Main Sequence Secures Older Male Championship

Main Sequence, a homebred of the Nicarchos family's Flaxman Holdings, won all four of his starts in 2014--each at the grade I level--to secure an Eclipse Award in the older male division. The title is his second for the season as he also was named champion turf male.

The undefeated season while racing at the highest level ensured Main Sequence a decisive championship following a season in which the son of Aldebaran displayed a flair for the dramatic. His first three grade I scores came by margins of a neck, then a head, then a neck. His connections must have felt they were watching a walkover when Main Sequence registered a half-length victory Nov. 1 in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) at Santa Anita Park.

The Niarchos family's third Eclipse winner, Main Sequence is the son of their second winner Aldebaran, 2003 champion sprinter. The family boasts a total of four Eclipse Awards as Racing Hall of Famer Miesque earned champion grass mare honors in 1987 and 1988 following back-to-back wins against males in the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT).

Main Sequence is the second Eclipse Award winner trained by Graham Motion, who conditioned Team Valor International's champion 3-year-old male of 2011 Animal Kingdom  . Motion previously won the Breeders' Cup Turf with Better Talk Now, who scored at 27-1 in the 2004 edition at Lone Star Park.

"For a horse to win four grade Is in a row, that's pretty remarkable," Motion said after Main Sequence's Turf victory. "I can't say enough about this horse. What he's accomplished here in a short period of time is remarkable."

Surprisingly, Main Sequence is the first Breeders' Cup Turf winner to earn in the same year the champion grass horse award since Conduit in 2008. In 2012 and 2013 Breeders' Cup Mile winner Wise Dan took home the honor, as well as Horse of the Year; while in 2011 the award went to Cape Blanco and in 2009 and 2010 to Gio Ponti  .

Main Sequence, produced from Ikat, by Pivotal, registered his wins on both coasts as his Turf victory followed the three stakes wins in New York and New Jersey in the United Nations Stakes, Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes, and Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes.

Voting (Only first-place votes from members of the consolidated voting entities: National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form, and National Turf Writers and Broadcasters):

Main Sequence, 127; Palace Malice, 103; Wise Dan, 25; Goldencents  , 9; Game On Dude, 1.