Eclipse (horse)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eclipse_(horse)
Eclipse (April 1, 1764-February 26, 1789) was an 18th-century British Thoroughbred racehorse, a descendant of the Darley Arabian, and a maternal grandson of Regulus, by the Godolphin Arabian. Eclipse was undefeated during his entire career.
He was born during and named after the solar eclipse of April 1, 1764. His exact place of birth is unknown, but it was either at the Cranborne Lodge Stud of his breeder, Prince William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, in Windsor Park, or at his Kate's Gore Stud in East Ilsley, Berkshire. His sire was Marske (born 1750) and his dam was Spiletta (foaled 1749). After the death of Prince William in 1765, Eclipse was sold for 75 guineas to a sheep dealer from Smithfield, William Wildman.
Eclipse started racing at the age of five on 3 May 1769 in Epsom. Supposedly, at this time Captain Denis O'Kelly used the famous phrase "Eclipse first and the rest nowhere," before making his bets for this race. At that time, a horse that was more than 240 yards behind the lead was said to be nowhere. Eclipse won the race, with all other horses being far behind, and Captain Denis O'Kelly won half of Eclipse (other sources said he bought half for 650 guineas). His jockey was John Oakley, supposedly the only jockey who could handle Eclipse's temperamental manner and running style of holding his nose very close to the ground.
Eclipse won all his 18 races, supposedly without ever being whipped or spurred, and was far superior to all competition. In 1771, Eclipse was retired due to lack of competition as nobody was betting on competing horses, and became a stud. Overall, Eclipse sired 344 foals (although the number varies with different reports, ranging from 325 to 400), including famous horses such as Young Eclipse, Saltram, Volunteer, Sergeant, Pot-8-os, King Fergus, Mercury, Joe Andrews, Alexander, Don Quixote, and Pegasus. The Royal Veterinary College has determined that nearly 80% of modern Thoroughbred racehorses have Eclipse in their pedigree (other sources state 95%).
Eclipse died due to a colic in 26 February 1789, at the age of 24. His skeleton is now housed at the Royal Veterinary College, Hertfordshire, in the Learning Resource Centre named after him, although it cannot be said for certain whether all the bones displayed are really from Eclipse. His hooves have been made into inkstands, although the fact that there are at least five Eclipse-hoof inkstands casts some doubt about the authenticity of some. Hairs from his tail have also been used for decorations.
Eclipse is still remembered in the phrase "Eclipse first and the rest nowhere", referring to any dominating victory. This phrase is occasionally seen in American print media (most often in newspaper sport sections), but is more common in Great Britain.
Nicholas Clee's Eclipse: The Story of the Rogue, the Madam and the Horse That Changed Racing (2009) is a biography of Eclipse and of the people connected to him, among them the gambler Dennis O'Kelly and the brothel madam Charlotte Hayes. Other biographies of Eclipse include Michael Church's Eclipse: The Horse, The Race, The Awards (2000), and Theodore Cook's 1907 book Eclipse and O'Kelly.
Pedigree
Pedigree of Eclipse Sire
Marske br. 1750 Squirt
ch. 1732 Bartlet's Childers Darley Arabian
Berry Leedes
Snake Mare Snake
Grey Wilkes
Blacklegs Mare Blacklegs Hutton's Bay Turk
Coneyskins Mare
Bay Bolton Mare Bay Bolton
Fox Cub Mare
Dam
Spilletta b. 1749 Regulus
b. 1739 Godolphin Arabian (UNKNOWN)
(UNKNOWN)
Grey Robinson Bald Galloway
Snake Mare
Mother Western
1731 Easby Snake Snake
Akaster Turk Mare
Old Montagu Mare Old Montagu
Hautboy Mare (F-No.12)
Namesakes
The Eclipse Awards are American Thoroughbred horse-racing awards named after Eclipse. They honour the champions of the sport, and are sponsored by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers Association, who select all finalists at the end of the year. The most prestigious of these Awards is the Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year title.
Eclipse Press is the book-publishing division of Blood-Horse Publications, an international publishing house for top Thoroughbred and general equine magazines, books, videos, CD-ROMs and annual references.
The Eclipse Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in the United Kingdom for three-year-old and above Thoroughbreds run over a distance of 1 mile 2 furlongs and 7 yards (2,018 metres) at Sandown Park.
