Klarman Shoots Straight at Eclipse Awards

The 49th annual Runhappy Eclipse Awards Jan. 23 began with hosts Acacia Courtney, Gabby Gaudet, and Britney Eurton invoking a three-word mantra: 

Self-reflection. Progress. Change.  

These were the words that have come to define the sport of horse racing in the past year, and words that kept returning to the forefront as award winners took to the podium to thank their teams and laud the collective efforts of the industry to strive for improvement. 

As serious as the initial call to action may have been, the ceremony itself began on a playful note. The ladies on stage were quick to entice the crowd into a drinking game. For every mention of Runhappy—one of the most prevalent sponsors in the industry—the audience was asked to take a drink, and waiters were soon seen gliding through tables of anxious nominees ready to refill empty glasses. 

Bricks and Mortar Makes Horse of the Year History

Seth Klarman is hardly the kind of person who lives to grab a microphone, but his time on stage at Thursday's event was eclipsed only by the program's three hosts.

Through his Klaravich Stables, Klarman brought home a trio of trophies as Bricks and Mortar was named Runhappy Horse of the Year and champion turf male, and Klarman and William H. Lawrence, his partner with Bricks and Mortar, shared the award as leading owner. 

Klarman also hammered home a profound point to the audience during his acceptance speech as he addressed the perils the sport faces after a 2019 season marked by intense public scrutiny over safety concerns.

"The sport is not organized at the national level. We lack uniform rules, such as on medication and the use of whips," Klarman said. "Stewards' decisions are largely unexplained, creating a sense of chaos and unfairness. The sport is criticized, not wrongly, when the interests of the horses are seemingly placed second to economics or personal glory.

"Those of us who love horse racing and appreciate the majesty and courage of the equine athlete must fix the sport so it can survive. We must care for our Thoroughbreds in their retirement, and we must ensure that track surfaces are safe at all times. And when they are not, races should not be run. We must study the impact of medication on the health and safety of horses, and we must ensure that no one ever runs unsound horses. Only when we place the horse first will we put the sport first. Nothing less will do. We are at a tipping point, and we truly have no choice but to come together and reform. Everyone here tonight has a richer, more exciting and more beautiful life because horse racing made it so. Everyone here knows what is wrong. We can and must do better."

Klarman, part of the team that swept Horse of the Year and the leading owner, trainer, jockey, and breeder awards for the first time since John Henry in 1981, said he was inspired to voice his concerns because the dinner attendees are the ones who can stimulate change in the industry.

"It's a beautiful sport with an incredibly long history, hundreds and hundreds of years, probably as long as people have been on horses, and it's endangered," he said. "The people who write the tough things are not totally wrong, and I know we can do better. The people in the room can cause it to change. There were a lot of people speaking about it, so I am encouraged that we have a real chance to make a difference."

The famed "Johnny Saxophone"—which has played speaking recipients off the stage when they run too long—received a break when another prominent owner, Sol Kumin, was unable to attend because of a family commitment.

A year ago, Kumin continued to offer his thanks for Monomoy Girl's award as the champion 3-year-old filly long after the music started, and Thursday would have given the owner several opportunities to give thanks.

Three horses owned in partnership by Kumin were named champions—turf female Uni, 2-year-old filly British Idiom, and older dirt female Midnight Bisou—putting him in the unique position of a hat trick in a single year. He also joined Gary and Mary West at this year's ceremonies in campaigning three different champions in three different years, a feat last accomplished by Allen E. Paulson from 1996-98.

All told, Kumin has owned a share of seven champions in three years.

"It's awesome," he said. "We play this sport to try and win at the highest level. We had an awesome team, a bunch of super partners. We worked super hard throughout the year, and we worked super hard to get horses who can compete at the highest level, and when it all comes together like that, it's really special."

Kumin was represented by his father, Steve.

"My dad was able to celebrate for me," Sol Kumin said. "He really enjoyed it, and I was glad he was able to be a part of it.

Team Behind Monomoy Girl Returns with British Idiom 

With Kumin absent, the remaining partners in British Idiom celebrated their return to the stage. Although Monomoy Girl was out of commission through most of 2019, earning another Eclipse Award with her understudy, a fast-moving juvenile daughter of Flashback , was a testament to the efforts of the entire team. 

"It feels surreal," said bloodstock agent Liz Crow, who was part of the team that selected and purchased British Idiom as well as Monomoy Girl. "I can't even believe that we're back again in back-to-back years. It's been a dream come true for me since I was a little kid to be at this awards ceremony. It's all about the team. To be with (trainer) Brad Cox and Paul Sharp both years and with the same ownership group—without them, I would be nowhere." 

"She's not only fast, but she's mentally tough," said The Elkstone Group's Stuart Grant of British Idiom. "On behalf of the entire British Idiom team, thank you for the Eclipse Award, and we invite you to join us on the ride for her 3-year-old campaign, because who doesn't love a good British Idiom?"

Servis Brings Levity to Moment of the Year

"Johnny Saxophone," who gave the night the feel of a Kenny G concert when speeches went long, was mentioned almost as often as Runhappy.

Chad Brown told him to take a bathroom break before accepting the leading trainer award but managed to get in all his "thank yous" before the music played. Owner Larry Roth, in accepting the prize for Covfefe as champion female sprinter, spoke the longest with musical accompaniment.

The best dig about the music went to trainer Jason Servis when he accepted the prize for Maximum Security's disqualification in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) as the NTRA Moment of the Year. In the call heard around the world, Churchill Downs stewards deliberated for 22 minutes before deciding that the Wests' colt would be stripped of his win. 

Mounting the stage to give his account of the year's struggles, and prompted to share what his emotions were like in 2019, Servis said, "Where's the guy with the horn? The producers told me to keep it short and sweet, so I'm going to tell you, it was indescribable."

Aftercare Shares the Spotlight  

While the winners rightly celebrated their victories throughout the evening's festivities, cutting through the glitz and glamour and the clips of grade 1 winners on parade across the screens were the simple additions of photos. 

These images, each a submission from a fan, were an homage to Thoroughbred aftercare. People from around the world, many who were seated in the Eclipse Ballroom, posed proudly with their off-track Thoroughbreds in each image. The sheer number of horses living fulfilled lives while engaged in second careers drove home the notion that although not every horse will be an Eclipse winner, what they bring to the lives of people who work with them each day is a joy that not even the winner's circle can recreate.  

"It's such a historic, special, and meaningful night for the sport," said Courtney, who included several of her own photos in the night's three curated digital galleries. "I was even more thrilled to be part of it this year because aftercare was such a big part of the conversation tonight, and I run an aftercare organization called Racing for Home, so that was obviously very close to my heart. Being able to be part of an Eclipse Award night where that was a large centerpiece was even more special. 

"I think, obviously, we've had our ups and downs in racing in 2019. But these horses—these athletes—and these people (who) make our sport happen are such bright spots in the industry, and it was great to celebrate them. Congratulations to the entire Bricks and Mortar team and to all the winners tonight."