Eclipse (horse)

Eclipse
Eclipse (by George Stubbs)
Sire	Marske
Grandsire	Squirt
Dam	Spilletta
Damsire	Regulus
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1 April 1764
Country	Great Britain
Colour	Chestnut
Breeder	Duke of Cumberland
Owner	William Wildman Dennis O'Kelly Lewis Burwell
Trainer	Sullivan
Record	18 starts, 18 wins (plus 7 heats)[1]
Earnings	2,149 guineas
Major wins
Winchester King's Plate (1769) Salisbury King's Plate (1769) Canterbury King's Plate (1769) Lewes King's Plate (1769) Lichfield King's Plate (1769) Match race against Bucephalus (1770) Newmarket First Spring King's Plate (1770) Guilford King's Plate (1770) Nottingham King's Plate (1770) York King's Plate (1770) 6yo+ Great Subscription Purse (1770) Lincoln Heath King's Plate (1770) Newmarket October King's Plate (1770)
Honours
Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park (GB) Prix Eclipse at Maisons-Laffitte (France) The Eclipse Awards (USA)
Last updated on 29 October 2012

Eclipse (1 April 1764 – 26 February 1789) was an undefeated 18th-century British Thoroughbred racehorse who won 18 races, including 11 King's Plates. He raced before the introduction of the British Classic Races, at a time when four-mile heat racing was the norm. He was considered the greatest racehorse of his time and the expression, "Eclipse first, the rest nowhere" entered the English vernacular as an expression of dominance.

After retiring from racing, he became a very successful sire, whose offspring included three Epsom Derby winners: Young Eclipse, Saltram and Serjeant. He was also a successful sire of sires, and his sire line has become dominant in the modern Thoroughbred worldwide through descendants such as Northern Dancer, Mr. Prospector and Sunday Silence.