Mid-Atlantic-breds shine in 2004 Eclipse Award competition.
Smarty Jones
Champion 3-year-old male
Someday, horse owners Roy and Patricia Chapman used to tell each
other, a truly exceptional runner would enter their lives.
Smarty Jones, a chestnut colt born on February 28, 2001, at the
Chapmans’ Someday Farm in Chester County, Pa., fulfilled
that most elusive of all racing dreams.
From the first time he stepped out in competition, winning a
maiden race at Philadelphia Park on November 9, 2003, until his
hero’s farewell at that track on August 14, 2004, Smarty
Jones established a record, and an outpouring of devotion among
the general public as well as racing fans, not seen in the Mid-Atlantic
region since Secretariat.
Trained by Philadelphia Park-based conditioner John Servis, Smarty
Jones carried the Chapmans’ now-familiar blue and white
colors through a gloriously improbable 3-year-old campaign, capturing
the Count Fleet Stakes on January 3 at Aqueduct before moving
to winter quarters at Oaklawn Park, where he annexed, in steady
succession, the South-west Stakes, Rebel Stakes and Arkansas
Derby-G2.
A $5-million bonus, offered for a horse who could sweep the Rebel,
Arkansas Derby and Kentucky Derby-G1, raised the stakes still
higher.
Smarty Jones, sent off as 4.1-1 favorite in the Derby, got the
job done, scoring by two and three-quarters lengths in the Run
for the Roses, and accounting for the biggest payday in racing
history—his Derby purse and bonus adding up to $5,884,800.
The Pennsylvania-bred became just the second post-time favorite
to win the Kentucky Derby since 1979, and the first undefeated
Derby winner since Seattle Slew in 1977.
Any thoughts that his Derby performance might have been a one-time
wonder were dispelled by his awesome 11 length
Preakness triumph—the largest winning margin in the history
of the race.
Record attendance for both the Preakness (112,668) and the Belmont
Stakes (120,139) attested to Smarty’s enormous popularity.
But how can one measure the full impact of a horse who drew 9,000
fans to Philadelphia Park for a gallop before the Belmont?
Smarty Jones mania rose to a fevered pitch, and keepsakes took
on the aura of rare gems on the morning of the Belmont Stakes,
as the Chapmans’ runner was bet down to .35-1 odds in his
quest to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed
in 1978.
Then, in less than two and a half minutes, the dream fell flat.
Smarty Jones, though game to the final strides, came up a length
short to Birdstone in the Belmont, which would be the only loss
in his nine-race career.
Two months later, Smarty Jones was retired to stud at Three Chimneys
Farm in Mid-way, Ky., due to bruising of his cannon bones. His
syndicated value? $39 million. His earnings, $7,613,155, currently
placing him fifth on the all-time North American money-earners
list.
Smarty Jones was the overwhelming choice for the Eclipse Award
as last year’s champion 3-year-old male, and was runner-up
to Ghostzapper for Horse of the Year honors.
John Servis, a model of composure throughout the Triple Crown
campaign, was fittingly honored with the Big Sport of Turfdom
Award. Also winning their ways into the hearts of racing fans
everywhere were Servis’s wife Sherry, and Smarty Jones’s
rider Stewart Elliott, groom Mario Arriagas, exercise rider Pete
Van Trump, and barn foreman Bill Foster, among many others.
The Chapmans gave unstinting credit to late Pennsylvania horseman
Bob Camac, who served as their trainer until his death in January
2001.
Camac spotted Smarty Jones’s dam I’ll Get Along (by
Smile) at the 1993 Keeneland September Yearling sale, where he
purchased her for $40,000 on the Chapmans’ behalf. A model
of consistency and durability throughout her five-year racing
career, I’ll Get Along won or placed in nine stakes, earning
$277,008. She produced Smarty Jones as her second foal.
