Northern Afleet’s brilliant stud career notched another milestone on Jan. 25 when World Approval was named the Eclipse champion in the Turf Male category.

World Approval is Northern Afleet’s third Eclipse Champion, joining Afleet Alex, 2005 champion 3-year-old male, and Amazombie, 2011 champion sprint male. He is also the sire of Dubai champion older male Big City Man, Canadian 2-year-old filly champion Negligee, and Brazilian Horse of the Year Barolo.

World Approval’s 2017 campaign culminated with a brilliant victory in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1), his third consecutive Grade 1 victory. Prior to the Breeders’ Cup, the 5-year-old won the Woodbine Mile and Fourstardave H., and also took the Dixie (G2). He finished the year with five wins in six starts, earnings $2,043,600.

World Approval is the last foal out of Live Oak Plantation’s blue hen mare Win Approval and is a half- brother to champion grass male Miesque’s Approval, who earned more than $2.6 million and took home his Eclipse trophy in 2006 at age six. Another half-brother, multiple graded stakes winner Za Approval, earned more than $1.3 million. The mare’s first foal, Revved Up, was a grade 2 winner.

“I think I would say they’re all late bloomers,” Live Oak owner Charlotte Weber said. “And you have to have a lot of patience with them. But if you do, then you get the results.”