The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers And Broadcasters today announced that Team Zenyatta—the individuals who helped the 6-year-old mare become one of the most recognizable sports stars of 2010—will be honored with the Special Eclipse Award at the 40th annual Eclipse Awards ceremony on Monday, January 17 at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, in Miami Beach, Fla.

The Special Award honors extraordinary service, individual achievements in, or contributions to the sport of Thoroughbred racing.

Team Zenyatta is led by owners Jerry and Ann Moss; trainer John Shirreffs; jockey Mike Smith; racing manager Dottie Ingordo-Shirreffs; exercise rider Steve Willard; groom Mario Espinoza, hotwalker Carmen Zamona and assistant trainer Michelle Jensen. 

In 2010, Zenyatta moved Thoroughbred racing off the racing pages and into the mainstream and social media spheres.

The year began with the unexpected decision by owners Jerry and Ann Moss to bring the undefeated Zenyatta out of a brief retirement following her dramatic victory in the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic. Zenyatta continued that unbeaten streak in 2010 by winning her first five races of the season, all grade I stakes, at Santa Anita Park, Oaklawn Park, Hollywood Park and Del Mar. She delighted fans with her signature dance in the paddock before each race and with her electrifying finishes. As the year progressed, Zenyatta’s popularity grew into a cultural phenomenon. More than 60,000 fans attended the Apple Blossom Stakes at Oaklawn in April, and her Facebook had more than 58,000 “friends”.

During the course of the season, trainer John Shirreffs offered extraordinary access to racing fans around the country who wanted to get close to Zenyatta at her barn and pose for pictures with her.  At Churchill Downs in Louisville, crowds lined up along the barn area fence line to say good-bye to her on the day following the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Throughout 2010, the star power of Zenyatta transcended Thoroughbred racing. She was selected to Oprah Winfrey’s “O Power List” as one of the 20 most influential women of 2010. She was also featured in a photo spread in W Magazine. On October 31, more than 10 million viewers tuned in to CBS’s “60 Minutes” to watch a feature on Zenyatta and her amazing popularity.

Zenyatta’s participation in the Breeders’ Cup Classic helped to nearly triple the national ratings for the ESPN telecast compared to 2009 levels. The telecast was also the highest rated Breeders’ Cup since 1992. Her near miss against Blame in the Classic was repeatedly cited as one of the greatest moments in sports during 2010. Zenyatta finished second in The Associated Press’s 2010 Female Athlete of the Year balloting behind only Olympic gold medal winning skier Lindsey Vonn. In 2009, Zenyatta also finished second in the same ranking, behind tennis star Serena Williams. 

The Eclipse Awards are bestowed upon horses and individuals whose outstanding achievements in North America have earned them the title of Champion in their respective categories. The Eclipse Awards are named after the great 18th-century racehorse and foundation sire Eclipse, who began racing at age five and was undefeated in 18 starts, including eight walkovers. Eclipse sired the winners of 344 races, including three Epsom Derbies.

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers And Broadcasters today announced that Marylou Whitney, for her extraordinary service as an owner, breeder, and for her incredible generosity and support of philanthropic causes, will be honored with the Eclipse Award of Merit for a lifetime of outstanding achievement in Thoroughbred racing.

Mrs. Whitney will receive the Eclipse Award of Merit on Monday, Jan. 17 at the 40th Annual Eclipse Awards ceremony at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach in Miami Beach, Fla.

“I am honored and humbled to even be mentioned in the same sentence as the past winners,” said Mrs. Whitney, known to many as the “Queen of Saratoga.” “It has been a privilege to be involved with a sport that has given me so much joy. From the foaling barn to the backstretch, and from the parties to the winner’s circle, I have cherished sharing my life with the racing community.”

Marylou Whitney has celebrated a life of both racing and philanthropic achievement at the highest levels. During the 20th Century, the Whitney family, under the direction of her second husband, C.V Whitney, ran one of the most successful racing stables, owning more stakes winners than any other family in the history of U.S. racing. But during the 1980’s, C.V. Whitney dispersed his breeding stock.

After Mr. Whitney’s death in 1992, Mrs. Whitney began a program to rebuild her racing and breeding business by locating and buying back “Whitney Mares.” Mrs. Whitney found and bought Dear Birdie who proved to be the foundation for Marylou Whitney Stables.  Dear Birdie was named Broodmare of the Year in 2004. She is the dam of Birdstone and champion filly Bird Town, who won the 2003 Kentucky Oaks. Marylou Whitney Stables bred, raced and stands Birdstone, the 2004 Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes winner. Birdstone, in turn, produced two classic winners in his first crop, 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird, and Belmont Stakes winner and eventual 3-year-old champion, Summer Bird. No stallion has sired two classic winners in his first crop since the late 1800s.

