including profile stories

Prior to this year, Blum was perhaps best known as the breeder of Devil His Due, who won the Grade 1 Wood Memorial in 1992, and swept a trio of Grade 1 races in 1993 – the Gulfstream Park Handicap, Pimlico Special, and Suburban Handicap. Blum also bred or co-bred runners such as Grade 1 winners Dublin, Leofric, and Well Chosen.