Godolphin Retains Owner/Breeding Title for 2023

There has been no entity in racing more powerful than the mighty Godolphin stable in the past three years. Since 2021, the global racing and breeding operation has netted six Eclipse Awards for leading owner and breeder, nine Breeders' Cup wins, and a classic win in the 2021 Belmont Stakes (G1) with Essential Quality  .

Founded by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid in the 1970s, Godolphin continued its wave of blue-silked brilliance in 2023. The operation again claimed the Eclipse Award for both leading owner and breeder. Runners for the stable bankrolled $17,270,223 in purses, leading all North American owners in earnings. The 2023 figure was the second-highest ever attained by the stable following its 2021 record earnings mark of $17,421,871.

"It's a pretty special time for us," said Godolphin director of bloodstock Michael Banahan. "It's a long road to get to an Eclipse Award but to be able to do it four years in a row as owner and three years in a row as breeder is an unbelievable accomplishment. It's a lot of hard work from the whole team, from foaling the mares to getting them raised as yearlings. There's a lot of hurdles to get over and we're just so grateful to be in that position to reap those rewards on the racetrack."

The Godolphin stable runners crossed the wire first in 86 races, including in 12 grade 1 events. Godolphin bred every one of its grade 1 winners at their operations in Lexington, or across the pond in the United Kingdom. Paving the way for the stable in 2023 was Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) victor Cody's Wish  , Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Pretty Mischievous , and Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) hero Master of The Seas .

"Sheikh Mohammed has put together a wonderful broodmare band over the course of the last 20 years in North America." Banahan said. "We've cultivated that the best we can and I think the rewards are coming through at the moment. It's been phenomenal."

Although the stable lacked a Triple Crown contender, it boasted two of the top 3-year-old fillies of the year with Pretty Mischievous and Wet Paint . While Wet Paint, a homebred filly trained by Brad Cox, entered the starting gate as the favorite for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) May 5, it would be the regally bred Pretty Mischievous to give Godolphin their first Oaks victory. Trained by Brendan Walsh, the daughter of Into Mischief   secured two other grade 1 wins during her campaign. Wet Paint later added a grade 1 to her C.V. when she scored a come-from-behind win in the July 22 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.

The emotional and storybook tale of Cody's Wish will forever be imprinted in the minds of racing fans when reflecting on the 2023 racing season. Cody's Wish, named after the late Cody Dorman, a young man with the rare genetic disorder Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, would carry the Godolphin colors to victory in three grade 1 events. The horse capped his stellar 5-year-old season with a rousing triumph over 2023 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner National Treasure  in an unforgettable running of the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita Park. It would be the second straight Dirt Mile title for the son of Curlin  , who has since retired to stand stud at Godolphin's Jonabell Farm in Lexington.

Godolphin's 2023 leading owner title marks their sixth Eclipse Award as owner. The operation also won the award in 2009, 2012, and 2020-22. The stable landed its first Eclipse Award as breeder in 2021.