Mrs. Whitney is perhaps best known for her lifelong association with Saratoga Race Course and the City of Saratoga Springs, where she hosted many benefits and gala celebrations devoted to racing and worthy causes. In recent years, one of the most prominent has been a backstretch workers program, organized and underwritten by Mrs. Whitney and Mr. Hendrickson. Each week for the past three years during the Saratoga racing meeting, Mrs. Whitney and Mr. Hendrickson, have hosted weekly dinners and festivities for backstretch workers, the “unsung heroes” of the race track. The couple has also been successful in garnering interest for the Saratoga Backstretch Appreciation program from other organizations, such as BEST (Backstretch Employee Service Team) and the Racetrack Chaplaincy to join the cause. “We had to do more for the workers in the backstretch,” Mrs. Whitney told The New York Times last summer. “They’ve needed a sense of belonging. And dignity.”

Mrs. Whitney has given back to the Thoroughbred industry in a variety of ways. She was one of the founding members of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) and was the major contributor to the Secretariat Center at the Kentucky Horse Park, where the Marylou Whitney Barn is stationed. She has stood at the forefront in finding retired racehorses new careers once their racing days have concluded. Attached to each Jockey Club registration paper of every horse she breeds is a message indicating how to contact her if one of her horses needs a home.

Mrs. Whitney has been instrumental in donating and raising much needed funds for worthwhile medical institutions. Over $44 million was raised for the building and establishment of the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center in Lexington. As one of the founders, Mrs. Whitney has been a prime fundraiser and has made many television appearances on its behalf. Mrs. Whitney and Mr. Hendrickson, donated $2.5 million for the Marylou Whitney and John Hendrickson Cancer Facility for Women at the Markey Cancer Center. The Marylou Whitney and John Hendrickson Cancer Facility for Women opened in 2002. It provides multidisciplinary ambulatory care for women suffering from breast cancer, gynecologic cancers, and lung, hematologic, gastrointestinal and urologic cancers.

The Eclipse Awards are bestowed upon horses and individuals whose outstanding achievements in North America have earned them the title of Champion in their respective categories. The Eclipse Awards are named after the great 18th-century racehorse and foundation sire Eclipse, who began racing at age five and was undefeated in 18 starts, including eight walkovers. Eclipse sired the winners of 344 races, including three Epsom Derbies.

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers And Broadcasters today announced that Claiborne Farm, celebrating its 100th year as one of the most influential and successful international racing and breeding farms, will be honored with the Eclipse Award of Merit for outstanding achievement in Thoroughbred racing.

The owners of Claiborne Farm—Seth Hancock, along with his sisters Dell and Clay—will receive the Eclipse Award of Merit on Monday, Jan. 17 at the 40th Annual Eclipse Awards ceremony at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach in Miami Beach, Fla. 

“It’s more of a tribute to my grandfather and father,” said Seth Hancock on the Eclipse Award. “My grandfather started all this over here in Kentucky, and my dad built it up into what it was, and I’m just trying to keep it going.”

Claiborne Farm, based in Paris, Ky., came into prominence through the strong leadership of Arthur B. Hancock, son of Virginia Civil War Captain and breeder Richard Hancock. In the first half of the 20th century, Arthur Hancock launched a breeding program that strongly influenced the path of American breeding Imported European horses Sir Gallahad III and Blenheim II sired Triple Crown winners Gallant Fox and Whirlaway, respectively. Meanwhile, Hancock’s bloodstock advice to many of America’s leading breeders added to his influence. Following his death in 1957, the English annual Bloodstock Breeders’ Review described him as “probably the most influential breeder in the history of the American Turf.” His son then stepped up to match that status in his own era.

Arthur B. (Bull) Hancock Jr. continued the pattern of breeding major winners, importing influential stallions, and conducting business with the elite among American breeders. Nasrullah led the sire list five times, and his son Bold Ruler—who led the list eight times—sired the 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat. Hancock also bred and stood Round Table, syndicated Nijinsky II, and managed the career of Buckpasser.

