American Champion Steeplechase Horse

The American Champion Steeplechase Horse is an American horse racing honor awarded as part of the Eclipse Award program since its inception in 1971. It is awarded annually to the top horse in steeplechase racing.

Flatterer is the only horse to win the award four times in a row, his last coming at age 7 in 1986. Lonesome Glory has won the Award five times, more than any other horse, and was the oldest ever when he won it for the final time at age 11.

Honorees

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Year
Horse
Age Trainer
Owner
2023 Merry Maker 6
2022 Hewick 7 John Joseph Hanlon TJ McDonald
2021 The Mean Queen (IRE) 5 Keri Brion Buttonwood Farm
2020 Moscato 9 Jack Fisher Bruton Street
2019 Winston C 5 Jonathan E. Sheppard Hudson River Farms
2018 Zanjabeel 5 Richard J. Hendriks Rosbrian Farm and Meadow Run Farm
2017 Scorpiancer 8 Jack Fisher Bruton Street-US
2016 Rawnaq 9 Cyril Murphy Irvin S. Naylor
2015 Dawalan 5 Cyril Murphy Irvin S. Naylor
2014 Demonstrative 7 Richard Valentine Jacqueline Ohrstrom
2013 Divine Fortune 10 Jonathan E. Sheppard William L. Pape & Jonathan E. Sheppard
2012 Pierrot Lunaire 8 Bruce Miller Mrs. Calvin Houghland
2011 Black Jack Blues 8 Joseph W. Delozier III Irvin S. Naylor
2010 Slip Away 7 Thomas H. Voss Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey
2009 Mixed Up 10 Jonathan E. Sheppard William L. Pape
2008 Good Night Shirt 7 Jack Fisher Harold A. Via, Jr.
2007 Good Night Shirt 6 Jack Fisher Harold A. Via, Jr.
2006 McDynamo 9 Sanna Hendriks Michael J. Moran
2005 McDynamo 8 Sanna Hendriks Michael J. Moran
2004 Hirapour 8 P. Douglas Fout Eldon Farm Racing Stable
2003 McDynamo 6 Sanna Hendriks Michael J. Moran
2002 Flat Top 9 Janet Elliot Nancy Gerry
2001 Pompeyo 7 Sanna Hendriks Augustin Stable
2000 All Gong 6 Bruce Miller Calvin Houghland
1999 Lonesome Glory 11 Bruce Miller Kay Jeffords
1998 Flat Top 5 Janet Elliot Nancy Gerry
1997 Lonesome Glory 9 Bruce Miller Kay Jeffords
1996 Correggio 5 Charles O'Brien William C. Lickle
1995 Lonesome Glory 7 Bruce Miller Kay Jeffords
1994 Warm Spell 4 John K. Griggs John K. Griggs
1993 Lonesome Glory 5 Bruce Miller Kay Jeffords
1992 Lonesome Glory 4 Bruce Miller Kay Jeffords
1991 Morley Street 7 Toby Balding Michael Jackson Bloodstock
1990 Morley Street 6 Toby Balding Michael Jackson Bloodstock
1989 Highland Bud 4 Jonathan E. Sheppard Jesse M. Henley Jr.
1988 Jimmy Lorenzo 6 Jonathan E. Sheppard Bertram R. Firestone
1987 Inlander 6 Charles Fenwick Jr. Dogwood Stable
1986 Flatterer 7 Jonathan E. Sheppard William L. Pape
1985 Flatterer 6 Jonathan E. Sheppard William L. Pape
1984 Flatterer 5 Jonathan E. Sheppard William L. Pape
1983 Flatterer 4 Jonathan E. Sheppard William L. Pape
1982 Zaccio 6 W. Burling Cocks Bunny Murdock
1981 Zaccio 5 W. Burling Cocks Bunny Murdock
1980 Zaccio 4 W. Burling Cocks Bunny Murdock
1979 Martie's Anger 4 Jonathan E. Sheppard William L. Pape
1978 Cafe Prince 8 Jonathan E. Sheppard Augustin Stable
1977 Cafe Prince 7 Jonathan E. Sheppard Augustin Stable
1976 Straight and True 6 Michael Smithwick Sr. Lillian Bostwick Phipps
1975 Life's Illusion 4 Paul R. Fout Virginia Guest
1974 Gran Kan 8 Clarence Furr Florence L. Clark
1973 Athenian Idol 5 Jonathan E. Sheppard William L. Pape
1972 Soothsayer 5 Peter M. Howe Marion duPont Scott
1971 Shadow Brook 7 Sidney Watters Jr. Stephen C. Clark Jr.

Daily Racing Form, Turf & Sport Digest and Thoroughbred Racing Association Awards

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Year Horse Age Trainer Owner
1970 Top Bid 6 D.M Smithwick Mrs Ogden Phipps
1969 L'Escargot 6 Dan Moore Raymond R. Guest
1968 Bon Nouvel 8 D.M Smithwick Mrs. Theodora A. Randolph
1967 Quick Pitch 7 E.B Ryan F.P Ryan
1966 Mako (DRF) 6 D.M Smithwick Mrs Ogden Phipps
1966 Tuscalee (TRA) 6 Joe Aitcheson, Sr. Alfred H. Smith
1965 Bon Nouvel 5 D.M Smithwick Mrs. Theodora A. Randolph
1964 Bon Nouvel 4 D.M Smithwick Mrs. Theodora A. Randolph
1963 Amber Driver 6 S. Watters Jr Mrs. S.C Clark Jr
1962 Barnabys Bluff 4 G.H Bostwick G.H Bostwick
1961 Peal 5 C.V.B Cushman Jr H.A Love
1960 Benguala 6 R.G Woolf Montpelier
1959 Ancestor 10 D.M Smithwick Mrs Ogden Phipps
1958 Neji 8 D.M Smithwick Lillian Bostwick Phipps
1957 Neji 7 D.M Smithwick Lillian Bostwick Phipps
1956 Shipboard 6 R.G Woolf Montpelier
1955 Neji 5 Pete Bostwick Lillian Bostwick Phipps
1954 King Commander 5 E.E Weymouth Mrs L.R Troiano
1953 The Mast 6 J.E Ryan Mrs. J.R.H Thouron
1952 Jam (DRF) 5 M.H Dixon Jr. J.F McHugh
1952 Oedipus (TRA) 6 James E. Fitzsimmons Lillian Bostwick Phipps
1951 Oedipus 5 James E. Fitzsimmons Lillian Bostwick Phipps
1950 Oedipus 4 James E. Fitzsimmons Lillian Bostwick Phipps

Daily Racing Form and Turf & Sport Digest Awards

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Year Horse Age Trainer Owner
1949 Trough Hill 7 J.T Skinner Mrs. S.C Clark Jr
1948 American Way 6 J.T Skinner Rockeby Stable
1947 War Battle 6 K.Miller K.Miller
1946 Elkridge 8 Thomas Hitchcock Kent Miller
1945 Mercator 6 W.G Jones W.H Lipscomb
1944 Rouge Dragon 6 W.G Jones M.A Cushman
1943 Brother Jones 7 W.R Miller H.E Talbott
1942 Elkridge 4 Thomas Hitchcock Kent Miller
1941 Speculate 5 W. Passmore Bayard Sharp
1937 Jungle King 7 V. Powers Greentree Stable
1936 Bushranger 6 J. Howard Lewis Joeseph Widener

References

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