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
| 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
| 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
| 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
- The Eclipse Awards at the Thoroughbred Racing Associations of America, Inc.
- The Bloodhorse.com Champion's history charts