Following his father’s death in 1972, Seth Hancock, 23, syndicated Secretariat for a then-record $6 million, and established a new era for Claiborne. Hancock continued the family’s success, managing its own and clients’ high-quality broodmare bands, while such stallions as Mr. Prospector, Danzig, and Seeking the Gold continued to make headlines. In all, Claiborne stood the year’s leading sire a record 27 times. Some of the farm’s top victories on the racetrack were recorded by 1984 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Swale; homebred Forty Niner, the 1987 2-year-old champion; and two-time Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Lure.  Claiborne also demonstrated its international influence as the breeder of the stallions Nureyev and Caerleon, and of the dam of stallion Sadler’s Wells.

In a cap to its 100th year, the 4-year-old Blame, bred by Claiborne and Adele Dilschneider, won four graded stakes in 2010, culminating with a neck victory over Zenyatta in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.

“Like virtually all racing fans, I grew up watching horses bred and raised at Claiborne Farm win many of our sport’s most prestigious races,” said Robert N. Elliston, President and CEO of Turfway Park and NTRA Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors. “Later, having worked in the industry, I gained an even greater understanding and appreciation for the decades of sustained excellence Claiborne has compiled. As it enters its second century of operating Claiborne Farm, the Hancock family continues in an unwavering quest to raise quality Thoroughbreds the only way it knows how-—that is, the Claiborne way.”

The Eclipse Awards are bestowed upon horses and individuals whose outstanding achievements in North America have earned them the title of Champion in their respective categories. The Eclipse Awards are named after the great 18th-century racehorse and foundation sire Eclipse, who began racing at age five and was undefeated in 18 starts, including eight walkovers. Eclipse sired the winners of 344 races, including three Epsom Derbies.

The three presenting organizations of the Eclipse Awards—the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form (DRF) and the National Turf Writers Association (NTWA)—announced today that voting in the 2009 Older Female category will be officially revised to correct an error made by one of the voters. The error caused Zenyatta to win the Older Female category by a count of 231-1, rather than by a unanimous, 232-0 margin. 

The voter in question, Duke Dosik of Daily Racing Form, assured Eclipse Awards officials that he fully intended to vote for Zenyatta in the Older Female category, but he inadvertently voted for Icon Project in the category while Zenyatta was not listed among his top three finalists.  Elsewhere on his ballot, Dosik had listed Zenyatta as his selection for Horse of the Year.

“There is no way I meant to do anything but put Zenyatta on top,” said Dosik.

The revised voting tabulation means that both Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra (Champion Three-Year-Old Filly) won 2009 Eclipse Awards by unanimous, 232-0 vote counts.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – From Rachel Alexandra to Gio Ponti, Summer Bird to Kodiak Kowboy, Steve Asmussen to Godolphin Stables, many of horse racing’s biggest stars turned in their finest performances in New York in 2009 en route to the Eclipse Awards Monday night in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Rachel Alexandra’s historic victory over older males in the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga Race Course – the first ever in the race by a filly – was the culmination of an extraordinary 8-for-8 season that carried her to the pinnacle of the sport when she was named both Horse of the Year and champion Three-Year-Old Filly at the 39th annual Eclipse Awards at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.

The Stonestreet Farm miss, who also counted among her victories a record-breaking 19 1/4 length win in BelmontPark’s Grade 1 Mother Goose, led a number of human and equine champions whose outstanding performances at The New York Racing Association, Inc.’s (NYRA) three racetracks – Aqueduct, BelmontPark, and Saratoga – were highlights on their 2009 resumes.

Castleton Lyons’ New York-based Gio Ponti, who took both Older Male and Champion Turf Male honors, won two of his four straight Grade 1’s in 2009 at Belmont Park, taking the Man o’War Stakes and the Manhattan Handicap, and also finished second in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational, to fashion a record of 4-2-0 from seven starts and earn more than $2.3 million.

Kalarikkal and Vilasini Jayaraman’s Summer Bird, the top Three-Year-Old Male, also did his best running in New York, becoming the first colt since Easy Goer in 1989 to sweep NYRA’s three most prestigious races – the Belmont Stakes, the Travers Stakes, and the Jockey Club Gold Cup. The son of 2004 Belmont Stakes and Travers winner Birdstone finished the year with a record of 4-1-1 from nine starts and earnings of more than $2.3 million.