The Mitsubishi Eclipse is a compact sport coupé manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eclipse_(horse)
Eclipse (April 1, 1764-February 26, 1789) was an 18th-century British Thoroughbred racehorse, a descendant of the Darley Arabian, and a maternal grandson of Regulus, by the Godolphin Arabian. Eclipse was undefeated during his entire career.
He was born during and named after the solar eclipse of April 1, 1764. His exact place of birth is unknown, but it was either at the Cranborne Lodge Stud of his breeder, Prince William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, in Windsor Park, or at his Kate's Gore Stud in East Ilsley, Berkshire. His sire was Marske (born 1750) and his dam was Spiletta (foaled 1749). After the death of Prince William in 1765, Eclipse was sold for 75 guineas to a sheep dealer from Smithfield, William Wildman.
Eclipse started racing at the age of five on 3 May 1769 in Epsom. Supposedly, at this time Captain Denis O'Kelly used the famous phrase "Eclipse first and the rest nowhere," before making his bets for this race. At that time, a horse that was more than 240 yards behind the lead was said to be nowhere. Eclipse won the race, with all other horses being far behind, and Captain Denis O'Kelly won half of Eclipse (other sources said he bought half for 650 guineas). His jockey was John Oakley, supposedly the only jockey who could handle Eclipse's temperamental manner and running style of holding his nose very close to the ground.
Eclipse won all his 18 races, supposedly without ever being whipped or spurred, and was far superior to all competition. In 1771, Eclipse was retired due to lack of competition as nobody was betting on competing horses, and became a stud. Overall, Eclipse sired 344 foals (although the number varies with different reports, ranging from 325 to 400), including famous horses such as Young Eclipse, Saltram, Volunteer, Sergeant, Pot-8-os, King Fergus, Mercury, Joe Andrews, Alexander, Don Quixote, and Pegasus. The Royal Veterinary College has determined that nearly 80% of modern Thoroughbred racehorses have Eclipse in their pedigree (other sources state 95%).
Eclipse died due to a colic in 26 February 1789, at the age of 24. His skeleton is now housed at the Royal Veterinary College, Hertfordshire, in the Learning Resource Centre named after him, although it cannot be said for certain whether all the bones displayed are really from Eclipse. His hooves have been made into inkstands, although the fact that there are at least five Eclipse-hoof inkstands casts some doubt about the authenticity of some. Hairs from his tail have also been used for decorations.
Eclipse is still remembered in the phrase "Eclipse first and the rest nowhere", referring to any dominating victory. This phrase is occasionally seen in American print media (most often in newspaper sport sections), but is more common in Great Britain.
Nicholas Clee's Eclipse: The Story of the Rogue, the Madam and the Horse That Changed Racing (2009) is a biography of Eclipse and of the people connected to him, among them the gambler Dennis O'Kelly and the brothel madam Charlotte Hayes. Other biographies of Eclipse include Michael Church's Eclipse: The Horse, The Race, The Awards (2000), and Theodore Cook's 1907 book Eclipse and O'Kelly.
Pedigree
Pedigree of Eclipse Sire
Marske br. 1750 Squirt
ch. 1732 Bartlet's Childers Darley Arabian
Berry Leedes
Snake Mare Snake
Grey Wilkes
Blacklegs Mare Blacklegs Hutton's Bay Turk
Coneyskins Mare
Bay Bolton Mare Bay Bolton
Fox Cub Mare
Dam
Spilletta b. 1749 Regulus
b. 1739 Godolphin Arabian (UNKNOWN)
(UNKNOWN)
Grey Robinson Bald Galloway
Snake Mare
Mother Western
1731 Easby Snake Snake
Akaster Turk Mare
Old Montagu Mare Old Montagu
Hautboy Mare (F-No.12)
Namesakes
The Eclipse Awards are American Thoroughbred horse-racing awards named after Eclipse. They honour the champions of the sport, and are sponsored by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers Association, who select all finalists at the end of the year. The most prestigious of these Awards is the Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year title.
Eclipse Press is the book-publishing division of Blood-Horse Publications, an international publishing house for top Thoroughbred and general equine magazines, books, videos, CD-ROMs and annual references.
The Eclipse Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in the United Kingdom for three-year-old and above Thoroughbreds run over a distance of 1 mile 2 furlongs and 7 yards (2,018 metres) at Sandown Park.
The Mitsubishi Eclipse is a compact sport coupé manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors.
