winner's circle

American  

noun

1. a small, usually circular area or enclosure at a racetrack where awards are bestowed on winning mounts and their jockeys.

2. any select group of winners, achievers, or those that have been accepted as worthy.

   the winner's circle of fine wines.

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Etymology

Origin of winner's circle

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

Baffert said as he stood in the winner’s circle and motioned to the grandstand, which was crowded with an announced 41,962 fans, the largest opening day audience since 2016.

From Los Angeles Times

Call it the Bertha Derby, if you like, for poor Bertha was the one who stood to lose the most, should Lord Fredrick end up in the winner’s circle.

From Literature

“I shouldn’t say this, but I actually snuck into the winner’s circle photo,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

“If you pay utility bills and you want them lower, you win. If you drive a car and hate gas price spikes, you win. If you want clean drinking water, you win. If you want to breathe clean air, you win today. It’s a pretty big winner’s circle.”

From Los Angeles Times

“We’re just going to throw him in there. He’s handled everything here. He handled the ship, and he handled Churchill, came back like it was nothing. I can tell after they win. In the winner’s circle, he just stood there, stoic, didn’t even take a deep breath. He was like, ‘Hey, that’s it?’

From Los Angeles Times