Vinery Stables and Fox Hill Farms Kodiak Kowboy took Male Sprinter honors on the strength of his three Grade 1 victories, all of which came at NYRA tracks. The 4-year-old colt won the Carter at Aqueduct in April, the Vosburgh at BelmontPark in October, and then finished his career with a flourish by taking the Hill ‘n’ Dale Cigar Mile at Aqueduct in November. The colt also finished second in the Grade 1 Forego and third in the Grade 2 Alfred G. Vanderbilt, both at Saratoga.

August Stables’ Informed Decision, top Female Sprinter, ran a credible third in the Grade 1 Ballerina at Saratoga to Godolphin Racing’s Music Note, while William L. Pape’s Mixed Up won the Grade 1 A.P. Smithwick, also at the Spa, to become champion Steeplechaser.

As Outstanding Owner, Godolphin Racing led the nation with nine Grade 1’s, six of which came in New York. Godolphin won the Go for Wand (Seventh Street), Test (Flashing), Ballerina (Music Note), Forego (Pyro), Beldame (Music Note) and Gazelle (Flashing). The stable also won NYRA’s Grade 2 Top Flight with Sara Louise, the De la Rose with CocoaBeach, the Grade 3 Victory Ride with Sara Louise and the Grade 2 Jerome with Girolamo.

Steve Asmussen, who was voted Top Trainer, won more than a dozen stakes at Aqueduct, Belmont Park and Saratoga in 2009, including Rachel’s victories in the Mother Goose and Woodward, Kodiak Kowboy’s wins in the Vosburgh and the Hill ‘n’ Dale Cigar Mile, Hot Dixie Chick’s triumphs in the Grade 1 Spinaway and the Grade 3 Schuylerville, Kensei’s wins in the Grade 2 Dwyer and Grade 2 Jim Dandy, Heart Ashley’s victory in the Cicada and the New York-bred Haynesfield’s wins in the Count Fleet, Whirlaway, Empire Classic and Grade 3 Discovery Stakes.

As well, Julien Leparoux, who was voted Top Jockey, counted a half-dozen NYRA stakes wins among his 2009 total, among them the Grade 1 Diana with Forever Together, the Grade 1 Personal Ensign aboard Icon Project, and the Grade 1 Flower Bowl Invitational with Pure Clan, while Top Breeder Juddmonte Farms was 9-4-4 from 34 starts in New York for earnings of $368,440.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Keeneland Association sales graduates excelled during last night’s 39th annual Eclipse Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Five horses – either sold at Keeneland sales or who won major stakes races during one of its meets — won six awards during the ceremony, honoring the best in the Thoroughbred industry at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. In addition, Julien Leparoux, who won his fourth Keeneland riding title in April, was named best jockey.

Winners and their Keeneland connections include:

• Zenyatta earned champion older female honors, having capped an undefeated record by becoming the first female to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). Owners Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Moss bought the five-year-old daughter of Street Cry (IRE) at Keeneland for $60,000 from Winter Quarter Farm, agent for Maverick Productions Ltd.

• Lookin at Lucky was named best two-year-old male. Co-owner Mike Pegram purchased the Smart Strike colt for $475,000 from Jerry Bailey Sales Agency, agent, at the 2009 April Two-Year-olds in Training Sale.

• Gio Ponti was named both best Older Male and Male Turf Horse of the year. Gio Ponti was consigned by Castleton Lyons, agent, to the 2006 September Sale.

• Kodiak Kowboy was voted best Male Sprinter. Kodiak Cowboy was sold as a weanling at the 2005 November sale.

• Informed Decision, who captured two graded stakes at Keeneland in 2009, was named best female sprinter.

“I want to congratulate these incredible horses and their owners, breeders, trainers and consignors,” said Nick Nicholson, president and CEO of Keeneland. “2009 was an outstanding year for racing and these wonderful animals demonstrate that excellence. I also want to congratulate Julien, whose incredible riding during this past year, and his sustained excellence at Keeneland, were justly recognized.

“At Keeneland, our goal is – as with everything we do – to invest in the health and betterment of racing. These performances are a testament to our commitment as well.”

The 39^th annual Eclipse Awards got off to an emotional start when Daily Racing Form columnist Jay Hovdey gave a fitting tribute to recently deceased trainer Bobby Frankel.  Hovdey narrated a video montage of Frankel’s brilliant career and then the evening got down to serious business: Revealing who was Horse of the Year for 2009.

It took nearly two-and-a-half hours, but when the winning name spilled from the envelope, it was Rachel Alexandra who won eight races at seven different tracks. The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro won the Martha Washington, Fantasy, Fair Ground Oaks, Kentucky Oak, Preakness, Mother Goose, Haskell Invitational and the Woodward.

