Godolphin Named Outstanding Owner

Godolphin, the private Thoroughbred racing stable of the Maktoum family, earned its second Eclipse Award as top owner in the last four years while winning seven grade I races and six other graded races in the United Stakes. Godolphin also earned the owner's Eclipse in 2009 while Shiekh Mohammed's Darley Stable tied with Lael Stables for the statuette in 2006.

As a breeding entity, Darley was also named top breeder of 2012 and Sheikh Mohammed was the recipient of a Special Eclipse Award in 2001.

Godolphin stable also has horses in training around the globe. Its homebred Monterosso won the $10 million Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (UAE-I), Encke won the classic Ladbrokes St. Leger (Eng-I), and the stable recorded 200 wins worldwide for the year for the third time in 2012. While it may have a stronger imprint in Europe, Godolphin employs three trainers in the U.S.: East Coast-based Kiaran McLaughlin and Tom Albertrani, and the Southern California-based Eoin Harty.

Their major winners in 2012 include homebred grade I winners Alpha , Better Lucky, Emcee, and Questing to go along with grade I-winning acquisitions It's Tricky and Dance Card. It's Tricky was bred by Robert and Janice McNair's Stonerside Stable, which was purchased by Sheikh Mohammed in 2008.

It's Tricky, trained by McLaughlin, was at the top of her game early in the year winning her first three starts. Starting her 4-year-old campaign in March, she won the Top Flight Handicap (gr. II) under 122 pounds and took the Distaff Handicap (gr. II) while toting 123 the following month. Both races were at Aqueduct. On Memorial Day she won the Ogden Phipps Handicap (gr. I) under 122 at Belmont Park. She would place in two other grade I races, including a runner-up effort behind champion Royal Delta in the Beldame Invitational Stakes.

Dance Card, a $750,000 Fasig-Tipton Florida select sale 2-year-old purchase in 2011, would polish off her 3-year-old season with a four-length score in the nine-furlong Gazelle Stakes (gr. I) for McLaughlin.