NTRA release

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Monday night announced the winners of the 2008 Eclipse Awards at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach in Miami Beach, Fla. The 38th annual Eclipse Awards are voted on and presented by the NTRA, Daily Racing Form (DRF) and the National Turf Writers Association (NTWA). The votes are tabulated and certified by Ernst & Young LLP.  Below are the winners in all categories (horse age in parentheses where applicable):

Horse of the Year: Curlin
Two-Year-Old Male: Midshipman
Two-Year-Old Filly: Stardom Bound
Three-Year-Old Male: Big Brown
Three-Year-Old Filly:  Proud Spell
Older Male:  Curlin (4)
Older Female: Zenyatta (4)
Female Sprinter: Indian Blessing (3)
Male Sprinter:  Benny the Bull (5)
Male Turf Horse: Conduit (IRE) (3)
Female Turf Horse: Forever Together (4)
Steeplechase Horse: Good Night Shirt (7)
Owner: Stronach  Stables 
Breeder:  Adena Springs
Jockey: Garrett Gomez
Apprentice Jockey: Pascacio Lopez
Trainer: Steve Asmussen

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. 5, 2009, 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. This voting established the top three finalists in each division, the names of which were released on Jan. 8, 2009. 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: 242/282 = 86%

Two-Year-Old Male (Name, First-Place Votes)
Midshipman, 195; Vineyard Haven, 32; Old Fashioned, 7; Donativum (G, 5; Desert Party, 1; Run Away and Hide, 1; Street Hero, 1.

Two-Year-Old Filly
Stardom Bound, 236; Maram, 2; Springside, 2; Rachel Alexandra 1, Sky Diva, 1.   

Three-Year-Old Male
Big Brown, 219; Raven’s Pass, 21; Conduit (IRE) 1; Tale of Ekati, 1. 

Three-Year-Old Filly
Proud Spell, 90; Eight Belles, 71; Goldikova (IRE), 41; Indian Blessing, 20; Music Note, 20.

Older Male
Curlin, 239; Albertus Maximus, 1; Commentator, 1; Go Between, 1.

Older Female
Zenyatta, 240; Ginger Punch, 2.

Female Sprinter
Indian Blessing, 138; Ventura, 88; Intangaroo, 13; Indyanne, 1; Voter Abstentions, 2.

Male Sprinter
Benny the Bull, 107; Midnight Lute, 86; Street Boss, 40; Bustin Stones, 3; Fatal Bullet, 3; Visionaire, 1; Commentator, 1; Voter Abstentions, 1. 

Male Turf Horse
Conduit (IRE), 175; Einstein (BRZ), 31; Grand Couturier (G, 11; Hyperbaric, 5;  Kip Deville, 5; Red Giant 4; Court Vision, 2; Henrythenavigator, 1; Champs Elysees (G, 1; Spirit One (FR), 1; Voter Abstentions, 6. 

Female Turf Horse
Forever Together, 137; Goldikova, 94; Cocoa Beach (CHI), 6; Ventura, 3; Mauralakana (FR), 2.

Steeplechase Horse
Good Night Shirt, 217; Be Certain, 1; High Action, 1; Voter Abstentions, 23.

Horse of the Year
Curlin, 153; Zenyatta, 69; Big Brown, 13; Raven’s Pass,  2; Einstein, 1;  Goldikova (IRE), 1; Peppers Pride, 1;  Voter Abstentions, 2. 

Outstanding Owner
Stronach Stables, 47; IEAH Stables, 46; Stonestreet Stables LLC and Midnight Cry Stables, 29; Mr. and Mrs. Jerome S. Moss, 27; Godolphin Racing, 24; Zayat Stables 16; Augustin Stable, 13; Maggi Moss, 11; Robert Cole, Jr., 10; Darley Stable, 4; Heiligbrodt Racing Stable, 2; H. Joe Allen, 1; J. Paul Reddam, 1; Juddmonte Farms, 1; Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum, 1; WinStar Farm, 1;  Voter Abstentions, 8.   

Outstanding Breeder
Adena Springs, 139; Stonerside Stable, 60; WinStar Farm, 13; Juddmonte Farms, 9; Brereton C. Jones, 4; Eugene Melnyk, 1; Edward P. Evans, 1; Fares Farm, Inc., 1; George Strawbridge, Jr., 1; Hal and Patti Earnhardt, 1; Maverick Production, 1; Monticule, 1; Voter Abstentions, 10.

Outstanding Trainer
Steve Asmussen, 187; Robert Frankel, 15; Larry Jones, 9; Bob Baffert, 7; Rick Dutrow, 5; Jerry Hollendorfer, 4; Bill Mott, 3; John Shirreffs, 2; Mike de Kock, 1; Anthony Dutrow, 1; Scott Lake, 1; Mike Maker, 1; Kiaran McLaughlin, 1; Todd Pletcher, 1; Howard Wolfendale, 1; Voter Abstentions, 3.

Outstanding Jockey
Garrett Gomez, 210; Rafael Bejarano, 11; Robby Albarado, 9; Russell Baze, 3; Kent Desormeaux, 3; Ramon Dominguez, 1; Alan Garcia, 1; Julien Leparoux, 1; Joe Rocco, 1; Mike Smith, 1; Voter Abstentions, 1.

Apprentice Jockey
Pascacio Lopez, 150; Inez Karlsson, 34; Abel Mariano, 18; Sebastian Morales, 3; Sheldon Russell, 3; Lyndie Wade, 2; Chamisa Goodwin, 1; Xavier Perez, 1; Grant Whitacre 1. Voter  Abstentions, 29.

Award of Merit and Special Award
The winner of the Award of Merit, voted on by a panel of representatives from the three presenting organizations and previously announced, is Alice Headley Chandler of Mill Ridge Farm. The Award of Merit is presented to honor outstanding lifetime achievement in the Thoroughbred industry.

The winner of the Special Award, voted on by a panel of representatives from the three presenting organizations and previously announced, is the On Call Program of the American Association of Equine Practitioners. The Special Award is presented to honor outstanding individual achievements in, or contributions to, the sport of Thoroughbred racing.

Media Eclipse Awards also are given in the categories of photography, audio and multi-media Internet, news/commentary writing, feature/enterprise writing, local television, national television–feature and national television–live racing programming to recognize members of the media for outstanding coverage of Thoroughbred racing. The 2008 Media Eclipse Awards winners, determined by a judges’ panel for each category and previously announced, are:

Photography:  Matthew Goins, Al Adiyat, “Frankie’s Flying Dismount”;  November 6, 2008. 
Writing – Feature/Enterprise: Vinnie Perrone, Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred, “Clem Florio”; July 2008.
News/Commentary:  Billy Reed, Thoroughbred Times, “A Rose For Eight Belles”; May 17, 2008.
National Television – Live Racing: NBC Sports, The Preakness Stakes; Sam Flood,   Producer; May 17, 2008
National Television – Feature: HRTV, “The First Saturday in May”; John and Brad Hennegan, Producers; October 28, 2008
Local Television – WAVE3-TV- Louisville, Ky.:  “A Legend Re-Affirmed”, Lee Eldridge, executive producer; May 1, 2008
Audio and Multi-Media Internet: Courier-Journal.com, “Tragedy on the Racetrack”, August 2008; Harry Bryan, sports editor.