Authentic and Whitmore both were named divisional champions at this year's virtually-held Eclipse Awards hosted by Spendthrift Farm on Thursday evening, with Authentic winning the coveted Horse of the Year award, as well as being named champion 3-year-old Male, while Whitmore was named the champion Male Sprinter.

Authentic, who is owned by Spendthrift, along with MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stable and Starlight Stable, won three Grade 1 races during 2020: the Breeders' Cup Classic, Kentucky Derby and Haskell Inv. He retired following the Breeders' Cup and is beginning his stud career this year at Spendthrift.

“This is a big deal for me. I wish all owners could have the same experience and I'm happy to be a part of this,” said Spendthrift owner B. Wayne Hughes. “I think his [stud] career is going to be great. But who knows, God's in charge of that.” 

Fan favorite Whitmore got his first Breeders' Cup win in four tries in last year's Sprint (G1), besting a stellar field to seal his championship. He also won the Count Fleet Sprint H. (G3) and Hot Springs S. and finished second in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. (G1). Over his remarkable career, the now 8-year-old has amassed a record of 15-11-3 in 38 starts and earned $4,247,850 for owners Robert LaPenta, Ron Moquette (also his trainer) and Head of Plains Partners. 

“I knew he had a strong will within the first day,” said Moquett on his earliest impressions of Whitmore. “He challenges everybody all the time at everything. He likes to argue and he likes to impose his will upon others. If you can make that go from being evil to being good, you've got yourself a shot at having a real good horse.”

Whitmore is back in Oaklawn with Moquett and is being prepared for his 2021 campaign.