“
Bob Camac not only picked out the mare for us, but he selected
Elusive Quality for the mating that produced Smarty,” Pat
Chapman said. “We only wish he could be here to see this
colt.” The Chapmans sold I’ll Get Along for $130,000
at the 2001 Keeneland November sale. On the heels of Smarty mania,
I’ll Get Along sold again, in foal to Elusive Quality,
at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky’s November mixed sale for $5 million,
the highest-priced broodmare sold in 2004.
Lucy Acton
Declan’s Moon
Champion 2-year-old male
He belongs to California owners, but a surprising number of Marylanders
can count 2004 champion 2-year-old male Declan’s Moon as
one of their own.
The gelding, undefeated in four starts at 2 including the Grade
1 Hollywood Futurity, has brought unexpected fame and no small
measure of fortune to his breeder Brice Ridgely, a Howard County
(Md.) farmer who bought Declan’s Moon’s dam Vee Vee
Star (by Maryland sire Norquestor) for $3,500 as a just-turned
yearling after seeing a classified ad in the Baltimore Sun, and
campaigned her to finish third behind champion Silverbulletday
in the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes-G2.
Declan’s Moon is yet another feather in the cap of Mary-land
bloodstock agent Bill Reightler, Ridgely’s longtime friend
and adviser who was agent in the sale of the future champion,
for $125,000, at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern Fall Yearling
sale.
The Maryland Horse Breeders Association’s annual Yearling
Show deserves more than a footnote in Declan’s Moon’s
resume, as his first appearance in public competition. Declan’s
Moon was placed first in his class, over 22 other Maryland-bred
and Maryland-sired colts, in the show judged by trainer Barclay
Tagg.
Certainly the champion will be forever linked with the Pons family’s
Country Life Farm in Bel Air, Md., where his conception took
place. Malibu Moon, sire of Declan’s Moon, moved from Country
Life to Castleton Lyons farm in Kentucky for the 2004 breeding
season, but Country Life continues to own a major interest in
the hugely successful young stallion.
And that’s just a roll call of the major local players.
Samantha and Mace Siegel, a daughter/father team from southern
California, have been a major investor at Maryland auctions over
the past two decades. They have done well with many Maryland-breds,
but Declan’s Moon stands far above the others, as the first
horse ever to bring the Siegels a national championship title.
Declan’s Moon joined the stable of California-based trainer
Ron Ellis last spring, and immediately displayed his quality. “He’s
my Derby horse,” Ellis told the Siegels after less than
two weeks of working with him.
Breaking from his longstanding practice of not racing 2-year-olds
in the summer, Ellis sent out Declan’s Moon in a five and
a half-furlong maiden special weight on July 31 at Del Mar, and
the result exceeded everyone’s expectations.
“
We knew he could run,” Samantha Siegel told the Daily Racing
Form. “But none of us had any idea he could go to the lead
and win by five lengths from the 1-post.”
The Siegels’ Jay Em Ess Stable colorbearer came back still
more spectacularly in the Grade 2 Del Mar Futurity on September
8, upsetting heavily favored Roman Ruler.
At that point, the Siegels were faced with a major decision—whether
to supplement Declan’s Moon to the Breeders’ Cup,
at a cost of $135,000. “It’s a big check to write
for a gelding,” noted Samantha Siegel.
Opting against the Breeders’ Cup route, Declan’s
Moon’s connections chose the Grade 3 Hollywood Prevue (November
20) and Hollywood Futurity (December 18).
Declan’s Moon was ridden out to a two-length score in the
Prevue, and went on to defeat Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Stakes-G1
winner Wilko and Grade 1 winner Proud Accolade in the Futurity.
His season’s earnings totaled $507,300.
Declan’s Moon shared high-weight of 126 pounds with Wilko
on the 2004 Experimental Handicap, and as of mid-March was the
early favorite for the Kentucky Derby.
He is only the second gelding ever to receive an Eclipse Award
as the nation’s champion 2-year-old male. The first was
Rockhill Native in 1979.
Only one other Maryland-bred has earned the title—Devil’s
Bag in 1983.