She beat the boys in the Preakness, Haskell and older males in the Woodward, the first time such a feat had been accomplished.

Rachel Alexandra won the title 130 votes to 99 for runner-up Zenyatta. Zenyatta also had a magical year, capping it with a win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, the first time that a female has won that race.

Although the two distaffers never met on the racetrack, Rachel Alexandra was vote Horse of Year by members of the Daily Racing Form, National Thoroughbred Racing Association and the National Turf Writers Association.

Category winners as they were presented:

Two-year-old male: Lookin at Lucky
Two-year-old filly: She Be Wild

Media Awards:
News and commentary: Sean Clancy
Feature and enterprise: Joe Drape
Photography: Jeff Taylor
Audio and Multimedia Internet: ESPN Radio
Local TV: WLKY 32, Louisville, Ky.
National TV feature: NBC Sports
National TV-live racing: ESPN

Turf male: Gio Ponti
Turf female: Goldikova
Steeplechase: Mixed Up

Breeder: Juddmonte Farms
Award of Merit: Will Farish
Handicapper of the year: John Conte
Special Eclipse Award: Monique Koehler

Female sprinter: Informed Decision
Male sprinter: Kodiak Kowboy
Three-year-old male: Summer Bird
Three-year-old filly: Rachel Alexandra

NTRA Moment of the Year: Zenyatta winning Breeders’ Cup Classic
Owner: Godolphin Racing
Trainer: Steve Asmussen

Older male: Gio Ponti
Older female: Zenyatta

Apprentice jockey: Christian Santiago Reyes
Jockey:  Julien Leparoux

Horse of the Year: Rachel Alexandra

Ron Correll is a member of the National Turf Writers Association

The following vote breakdown was provided by the NTRA

The Eclipse Awards

Eclipse Awards are bestowed upon the Thoroughbred horses and individuals whose outstanding achievements have earned them the title of Champion in their respective divisions. The Eclipse Awards are named after the great 18th-century racehorse and foundation sire Eclipse, who began racing at age five and was undefeated in 18 starts, including eight walkovers. Eclipse sired the winners of 344 races, including three Epsom Derbies.

Voting Overview

In voting that concluded Jan. 4, 2010, Eclipse Awards voters cast their ballots to rank the top three horses and individuals in each Championship division on a 10-5-1 point system basis with the exception of the Horse of the Year category. This voting established the top three finalists in each division, the names of which were released on Jan. 6, 2010. Eclipse Award winners; however, were determined by first-place votes only.

The tallies below represent only first-place votes from members of the consolidated voting entities, NTRA/Equibase, Daily Racing Form and National Turf Writers Association.

Voter participation rate: 232/271 = 85.6%

Two-Year-Old Male (Name, First-Place Votes)

Lookin At Lucky, 209; Vale of York, 17; Buddy’s Saint, 2; Noble’s Promise, 2; D’Funnybone, 1; Jackson Bend, 1.

Two-Year-Old Filly

She Be Wild, 171; Blind Luck, 41; Hot Dixie Chick, 17; Awesome Maria, 1; Biofuel, 1; Tapitsfly, 1.

Three-Year-Old Male

Summer Bird, 225; Mine That Bird, 4; Blame, 1; I Want Revenge, 1; No Vote, 1. 

Three-Year-Old Filly

Rachel Alexandra, 232.

Older Male

Gio Ponti, 184; Einstein (BRZ), 18; Kodiak Kowboy, 16; Macho Again, 5; Furthest Land, 2; Rail Trip, 2; Well Armed, 1; Voter Abstentions, 4. 

Older Female

Zenyatta, 231; Icon Project, 1.

Female Sprinter

Informed Decision, 222; Ventura, 6; Game Face, 1; Indian Blessing, 1; Music Note, 1; Diamondrella, 1.

Male Sprinter

Kodiak Kowboy, 118; Zensational, 54; Dancing in Silks, 43; Fabulous Strike, 9; California Flag, 6; Vineyard Haven, 1; Voter Abstentions, 1. 

Male Turf Horse

Gio Ponti, 206; Conduit, 22; Presious Passion, 3; Court Vision, 1.  

Female Turf Horse

Goldikova (IRE), 172; Ventura, 41; Magical Fantasy, 7; Midday (GB), 7; Pure Clan, 3; Forever Together, 1; Voter Abstentions, 1;

Steeplechase Horse

Mixed Up, 209; Red Letter Day, 3; Voter Abstentions, 20.

