In “Making Claims,” Joe Nevils, Pedigree Editor for the Paulick Report, offers his perspective on the Thoroughbred industry, covering breeding, sales, horse racing, and more. Often, he feels during interviews that he’s sitting on a great story filled with insightful conversation, only to find later that the transcript lacks substance and needs more work to become a decent article.
Reflecting on the 2025 racing season, Nevils highlights some key moments: a standout three-year-old colt potentially being the decade’s best, an emerging rivalry between Journalism and Sovarienti, and a strong supporting cast. Yet beneath the surface, the competition felt unbalanced. The Eclipse Prize ballots echoed this, with some obvious favorites but also candidates whose achievements felt thin, making it tough to vote enthusiastically for many.
This situation raises questions about the current state of horse racing. How can the industry encourage high-level horses to sustain campaigns worthy of championships? Nevils admits there are no clear answers, and cynically points out the influence of wealthy Twitter personalities overshadowing meaningful progress.
He then shares a disclaimer regarding his Eclipse Award votes: voting is closed, so his comments won’t influence results; sometimes surprising choices occur, like a 2011 vote for a horse with a weak turf record; and his own vote is just a small part of the larger voting pool.
Nevils proceeds to discuss category-by-category winners and nominees for the 2025 Eclipse Awards:
– Champion Male 2-Year-Old: Ted Nophy deserves the award for his undefeated four-race season.
– Champion Female 2-Year-Old: Tommy Joe earns the nod over Super Runner due to consistently strong performances.
– Champion Male 3-Year-Old: Sovarienti and Journalism lead, with Magnitude earning third for notable victories.
– Champion Female 3-Year-Old: Spicy Shiso, a turf sprinter with a remarkable year, is favored.
– Champion Older Dirt Male: Forever Young claimed major international wins, including Saudi Arabia and Japan.
– Champion Older Dirt Female: Despite early doubts, Torpedo Anna proved to be the best older female for most of the year.
– Male Sprinter: Book’em Danno impressed with four wins in five starts and versatility over distances.
– Female Sprinter: Turf runners dominated, with Shiso Spicy standing out.
– Male Grass Horse: The award often goes to European teams like Charlie Appleby’s; North American turf horses struggle to win.
– Female Turf Horse: Sea Fields Pretty was a strong competitor against international horses.
– Steeplechase Horse: Cool Jet topped this category; Nevils reflects on issues of trainer misconduct stained by recent controversies.
– Owner & Breeder: Major wins by Godolphin, Spendthrift Farm, and Juddmonte Farm reaffirm successful breeding programs.
– Jockey: Flavien Prat narrowly leads over John Velasquez and Irad Ortiz Jr., recognized for top-level performance.
– Apprentice Jockey: Pietro Moran’s consistent top finishes earned him recognition despite limited widespread awareness.
– Trainer: Todd Pletcher’s mix of star horses and wins gave him a narrow edge over Bill Mott and Chad Brown.
– Horse of the Year: Sovarienti’s dominance in the three-year-old class and victories overshadowed other contenders, though Spicy Shiso and Forever Young also earned mention.
Nevils emphasizes that while some horses like Journalism and Sierra Leone deserve recognition, without surpassing the top contenders in their division, their chances for Horse of the Year diminish. Being a finalist implies a real shot at winning; otherwise, their campaigns lack impact.
This article was first published by Paulick Report on January 2, 2026.
Fan Take: For horse racing enthusiasts, Nevils’ analysis shines a light on both the exceptional talent and troubling vulnerability within the sport’s top level. The challenge of sustaining high-quality competition year-round should prompt reflection among fans, trainers, and industry leaders alike about how to elevate the sport’s future and maintain its prestige.