Lucy Acton
2004 Eclipse Awards
Profiles by Jennifer Caldwell, reprinted with permission from
Bloodstock Journal
Ghostzapper
Horse of the Year Champion older male
Stronach Stable’s homebred Ghostzapper, by Awesome Again,
followed in his sire’s hoofsteps in 2004, capping off an
undefeated season with a win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic-G1.
But he went one step further by achieving championship status.
Voted Horse of the Year and champion older horse, Ghost-zapper
needed only four starts to prove his dominance.
Trainer Bobby Frankel started off the Kentucky-bred bay late
in the year, waiting until the Tom Fool Handicap-G2 on Independence
Day to unveil the phenomenon that would overshadow all other
rivals. Ghostzapper proved that a nine-month layoff was no barrier
as he pulled away under a hand ride from regular jockey Javier
Castellano to post a four and a quarter-length victory in the
seven-furlong test.
After the Tom Fool came the mile and an eighth Philip H. Iselin
Breeders’ Cup Handicap-G3 and the skeptics immediately
started downing the talented colt as not being able to stretch
out past sprint distances. The multitude of critics was silenced,
however, when Ghostzapper crossed under the line 10""" lengths
better than his closest competitor.
Having proved himself more than capable of handling a route of
ground, Ghostzapper faced his toughest trial of the year in the
mile and an eighth Woodward Stakes-G1 at Belmont Park. Challenging
the pace-setting Saint Liam throughout (the duo got a mile in
1:33.35), Ghostzapper found himself carried wide in the stretch,
and proceeded to trade bumps with the leader in the duel to the
wire. Showing the heart of a champion, he managed to dig down
and pull off the win by a neck in a final time of 1:46.38.
Most of the Ghostzapper critics had turned into fans by the time
the Breeders’ Cup rolled around in late October. In what
turned out to be an exhibition over a field that had nine millionaires,
including defending Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Pleasantly
Perfect and 2002 Horse of the Year Azeri, Ghostzapper took the
early lead, held on under pressure from Roses in May, and drew
off for a three-length win, finishing in 1:59.02, which shattered
Lone Star Park’s mile and a quarter track record by more
than five seconds. He ended 2004 with a career record of eight
wins and one third from 10 starts, and $2,996,120 in earnings.
Out of the Relaunch mare Baby Zip, who was a stakes winner at
shorter distances, Ghost-zapper is a half-brother to Grade 1-winning
sprinter City Zip (Carson City). He’s perhaps bred to excel
at sprint distances, but his talent has shown no boundaries thus
far. Ghost-zapper is expected to return to the races this spring.
Sweet Catomine
Champion 2-year-old filly
After an eventful run in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies-G1,
Mr. and Mrs. Martin J. Wygod’s homebred Sweet Catomine
(by Storm Cat) was named champion juvenile filly. The bay miss
dropped her first start at the beginning of 2004, but proved
that to be a fluke as she went on to win her next two races en
route to victory in the Breeders’ Cup in late October.
Racing in midpack that day, Sweet Catomine made her move in between
fillies leaving the far turn, but suddenly found herself with
no place to go and had to steady sharply. Swinging to the outside,
she re-rallied in the stretch and overtook her rivals before
drawing away to score by three and three-quarters lengths, completing
the mile and a sixteenth event in a time (1:41.65), two-fifths
of a second faster than males in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
That stellar win came on top of victories in the Del Mar Debutante
Stakes-G1 and Oak Leaf Stakes-G2, and the Julio Canani-trained
Sweet Catomine ended the year with $799,800 in earnings. She
is a daughter of the Wygods’ stakes-winning and Grade 1-placed
homebred Sweet Life (by Kris S.), who is a half-sister to Grade
1 winner Pirate’s Revenge.Y
Ashado
Champion 3-year-old filly
Though she didn’t achieve quite as huge a following as
her male counterpart Smarty Jones, Ashado still made a name for
herself last year. The dark bay daughter of Saint Ballado started
off her season in style, taking the Fair Grounds Oaks-G2 by three
and three-quarters lengths and finishing second in the Ashland
Stakes-G1 before an easy length and a quarter victory in the
prestigious Kentucky Oaks-G1.