Horse of the Year

Rachel Alexandra, 130; Zenyatta, 99; Voter Abstentions, 2; No Vote, 1.

Outstanding Owner

Godolphin Racing, 61; Mr. and Mrs. Jerome S. Moss, 56; Juddmonte Farms, 40; WinStar Farm, 38; Stonestreet Stables and Harold McCormick, 15; Augustin Stables, 7; Michael Gill, 6; Darley Stable, 3; Zayat Stables, 2; Heiligbrodt Racing Stables, 1; Midwest Thoroughbreds, 1; Voter Abstentions, 2. 

Outstanding Breeder

Juddmonte Farms, 157; Adena Springs, 44; Dolphus Morrison, 16; Maverick Productions, Ltd., 3; WinStar Farm, 3; Eugene Melnyk, 2; Darley Stable, 1. Voter Abstentions, 6.

Outstanding Trainer

Steve Asmussen, 130; John Shirreffs, 57; Jonathan Sheppard, 19; Bob Baffert,10; Saeed bin Suroor, 5; Bobby Frankel, 4; Jerry Hollendorfer, 2; Hal Wiggins, 2; Todd Pletcher, 2; Voter Abstentions, 1.

Outstanding Jockey

Julien Leparoux, 122; Garrett Gomez,46; Ramon Dominguez, 45; Calvin Borel, 13; Mike Smith, 3; Kent Desormeaux, 2; Russell Baze, 1.

Apprentice Jockey

Christian Santiago Reyes, 93; Luis Saez, 48; Luis Batista, 47; Inez Karlsson, 8; Michael Straight, 4; Omar Moreno, 3; Jose Vega, 3; Tony Maragh, 2; Casey Papineau, 1; Angel Serpa, 1; Voter  Abstentions, 21, No Vote, 1.

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers Association announced today that Jeff Taylor of Winchester, Va., has won the 2009 Media Eclipse Award for Photography for his picture taken at the Blue Ridge Hunt Point to Point Races in Clarke County, Va. The photo appeared in The Winchester Star on March 9, 2009.

“It’s an unbelievable thrill to win this award” said Taylor, who was born in Bethesda, Md., and has been a staff photographer for The Winchester Star for the past six years. “I very much enjoy covering racing events. We can see something in horses that evoke emotions in humans. I like to capture the muscles and veins, and the intensity that a horse brings to competition; to try to give the viewer not only what it looked like, but how it felt.”
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Jeff Taylor/Winchester Star (Virginia)
Jockey Anna McKnight falls from her horse after coming over a jump in Clarke County, Va.
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Taylor positioned himself on the Clarke County course on the opposite side from the crowd and caught jockey Anna McKnight clearing a fence but coming over the top of her mount with the horse standing on two legs. The horse was able to stay on all four feet, but McKnight landed on the ground nearby and temporarily lost consciousness.

“I was glad that the rider was fine afterward,” said Taylor.  “That was our consideration in publishing the photograph. I’m glad she wasn’t hurt and glad to have the photograph.”

Taylor took the winning photo with a Canon EOS-1 Mark III.

Honorable mention in the Photography category went to Adam Coglianese for his panoramic photograph of the finish of the 2009 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. The photo was published in the Thoroughbred Times on Sept 12. Honorable mention also went to Pat McDonogh for his photo of Mine that Bird and jockey Calvin Borel winning the 2009 Kentucky Derby. The shot appeared in the Louisville Courier-Journal on May 3.

Judges in the Photography category were Dan Dry of Dry Photography;  Barton Silverman of The New York Times, and Mike Kane, former director of communications for the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.

The Eclipse Awards are named after the great 18th-century racehorse and foundation sire Eclipse, who began racing at age five and was undefeated in 18 starts, including eight walkovers. Eclipse sired the winners of 344 races, including three Epsom Derbies.

The 39th Annual Eclipse Awards will be held on Monday, January 18 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. For hotel accommodations and Eclipse Awards ceremony reservations, contact Michele Ravencraft at the NTRA’s Lexington office, (800) 792-6872, or e-mail mravencraft@ntra.com.

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers Association today announced that Joe Drape has won the 2009 Media Eclipse Award for Writing in the Feature/Enterprise category for “Despite Outcry, Derby Owners Fall Silent on Drugs for Horses,” which appeared in The New York Times on April 30, 2009.

