The American Champion Sprint Horse award is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor. Created in 1947, in 1971 it became part of the Eclipse Awards program and is awarded annually to the top horse in sprint races usually run at a distance of under one mile).
The Daily Racing Form (DRF) began naming an annual champion. Starting in 1950, the Thoroughbred Racing Associations (TRA) began naming its own champion. [1] The following list provides the name of the horses chosen by both of these organizations.
The Daily Racing Form, the Thoroughbred Racing Associations, and the National Turf Writers Association all joined forces in 1971 to create the Eclipse Award.
Through 2006, the Sprint Champion was chosen from a horse of either sex. In 2007, a separate category honoring the American Champion Female Sprint Horse became part of the Eclipse Awards program.
From 1960 through 1963 no award was given.
| Year |
Horse |
Trainer |
Owner |
| 2010 | Big Drama | David Fawkes | Harold Queen |
| 2009 | Kodiak Kowboy | Steve Asmussen | Vinery Stables & Fox Hill Farm |
| 2008 | Benny the Bull | Richard E. Dutrow, Jr. | IEAH Stables et al. |
| 2007 | Midnight Lute | Bob Baffert | Michael E. Pegram & Watson & Weitman Performance, LLC |
| 2006 | Thor's Echo | Douglas F. O'Neill | Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum |
| 2005 | Lost in the Fog | Greg Gilchrist | Harry J. Aleo |
| 2004 | Speightstown | Todd A. Pletcher | Eugene Melnyk |
| 2003 | Aldebaran | Robert J. Frankel | Flaxman Holdings |
| 2002 | Orientate | D. Wayne Lukas | Robert & Beverly Lewis |
| 2001 | Squirtle Squirt | Robert J. Frankel | David J. Lanzman |
| 2000 | Kona Gold | Bruce Headley | Headley, Molasky & High Tech |
| 1999 | Artax | Louis Albertrani | Paraneck Stable |
| 1998 | Reraise | Craig Dollase | B. Fey/M. Han, L. Opas et al |
| 1997 | Smoke Glacken | Henry L. Carroll | William Roberts, Alexander Karkenny, Robert P. Levy |
| 1996 | Lit de Justice | Jenine Sahadi | Evergreen Farm |
| 1995 | Not Surprising | Judson Van Worp | Robert Van Worp |
| 1994 | Cherokee Run | Frank A. Alexander | Jill E. Robinson |
| 1993 | Cardmania | Derek Meredith | Jean Couvercelle |
| 1992 | Rubiano | Flint S. Schulhofer | Centennial Farms |
| 1991 | Housebuster | Warren A. Croll, Jr. | Robert P. Levy |
| 1990 | Housebuster | Warren A. Croll, Jr. | Robert P. Levy |
| 1989 | Safely Kept | Alan E. Goldberg | Barry Weisbord |
| 1988 | Gulch | D. Wayne Lukas | Peter M. Brant |
| 1987 | Groovy | Jose A. Martin | Prestonwood Farm |
| 1986 | Smile | Flint S. Schulhofer | Frances A. Genter |
| 1985 | Precisionist | L. Ross Fenstermaker | Fred W. Hooper |
| 1984 | Eillo | Budd Lepman | Crown Stable |
| 1983 | Chinook Pass | Laurie Anderson | Hi Yu Stables |
| 1982 | Gold Beauty | William D. Curtis | Georgia E. Hoffman |
| 1981 | Guilty Conscience | Sonny Hine | Rosalee Davidson |
| 1980 | Plugged Nickle | Thomas J. Kelly | John M. Schiff |
| 1979 | Star de Naskra | Richard D. Ferris | Carlyle J. Lancaster |
| 1978 | Dr. Patches (tie) | John A. Nerud | Virginia & James Binger |
| 1978 | J.O. Tobin (tie) | Laz Barrera | George A. Pope, Jr. |
| 1977 | What A Summer | LeRoy Jolley | Diana M. Firestone |
| 1976 | My Juliet | Eugene Euster | George Weasel, Jr. |
| 1975 | Gallant Bob | Joseph D. Marquette | Robert P. Horton |
| 1974 | Forego | Sherrill W. Ward | Lazy F Ranch |
| 1973 | Shecky Greene | Lou M. Goldfine | Joseph Kellman |
| 1972 | Chou Croute | Robert G. Dunham | Emanuel V. Benjamin III |
| 1971 | Ack Ack | Charles E. Whittingham | Buddy Fogelson |
| 1970 | Ta Wee | Flint S. Schulhofer | Tartan Stable |
| 1969 | Ta Wee | Flint S. Schulhofer | Tartan Stable |
| 1968 | Dr. Fager | John A. Nerud | Tartan Stable |
| 1967 | Dr. Fager | John A. Nerud | Tartan Stable |
| 1966 | Impressive | Edward A. Neloy | Ogden Phipps |
| 1965 | Affectionately | Hirsch Jacobs | Ethel D. Jacobs |
| 1964 | Ahoy | J. Bowes Bond | Jaclyn Stable |
| 1959 | Intentionally | Edward I. Kelly, Sr. | Harry Z. Isaacs |
| 1958 | Bold Ruler | James E. Fitzsimmons | Wheatley Stable |
| 1957 | Decathlon | Rollie T. Shepp | Robert J. Dienst |
| 1956 | Decathlon | Rollie T. Shepp | Robert J. Dienst |
| 1955 | Berseem | Frank E. Childs | Abe Hirschberg |
| 1954 | White Skies | Thomas F. Root, Sr. | William M. Wickham |
| 1953 | Tom Fool | John M. Gaver, Sr. | Greentree Stable |
| 1952 | Tea-Maker | J. Dallet Byers | F. Ambrose Clark |
| 1951 | Sheilas Reward | Eugene Jacobs | Mrs. Louis Lazare |
| 1950 | Sheilas Reward | Eugene Jacobs | Mrs. Louis Lazare |
| 1949 | Delegate (Tie) | John A. Nerud | Herbert M. Woolf |
| 1949 | Royal Governor (Tie) | James E. Ryan | Esther D. du Pont |
| 1948 | Coaltown | Horace A. Jones | Calumet Farm |
| 1947 | Polynesian | Morris H. Dixon | Gertrude T. Widener |