PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Sovereignty won Horse of the Year at the Eclipse Awards on Thursday night, as well as 3-year-old male honors, and Bill Mott, who guided the colt to victories in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont, was named trainer of the year.
Sovereignty skipped the Preakness and won the Belmont during Triple Crown season. He was forced to miss the Breeders’ Cup Classic because of a fever.
The 55th annual ceremony at the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach also crowned Ted Noffey as 2-year-old male horse, capping a season in which he went 4-for-4, including a win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
The colt trainer by Todd Pletcher is the early favorite for the Kentucky Derby in May.
Ted Noffey won his career debut at Saratoga in August. He followed up with an 8 1/2-length victory in the Hopeful Stakes at the upstate New York track. Then came a 2 3/4-length win in the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland. He closed 2025 with a one-length win in the BC Juvenile at Del Mar.
In other categories, Flavien Prat won jockey of the year and Pietro Moran was named apprentice jockey. Godolphin LLC, the racing and breeding operation of Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, won as owner. Godolphin was named breeder of the year.
Other male winners were Japan-bred Forever Young as older dirt male; Book'em Danno as male sprinter; and Britain-bred Notable Speech as male turf horse.
Among female horses, Super Corredora won as 2-year-old filly; Nitrogen was chosen 3-year-old filly; Thorpedo Anna was named older dirt female; Shisospicy won female sprinter; and She Feels Pretty won female turf horse honors.
Cool Jet took steeplechase horse honors.
Named for the 18th-century horse and sire Eclipse, the awards are voted on by members of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form and National Turf Writers and Broadcasters.
AP horse racing: https://apnews.com/hub/horse-racing
FILE - Trainer Bill Mott, left, walks along the training track in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
FILE - John Velazquez reacts after riding Ted Noffey to victory in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile horse race in Del Mar, Calif., Oct. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)
FILE - Sovereignty, ridden by Junior Alvarado, left, crosses the finish line to win the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby horse race followed by Journalism, ridden by Umberto Rispoli, May 3, 2025, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr, File)
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — An earlier start and hot weather were no worries for defending champion Madison Keys and her fellow American Jessica Pegula at the Australian Open on Saturday.
The ninth-seeded Keys beat Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-3 in the opening match on Rod Laver Arena, while sixth-seeded Pegula defeated Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-3, 6-2 in the first match at Margaret Court Arena.
Next up for the two Americans is a fourth-round encounter against each other.
Play began an hour earlier than initially scheduled on Day 7 because of the forecast of searing temperatures up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). Temperatures during the opening matches hadn't quite reached that level — only 32C (89F).
“I served well, and overall I give myself a full pat on the back for that,” Keys said of her win. “It gives yourself a boost when you can find your best tennis, trust your game and try to do the right things.”
Pegula said she didn't mind the hotter temperatures — “being a Floridian I was ready for it."
Keys said she expects a tough match against Pegula in the fourth round.
“Jess is such a great player, consistently doing well in every match she plays,” Keys said. “She is in every single match. It also makes it hard being friends.”
Keys and Pegula, along with several other WTA players, do a podcast called “The Player's Box” which chronicles everyday life on tour.
“ I think we have to do (one) before the match, so we’ll see how that goes,” Keys said, smiling.
Americans also featured in several other early matches Saturday, with Eliot Spizzirri having the toughest assignment. The 24-year-old Spizzirri, who spent part of his off-day Friday playing table tennis at a communal table in Garden Court at Melbourne Park, was to take on two-time defending champion and second-seeded Jannik Sinner in the second match of the day on Rod Laver Arena.
Spizzirri has competed at all four Grand Slam tournaments, but has only reached the main draw at the U.S. Open and Australian Open, where the third round here is his furthest run and career-best result.
Following Pegula at Margaret Court Arena was an all-American contest between No. 4 Amanda Anisimova and Peyton Stearns. Then another American, eighth-seeded Ben Shelton, was set to play Valentin Vacherot.
The night session at Rod Laver Arena featured 10-time champion Novak Djokovic as he continued his quest for a record 25th Grand Slam singles title. Djokovic plays Botic van de Zandschulp in the first of the evening matches.
The concluding match on the main court could have the capacity crowd guessing what fashion statement Naomi Osaka might make in her third-round encounter with Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis.
Osaka, who has two Australian Open titles among her four majors, walked onto the court wearing a wide-brim hat, a veil and holding a white parasol for her first-round match. For her second, Osaka didn't bother with the couture hat, veil and parasol but was still wearing a jellyfish-inspired dress and matching warmup jacket.
Jessica Pegula, left, of the U.S. is congratulated by Oksana Selekhmeteva of Russia following their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Madison Keys, left, of the U.S. is congratulated by Karolina Pliskova, right, of the Czech Republic following their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
Madison Keys of the U.S. waves after defeating Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic in their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
Naomi Osaka of Japan walks onto court for her second round match against Sorana Cirstea of Romaniaat the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
Ben Shelton of the U.S. reacts after defeating Dane Sweeny of Australia during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
Oksana Selekhmeteva of Russia serves to Jessica Pegula of the U.S. during their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Jessica Pegula of the U.S. plays a backhand return to Oksana Selekhmeteva of Russia during their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Madison Keys of the U.S. plays a forehand return to Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic during their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