This is the second Media Eclipse Award for Drape, who resides in New York City. In 2002, he won the Features/Enterprise award for his coverage of the incident involving Autotote workers and that year’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships Ultra Pick Six. Drape has been with the Times since 1998.

In the aftermath of the fatal injury to the filly Eight Belles in the 2008 Kentucky Derby, Drape explored what had been done in the area of horse welfare in American racing during the previous year, and he questioned racing’s medical community on the effects of legal medications. He also asked for medical records of all potential starters in the 2009 Derby. Just three of the connections complied. Drape’s piece also found that many in the sport would like to see all but the medications that treat illness or injury eliminated.

Even with the prohibition of steroids in the past year, the United States continues to have the world’s loosest medication policies for thoroughbreds, and there is a growing concern within the veterinary community that overmedication — with drugs like corticosteroids, anti-inflammatories that can have dangerous consequences — and lax oversight have imperiled the safety and welfare of racehorses.

The aggressive use of legal drugs is a big reason this country has the worst mortality rate for thoroughbreds, veterinarians say. In effect, they say, short-term fixes with legal drugs have left horses vulnerable.

“We had been wondering what kinds of medications and drugs were being used on racing’s biggest stages,” said Drape. “So we tried a different approach by trying to obtain veterinary records of the starters in the Kentucky Derby. “Rick Porter and Larry Jones (owner and trainer of Derby starter Friesen Fire) complied with the request, so I decided to ask the other connections.”

I am grateful to those owners, horsemen and veterinarians and horse rescue groups who do push to make the game humane and contested on a level playing field,” said Drape. “It not always a popular issue, but they keep it in the public eye. In researching this article, I found that we were further away from ‘hay, oats and water’ than I thought. Still, most everyone now acknowledges that this is a problem, and in recent months we have seen states and major races take a stronger stance to outlaw steroids and illegal drugs.” 

Honorable mention in the Writing – Features/Enterprise category went to Vinnie Perrone for “Life Lived Large – Tale of Dickie Small,” about the career of the Maryland trainer. The piece was published in Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred on February 9, 2009. Perrone won the Media Eclipse in this category in 2008 for his article in the same publication on the life of newspaper handicapper Clem Florio.

The panel of judges for the Features/Enterprise Writing category was comprised of Rob Longley of the Toronto Star, Fred Klein, former columnist for The Wall Street Journal and Neil Milbert, former horse racing writer for the Chicago Tribune.

The Eclipse Awards are presented by the NTRA, National Turf Writers Association (NTWA) and Daily Racing Form. Eclipse Awards are bestowed upon horses and individuals whose outstanding achievements have earned them the title of Champion in their respective categories. Awards also are given to recognize members of the media for outstanding coverage of Thoroughbred racing.

The 39th Annual Eclipse Awards will be held on Monday, January 18, 2010 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. For hotel accommodations and Eclipse Awards dinner reservations, contact Michele Ravencraft at the NTRA’s Lexington office, (859) 422-2657, or e-mail mravencraft@ntra.com. 

The Eclipse Awards are named after the great 18th-century racehorse and foundation sire Eclipse, who began racing at age five and was undefeated in 18 starts, including eight walkovers. Eclipse sired the winners of 344 races, including three Epsom Derbies.

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers Association announced today that NBC Sports has won the 2009 Media Eclipse Award in the National Television Feature programming category for its documentary “The Story of Mine That Bird, 50-1”, which aired at the beginning of its Preakness Stakes telecast on May 16, 2009. 

This is the third National Television Feature Media Eclipse Award for NBC, which previously won the award in 2002 and in 2005.

“The Story of Mine That Bird,” produced by Rob Hyland and Jack Felling, recounted the incredible tale of a lightly regarded 3-year-old who came from New Mexico – and from last place -, to win the 2009 Kentucky Derby. The documentary was narrated by Bob Costas.

According to Hyland, the documentary started to take shape shortly after Mine That Bird hit the wire in the Derby. “In conversations with Sam Flood (NBC Sports’ Coordinating Producer), we had to tell the story of a how a 50-1 longshot came to win the Derby,” said Hyland.  “There were so many layers of the story, filled with high drama, that we needed to let the viewers know.”

Supported by interviews with Mine That Bird’s owners, Dr. Leonard Blach and Mark Allen; trainer Chip Woolley and jockey Calvin Borel, NBC reached back to the colt’s 2-year-old season, his disappointing Derby preps at Sunland Park, Woolley’s 1,500-mile van ride to the Derby and his “walkover”’ to the Churchill Downs paddock while on crutches, and the jubilation of the connections following the race. 

