2023 Eclipse Awards: Master of The Seas

As far back as his 2-year-old campaign of 2020, Master of The Seas had suggested he was a top-level horse. It was not until the second half of his 5-year-old season of 2023 that the gelding truly lived up to his potential. He did so not once, not twice, but three times, all while racing far from trainer Charlie Appleby’s base in England.

A Godolphin homebred by Dubawi out of Firth of Lorne, by Danehill, Master of The Seas was a Group 2 winner at 2 and 3 and nearly toook down the English 2000 Guineas, losing by a short head to the talented Poetic Flare.

He began his 5-year-old campaign racing three times in Dubai, the last of those starts a poor showing in the Group 1 Dubai Turf. Back in England, the gelding had a limited summer campaign, but his lone start, in July at Ascot in the Group 2 Summer Mile, produced a blowout win.

:: Full list of 2023 Eclipse Awards finalists, including profile stories

Master of The Seas then hit the road, or, more accurately, the skies, making his last three starts of the year in North America. He coasted to an easy victory, his first Grade 1, in the Ricoh Woodbine Mile, then was pipped on the line by America’s leading turf light, Up to the Mark, in the Coolmore Turf Mile at Keeneland.

That was a tough beat – about as tough as the post position Master of The Seas drew, 13, for the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile.

The Santa Anita grass course is compact, with a homestretch of barely 1 1/2 furlongs and a short run into the first turn. For jockey William Buick there was but one Mile strategy – take back to save some ground and hope for the best.

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Twelfth down the backstretch and 12th while wide around the second turn, Master of The Seas was still in a seemingly impossible spot with just a furlong to run, 11th with nearly six lengths to make up on the leader, the Godolphin filly Mawj. A spectacular finish would be required, and that is what Master of The Seas delivered, whistling his final quarter-mile in 22.12 seconds to win a photo finish.

The English horse could be considered the best turf miler in America during 2023, and a worthy Eclipse Award finalist. As a gelding, Master of The Seas is expected to return to the races in 2024, and it is possible he could give Godolphin a fourth straight win in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

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