2024 Eclipse Awards: Straight No Chaser

Straight No Chaser made the most of limited opportunities during his 2024 campaign and for his season of excellence is an Eclipse Award finalist for both champion male sprinter and outstanding older dirt male.

Straight No Chaser won 2 of 3 starts in 2024 for earnings of $1,170,500. His campaign began May 11 at Aqueduct with a troubled fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 Runhappy.

From there, Straight No Chaser returned to action Sept. 29 and made a statement. He romped by 6 1/4 lengths in the Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship. Straight No Chaser set quick fractions and went on to cover six furlongs in blazing 1:08.54.

The start set him up for the $2 million Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Nov. 2 at Del Mar. Straight No Chaser was 6-1 in the six-furlong race and changed tactics, coming from just off the pace to win by a half-length. He covered the distance in 1:08.62 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 103 for what was his final start of 2024.

“Sometimes you just have to be patient and let them come around on their own,” trainer Dan Blacker told Daily Racing Form following the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. “This guy, he’s got his own agenda. You just kind of go along for the ride, try and guide him through his steps day by day, work by work. I’m just thankful I have such a great ownership group. I don’t think they get enough credit. The big part is feeling no pressure on my end. He’s just such a talented horse and obviously winning a race like this is so special to me and my family.”

:: Full list of 2024 Eclipse Awards finalists, including profile stories

Straight No Chaser races for the large micro-share ownership organization of MyRacehorse.

“One of the best things about this game is winning and sharing those wins with other people and their families, whether it’s one owner or 800 owners,” Blacker said. “It was just so rewarding to see all the emotion and all those happy faces out there after the race.”

The up-and-coming Blacker won his first Breeders’ Cup race in the Sprint.

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez rode Straight No Chaser in each of his starts in 2024. He was pleased with how the race set up in the Breeders’ Cup.

“I knew the two horses inside of me had a lot of speed, so I didn’t want to force my horse to do anything,” Velazquez said. “I just let the horse get into his rhythm. I was comfortable where we were at. I didn’t want to move too soon. At the quarter pole, I said, ‘Let’s go,’ and when he changed leads near the three-sixteenths pole, I knew he was going to get it. He was all there for me.”

Straight No Chaser is by Speightster. He is the second stakes winner produced by the winning Johannesburg mare Margarita Friday. Straight No Chaser has compiled a career record of six wins from 10 starts for earnings of $1,416,300. He was bred in Kentucky by John Eaton and Steve Laymon and is being pointed to a 2025 campaign as a 6-year-old.

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