“We edited around the clock for the next 12 days right up until the Preakness, as more parts to the story were unfolding,” Hyland added. Those unfolding events included the sale of Kentucky Oaks winner Rachel Alexandra to Jess Jackson; Rachel Alexandra’s entry in the Preakness; and Borel’s decision to get off Mine That Bird to ride the filly in racing’s second jewel of the Triple Crown.

“Telling this story is the true essence of horse racing,” said Hyland. “It reminds us that anything can happen on any given day. For me, personally, it’s a true honor to win an Eclipse Award because my wife’s father is a horse trainer.” Hyland is married to Michelle Matz, daughter of Michael Matz, who trained 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro.

Honorable mention in the National Television Feature programming category went to HRTV for “Inside Information – Nowhere to Run” about recovery efforts at the Fair Grounds race track in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. The program aired on September 6, 2009. Amy Zimmerman was executive producer.

Judges in the National Television – Features category were Howard Sudberry, former sports director of WBBM- TV – Chicago; Peter Lasser of Lasser Productions and G.D. Hieronymus, Director of Broadcast Services for Keeneland Association.

ESPN RADIO WINS MEDIA ECLIPSE AWARD FOR 2009 KENTUCKY DERBY BROADCAST

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers Association announced today that ESPN Radio has won the 2009 Media Eclipse Award in the Audio/Multi-Media Internet category for its live coverage of last year’s Kentucky Derby on May 3.

“We’re thrilled and gratified to win the Eclipse Award,” said John Martin, Sr. Director and Executive Producer of ESPN Radio Event Production. “It’s a tremendous honor for ESPN radio and everyone who worked on the broadcast. “Radio is theatre of the mind.  What we try to do with the Derby is place the listener there in the middle of the tremendous excitement and ambient sound of the jockeys, trainers and the fans.”

For its two-hour live broadcast of the Derby, ESPN Radio reporters and analysts covered a wide range of news and feature topics surrounding the event, including the scratch of morning line favorite I Want Revenge; an examination of racing surfaces and safety measures in horse racing one year after the fatal injury to 2008 Derby runner up Eight Belles, and a feature on 75-year-old local trainer Tom McCarthy. 

The Kentucky Derby broadcast was hosted by Rece Davis, who was joined by analyst Jerry Bailey, reporters Bob Valvano, Ron Flatter and handicapper Jody McDonald.

Martin, who produced the broadcast, described the victory of 50-1 longshot Mine That Bird as an “exhilarating challenge” for his talent and crew, and credits his reporters and analysts for being on top of one of the greatest upsets in Derby history. “The great thing about live radio is that you can’t script the ultimate result. When things happen that you don’t expect – that’s when you need to be at your most creative.”

Honorable mention in the Audio/Multi-Media Internet category went to the Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader for its Heraldleader.com multi-media Web site presentations of “Keeneland Blossoms for Spring Meet,” which first appeared on April 3, 2009. The site was produced by Ron Garrison, Director of Multi Media.

Judges for the Audio/Multi-Media Internet category were: Stu Kirshenbaum of Oak Street Films; Mike Farrell, racing journalist and former UPI Radio reporter and Mike Brunker of MSNBC.com.

The Eclipse Awards are named after the great 18th-century racehorse and foundation sire Eclipse, who began racing at age five and was undefeated in 18 starts, including eight walkovers. Eclipse sired the winners of 344 races, including three Epsom Derbies.

The Eclipse Awards are presented by the NTRA, National Turf Writers Association (NTWA) and Daily Racing Form. Eclipse Awards are bestowed upon horses and individuals whose outstanding achievements in North America have earned them the title of Champion in their respective categories. Awards also are given to recognize members of the media for outstanding coverage of Thoroughbred racing.

The 39th Annual Eclipse Awards will be held on Monday, Jan. 18 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. For hotel accommodations and Eclipse Awards ceremony reservations, contact Michele Ravencraft at the NTRA’s Lexington office, (800) 792-6872, or e-mail mravencraft@ntra.com. 

The Eclipse Awards are named after the great 18th-century racehorse and foundation sire Eclipse, who began racing at age five and was undefeated in 18 starts, including eight walkovers. Eclipse sired the winners of 344 races, including three Epsom Derbies.