Eclipse
Eclipse (by George Stubbs) Image File history File links Eclipse(horse). ...
Sire	Marske
Grandsire	Squirt
Dam	Spilletta
Damsire	Regulus
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1764
Country	Great Britain
Colour	Dark Chestnut
Breeder	Duke of Cumberland
Owner	William Wildman Dennis O'Kelly
Trainer	Sullivan
Record	18:18-0-0
Earnings	2,149 guineas
Major Racing Wins, Awards and Honours
Honours
Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park (GB) Prix Eclipse at Maisons-Laffitte (France) The Eclipse Awards (USA)
Infobox last updated on: June 20, 2007.

Eclipse (April 1, 1764 - February 26, 1789) was an 18th century British Thoroughbred racehorse, descendant of the Darley Arabian, and grandson of Regulus, by the Godolphin Arabian. Eclipse was undefeated during its entire career. Eclipse was born during and named after the solar eclipse of April 1, 1764. The exact place of birth is unknown, but probably at the Cranborne Lodge Stud of his breeder, Prince William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland in Windsor Park, Berkshire. His sire was Marske (bred 1750) and his dam was Spiletta (bred 1749). After the death of Prince William in 1765, Eclipse was sold for 75 guineas to a sheep dealer from Smithfield, William Wildman. A stallion A stallion is a male horse that has not been castrated. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Chestnuts. ... The Prince William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, KG, KB, PC (15 April 1721–31 October 1765), a younger son of King George II of Great Britain and Queen Caroline, was a noted military leader. ... The Guinea coin of 1663 was the first British machine-struck gold coin. ... The Eclipse Stakes is a Group 1 United Kingdom flat racing horse race for horses three years old above run over a distance of 1 mile 2 furlongs and 7 yards at Sandown Park during July. ... The Winning Line The Parade Ring Sandown Park is a racecourse and leisure venue in Surrey, England, in the outer suburbs of London. ... For an explanation of terms such as Great Britain, British, United Kingdom, England, Scotland and Wales, see British Isles (terminology). ... The Hippodrome de Maisons-Laffitte at 1 avenue de la Pelouse in the northwestern Parisian suburb of Maisons-Laffitte in France is a turf horse racing facility and track for Thoroughbred flat racing. ... The Eclipse Award is a thoroughbred racing award. ... is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1764 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... is the 57th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1789 (MDCCLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... For the processor with the same codename , see Athlon. ... Horse-racing is an equestrian sporting activity which has been practiced over the centuries; the chariot races of Roman times were an early example, as was the contest of the steeds of the god Odin and the giant Hrungnir in Norse mythology. ... The Darley Arabian was one of three horses which were the founders of the modern thoroughbred horse racing broodstock. ... Regulus is the name of several different things. ... The Godolphin Arabian (ca 1724 - 1754), also known as the Godolphin Barb, was one of three horses which were the founders of the modern thoroughbred horse racing broodstock. ... Photo taken during the 1999 eclipse. ... is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1764 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The Prince William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, KG, KB, PC (15 April 1721–31 October 1765), a younger son of King George II of Great Britain and Queen Caroline, was a noted military leader. ... Windsor Park - a view from the Kop Stand, showing the two-tiered North Stand and the low Railway stand behind the opposite goal Windsor Park is the home ground of the Northern Irish football club, Linfield FC, in Belfast. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The Guinea coin of 1663 was the first British machine-struck gold coin. ... Smithfield is the name of several places: In the UK: Smithfield, Cumbria Smithfield, London includes Smithfield Market Smithfield, Birmingham In Ireland: Smithfield, Dublin In the U.S.: Smithfield, Illinois Smithfield, Kentucky Smithfield, Maine Smithfield, Nebraska Smithfield, New York Smithfield, North Carolina Smithfield, Ohio Smithfield, Pennsylvania Smithfield, Rhode Island Smithfield, Utah...

Eclipse started racing at the age of 5 on May 3, 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 (nowhere), 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 temperamentful style. Eclipse also had a running style with his nose very close to the ground. is the 123rd day of the year (124th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1769 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Epsom Downs is a grade-one racecourse near Epsom, Surrey, United Kingdom. ... The racecourse in Chester. ...

Eclipse won all of his 18 races, was supposedly without ever being whipped or spurred, and was far superior to all competition. In 1771, Eclipse 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 like Young Eclipse, Saltram, Volunteer, Sergeant, Pot-8-os, King Fergus, Mercury, Joe Andrews, Dungannon, 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%). Mares and foals Horse breeding refers to reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. ... Potoooooooo or Pot-8-Os (born 1773, Sire: Eclipse, Dam: Schoolmistress) was a famous 18th century racehorse. ... The Royal Veterinary College is the oldest and largest veterinary school in the United Kingdom. ... For the processor with the same codename , see Athlon. ... Horse-racing is an equestrian sporting activity which has been practiced over the centuries; the chariot races of Roman times were an early example, as was the contest of the steeds of the god Odin and the giant Hrungnir in Norse mythology. ... A pedigree is a list of ancestors (usually implying distinguished), a list of ancestors of the same breed (usually in the case of animals), the purity of a breed, individual, or strain, or a document proving any of these things. ...

Eclipse died due to a colic in February 26, 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 if all of 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 of the quadruped casts some doubt about the authenticity of some. Hairs from his tail have also been used for decorations. Colic in horses is defined as abdominal pain, but is a clinical sign or a symptom rather than a diagnosis. ... is the 57th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1789 (MDCCLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... Rear hooves of a horse Rear hoof of a giraffe A hoof (plural: hooves) is the foot of an ungulate, all of which walk more or less on their toes and have toes with a horny (keratin) covering. ... I think that there should be a picture of the inkstand that was used to sign the Declaration Of Independence. ...

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.

Pedigree

The Darley Arabian was one of three horses which were the founders of the modern thoroughbred horse racing broodstock. ... The Godolphin Arabian (ca 1724 - 1754), also known as the Godolphin Barb, was one of three horses which were the founders of the modern thoroughbred horse racing broodstock. ...

Namesakes

The Eclipse Awards are American thoroughbred horse racing awards named after Eclipse. They honor 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. The Eclipse Award is an American thoroughbred horse racing award named after the 18th century British racehorse and sire, Eclipse. ... The Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year is the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. ...

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. Blood-Horse Publications is a multimedia publishing house focused on horse_related magazines. ...

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 Eclipse Stakes is a Group 1 United Kingdom flat racing horse race for horses three years old above run over a distance of 1 mile 2 furlongs and 7 yards at Sandown Park during July. ...

External links

• Eclipse's pedigree
• BBC: DNA study of 'greatest racehorse'
• BBC: 'Averageness' key to great racehorses