CHAMPIONS across 17 human and equine categories were honoured on Thursday evening at the 2019 Eclipse Awards in Gulfstream Park.

The outstanding turf horse Bricks And Mortar and his connections cleaned up with the Horse of the Year title for the now six-year-old son of the late Giant’s Causeway. He had already picked up the champion male turf horse award and his trainer, owners and breeder, Chad Brown; Klaravich Stables, Inc. and William H. Lawrence and George Strawbridge respectively won the awards in their categories.

Bricks And Mortar had run six times in 2019, five times in Grade 1 company, and he won them all. Starting with the inaugural Pegasus World Cup Turf, he went on to win on the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes undercards; won the Arlington Million and then finished off his career by stretching out to win the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

He retired with earnings of $6,723,650 to stand at Japan’s Shadai Farm. He is the first turf horse to win the title since Wise Dan in 2013.

Disqualified Kentucky Derby winner Maximum Security still emerged as the top three-year-old with three Grade 1 wins and he beat Code Of Honor and Omaha Beach to the three-year-old award.

The only other dual winner was the popular filly Covfefe. Brad Cox’s three-year-old won four of her five races and ended with success in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. She took the three-year-old filly and female sprinter awards.

The older dirt male award went to Vino Rosso as the son of Curlin capped his season with a victory in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Midnight Bisou and Mitole were expected winners of the older dirt female and male sprinter titles, while Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf winner Uni beat fellow Grade 1-winning mare Got Stormy for the female turf award.

There was little surprise when both two-year-old titles went to the Breeders’ Cup Juveniles winners Storm The Court and British Idiom.

Jose Ortiz won the jockeys’ award, his mounts winning a staggering total of over $27.5 million in prize money.

The Eclipse Award for champion steeplechaser went to Winston C by way of two Grade 1 wins in Saratoga. He is a son of Rip Van Winkle bred by Paddy Kelly.

Of 254 eligible voters, 241 submitted ballots for the awards assembled by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters using a 10-5-1 point basis.

2019 Eclipse Awards winners

Horse of the Year: Bricks And Mortar

Two-Year-Old Male: Storm The Court

Two-Year-Old Filly: British Idiom

Three-Year-Old Male: Maximum Security

Three-Year-Old Filly: Covfefe

Older Dirt Male: Vino Rosso

Older Dirt Female: Midnight Bisou

Male Sprinter: Mitole

Female Sprinter: Covfefe

Male Turf Horse: Bricks And Mortar

Female Turf Horse: Uni

Steeplechaser: Winston C

Owner: Klaravich Stables, Inc. and William H. Lawrence

Breeder: George Strawbridge Jr.

Trainer: Chad Brown, Br

Jockey: Jose Ortiz