Trained by Todd Pletcher, Ashado continued her success during
the rest of the year, capturing the Coaching Club American Oaks-G1
and Cotillion Handicap-G2 and never finishing worse than third.
Her biggest test came when she took on older fillies and mares
for the first time in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff-G1, but
that proved no real challenge as she pulled away to a length
and a quarter win at Lone Star Park under a hand ride from regular
rider John Velazquez.
Owned by the partnership of Starlight Stables, Paul Saylor and
Johns Martin, Ashado has a lifetime record of 14-9-3-2 and $2,870,440
and is back in training in Florida for a 4-year-old campaign.
Bred by Aaron and Marie Jones, Ashado is out of the stakes-winning
Goulash (by Mari’s Book) and has two stakes-placed full
siblings.
Azeri
Champion older female
Michael Paulson’s Azeri pulled off an amazing comeback
last year to be named champion older mare for a third straight
time. The chestnut mare, who was the 2002 Horse of the Year,
earned her third consecutive Apple Blossom Handicap-G1 victory
while making her first start of the year for new trainer D. Wayne
Lukas. She just missed in the Humana Distaff Handicap-G1 in her
next one, then took on the boys next out in the Metropolitan
Mile-G1, but finished off the board for the first time in her
career. That race obviously took something out of the 6-year-old
mare, as she ran last of four in the Ogden Phipps Handicap-G1
less than three weeks later.
However, Azeri once again demonstrated what it means to be a
champion as she re-rallied from those disappointing efforts to
score in the Go for Wand HandicapG1, finish second in the Personal
Ensign Handicap-G1 and then capture the Spinster Stakes-G1 in
dominant fashion. She made her final career start in the Breeders’ Cup
Classic-G1, where she finished fifth against a stellar group.
Bred by Allen Paulson, the classy daughter of Jade Hunter retired
with a 24-17-4-0 record and $4,079,820 in lifetime earnings,
enough to make her the leading North American distaffer in money
earned. Paulson also bred and campaigned North America’s
top earner Cigar ($9,999,815). Azeri is scheduled to be bred
to Storm Cat.
Kitten’s Joy
Champion turf male
Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey’s 3-year-old Kitten’s Joy
(by El Prado-Ire) came up just a length and three-quarters short
in the Breeders’ Cup Turf-G1, but still earned champion
turf horse honors after compiling a record of 8-6-2-0 and $1,625,796
in 2004. He was also an Eclipse Award finalist for 3-year-old
male.
The Dale Romans trainee spent most of the year in the winner’s
circle, taking the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes-G1
(against older runners), Secretariat Stakes-G1, Virginia Derby-G3,
American Turf Stakes-G3, Palm Beach Stakes-G3 and Tropical Park
Derby-G3. The latter race kicked off his year on New Year’s
Day 2004. Kitten’s Joy’s average winning margin was
nearly three lengths and his six wins came over six different
courses. Besides his runner-up finish in the Breeders’ Cup,
the chestnut also ran second in the Jefferson Cup Stakes-G3,
missing by just a head.
Kitten’s Joy is out of the winning Kitten’s First
(by Lear Fan), making him a half-brother to multiple stakes victress
Justenuffheart (by Broad Brush). He’s scheduled to run
again this season.
Ouija Board (GB)
Champion turf female
Lord Derby’s Ouija Board (GB) (by Cape Cross-Ire) added
yet another award to her list of accomplishments when she was
named champion turf female. The bay filly showcased her talent
in the U.S. in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf-G1,
taking on the best the world had to offer and, with an authoritative
length and a half victory, showing them why she was soon to be
honored as Horse of the Year at the 2004 Cartier Racing Awards.
After capturing both the English and Irish Oaks (each Group 1),
the sophomore finished a fast-closing third against males in
the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe-G1 prior to her Breeders’ Cup
run.
Trained by Ed Dunlop, Ouija Board recorded a 4-0-1 mark from
five starts in 2004 and could go for a title defense in the Breeders’ Cup
as she is expected to stay in training at 4. She is out of the
Welsh Pageant mare Selection Board.
