Horse Trivia: Approximately 90% of all Thoroughbreds can trace back to Eclipse, a stallion brought to England in the early 1700s. Eclipse was so named because he was foaled during a solar eclipse (April 1, 1764). He died in 1789. Eclipse, a liver chestnut with a blaze and one hind stocking, was by Marske, out of Spilette by the Godolphin Arabian.