Pioneerof the Nile’s stellar 2015 Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner American Pharoah heads the list of nominees for the 2015 Eclipse Awards.
American Pharoah was predictably a finalist for both Horse of the Year and 3-year-old male, when nominees were announced Wednesday morning from Gulfstream Park. The Eclipse champions will be announced during a ceremony at Gulfstream Jan. 16.
American Pharoah, who was 2-year-old male champion in 2014, is a virtual lock to win both awards this year as well following his historic campaign, which ended a 37-year Triple Crown drought. In addition to the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Belmont and Breeders’ Cup wins, American Pharoah also romped in both the Haskell Inv. and Arkansas Derby, all Grade 1 events.
American Pharoah, a Zayat Stables homebred, amassed a one-year earnings record of $8,288,800.
Pioneerof the Nile’s 2015 successes didn’t end with the Triple Crown winner though. Finishing the year as the runaway leader on the Third-Crop Sire list, Pioneerof the Nile also ranked third on the General Sire list.
His seven stakes winners included Midnight Storm, who took the $250,000 Seabiscuit H. (G2) on Thanksgiving weekend; Courtier, a graded stakes-placed winner of the $200,000 Centaur S.; and Catch My Drift, winner of the $100,000 Summer Colony S. and placed in the Grade 1 Beldame S.
Pioneerof the Nile is standing the 2016 season at WinStar Farm for $125,000 live foal, stands and nurses.