Speightstown
Champion sprinter
Eugene and Laura Melnyk’s Speightstown (by Gone West) proved
that sometimes a break can give a horse new life. After skipping
the 2002 season and only racing twice in 2003, the chestnut horse
hit his best stride last year to earn the title of champion sprinter.
Rattling off four straight victories, he made his 6-year-old
debut in the Artax Handicap at Gulfstream Park in March and turned
in a spectacular performance, winning by four and a half lengths.
Making his next appearance in the Churchill Downs Handicap-G2,
the Todd Pletcher trainee gave notice of a star on the rise with
a three and a half-length frontrunning victory, getting seven
furlongs in 1:21.38. Shortening up a furlong in his next two
outings, Speightstown added on to his line with victories in
the True North Breeders’ Cup Handicap-G2 and Alfred G.
Vanderbilt Handicap-G2. He ran third in Vosburgh Stakes-G1, but
redeemed himself in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint-G1. Rallying
in the stretch, he held all at bay for the length and a quarter
score in a final time of 1:08.
Speightstown, who retired with a lifetime mark of 16-10-2-2,
$1,258,256, is out of Canadian champion Silken Cat (by Storm
Cat) and is the second 2004 Eclipse Award winner bred by Aaron
and Marie Jones (Ashado is the other). Speightstown was retired
to stud to WinStar Farm near Versailles, Ky.
Hirapour (Ire)
Champion steeplechaser
Eldon Farm LLC’s Hirapour (Ire) (by Kahyasi) earned the
title of champion steeplechaser after taking two of his four
starts in 2004. At the age of 8, the Paul Douglas Fout-trained
gelding started off the year with a close runner-up finish in
the Carolina Cup Hurdle Stakes-NSA3 before scoring in the Royal
Chase for the Sport of Kings Hurdle Stakes-NSA1 at Keeneland
in April. He took a break over the summer months and then took
on 2003 champion steeplechaser McDynamo in the Breeders’ Cup
Steeplechase-NSA1, ending up second once again as his rival successfully
defended his title in that contest. Hirapour got the chance to
turn the tables on his opponent, though, easily scoring in the
Colonial Cup Hurdle Stakes-NSA1 to finish out the year.
Eclipse award of merit
Oaklawn Park and the Cella family, which has owned and operated
the Hot Springs, Ark., race track since its opening in 1905,
were awarded the Eclipse Award of Merit, given annually in
recognition of lifetime achievements in Thoroughbred racing.
Oaklawn Park celebrated its centennial season in 2004, a year
in which the track raised the purse of the Arkansas Derby to
$1 million and offered a $5 million Oaklawn Centennial Bonus
to any horse who could sweep the Rebel Stakes, the Arkansas Derby
and the Kentucky Derby. The Centennial Bonus was captured by
Pennsylvania-bred Smarty Jones, representing the single largest
payday in Thoroughbred racing history.
The Cellas’ involvement in the sport goes back more than
a century and also includes ownership of tracks in Kentucky,
Louisiana, Missouri and elsewhere. Current track president and
chairman of the board Charles J. Cella succeeded his late father
John G. Cella in 1968.Y
special eclipse award
Dale Baird, who has trained a record 9,027 winners, was presented
with the Special Eclipse Award, honoring outstanding individual
achievements in or contributions to the sport of Thor-ough-bred
racing.
Baird, 69, saddled his first winner at Ellis Park in 1961. He
transferred his business to Waterford Park (now Moun-taineer
Park) in Chester, W.Va., where he has been based for the last
44 years, setting multiple training records.
Baird led the nation in wins 15 times between 1971 to 1999. He
became the first trainer to win 300 races in a year when he won
305 in 1973, and was the first trainer to win 300 races in three
consecutive years, which he did from 1979 to 1981. He also won
the training title at Mountaineer 20 consecutive years until
the streak was broken in 2001.
On November 5, 2004, Baird won his 9,000th race. Baird’s
closest rival is his close friend, Jack Van Berg, who has 6,343
victories. Baird has also been the nation’s leading owner
by wins 17 times.
