2022 Eclipse Awards: Godolphin

Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum’s international Godolphin operation is a finalist for both the Eclipse Award for outstanding owner and outstanding breeder, looking to sweep both categories for the second year in a row. Godolphin or its Darley banner – the brand which it stands its stallions under – has won or tied for the Eclipse for outstanding owner five times, and has been honored as outstanding breeder twice.

Godolphin again led North American owners by earnings in 2022, with $16,343,067; by graded stakes wins, with 23 to 18 for Peter Brant; and by Grade 1 wins, with 13 to seven for Brant.

The operation put a huge exclamation point on its season, with four homebred Breeders’ Cup winners, as Modern Games earned his second Breeders’ Cup win, taking the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile; Rebel’s Romance took the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf; the popular Cody’s Wish won the Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in what has been lauded as one of the feel-good stories of the year; and Mischief Magic won the Juvenile Turf Sprint.

:: Full list of 2022 Eclipse Awards finalists, including profile stories

Modern Games and Cody’s Wish won additional Grade 1 races in North America, taking the Ricoh Woodbine Mile and Forego Stakes, respectively.

Godolphin’s other major victories in North America included multiple Grade 1 scores for both the European shipper Nations Pride and the Kentucky-based Santin, as well as Grade 1 victories earned by Matareya, Mysterious Night, Proxy, and Speaker’s Corner.

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