Top human campaigners
Adena Springs, which is owned by Frank Stronach, hit a home run
with Ghost-zapper, but he wasn’t the only top-notch runner
to be bred at the three stallion and breeding operations located
in Kentucky, Florida and Ontario. After leading the nation
by earnings for the second consecutive year, Adena Springs
was named outstanding breeder for 2004. Adena Springs-bred
runners won 400 races and earned more than $14 million last
season.
Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey, who enjoyed a terrific year with Grade
1 winners Kitten’s Joy, Roses in May and Nothing to Lose,
took the Eclipse Award for outstanding owner. The Ramseys continued
to win a slew of races in their home state, Kentucky, in 2004,
earning a record-setting ninth owners’ title at Churchill
Downs as well as the spring meet title at Keeneland, and they
were the leading owners at Gulfstream Park. Owners of Ramsey
Farm near Nicholasville, the Ramseys were also honored last fall
with the Warner L. Jones Jr. Horsemen of the Year award.
Todd Pletcher dominated the earnings list in 2004 to be named
top trainer. Racking up 240 wins from 948 starts (a 25 percent
win rate), his charges earned a total $17,511,923 in purses.
Among his other accomplishments, the 37-year-old conditioner
left his mark in New York last season. The leading trainer at
Saratoga for a second straight year after tying his record of
35 victories in a single meet, he also earned the training title
at Belmont’s spring meet with 33 wins.
Pletcher’s top winners in 2004 included Breeders’ Cup
and Eclipse Award winners Ashado and Speightstown, as well as
Cigar Mile Handicap-G1 victor Lion Tamer and Champagne Stakes-G1
hero Proud Accolade.
With Pletcher taking the Eclipse for top trainer, it was only
fitting that John Velaz-quez be named top jockey. The two have
proved to be an incredible team—as an example, combining
to win five races together at Saratoga on August 30. Velazquez
also broke the single-season record for jockey wins at the Spa
that he himself set in 2003. He topped all jockeys in earnings
last year, riding the winners of $22,248,661 in purses, and piloting
335 winners from 1,327 starts. The 33-year-old native of Puerto
Rico was aboard for Ashado’s score in the Breeders’ Cup
Distaff-G1 and Speightstown’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint-G1
victory.
Nineteen-year-old Brian Hernandez Jr. was named champion apprentice
jockey after recording 243 wins from 1,466 mounts. That was enough
to give him a 17 percent win rate for the year as well as $4,401,867
in purses earned. Hern-andez finished second in the jockeys’ standings
during Churchill Downs’ fall championship meet with 23
wins from 176 races.
Media eclipse awards.
Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred published the Eclipse Award-winning
photograph taken by Cindy Pierson Dulay. The picture showed
Maryland-bred Stephan’s Angel leaping in the air as trainer
John Servis attempted to saddle her for the Miss Preakness
Stakes at Pimlico. Dulay’s photograph appeared in the
July 2004 issue of this magazine. (Announcement of the award
appeared in the February 2005 Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred.)
Honorable mentions went to regular Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred
contributor and Monmouth Park/Meadowlands track photographer
Bill Denver for his May 14 photo in USA Today of Smarty Jones
galloping alone at Pimlico; and to Jonathan Palmer for capturing
jockey Clayton Chipperfield performing a back flip dismount in
a shot that appeared in The Steeplechase Times on April 23.
Other media Eclipse Awards were as follows:
Audio/Multi-Media Inter-net coverage of Thoroughbred racing:
Premiere Radio Networks, for its 90-minute live national coverage
of the Belmont Stakes; Shelby Whit-field, executive producer.
This was the third Eclipse Award for Premiere Radio, which previously
received honors in 2000 and 2002. Honorable mentions: Michael
Brunker of MSNBC for “21-Year-Old Trainer Wise Beyond Her
Years,” about trainer Kristen Mulhall, which aired on April
29, combining audio and narrative elements from the msnbc.com
Web site; and to WBAL Radio in Baltimore for its coverage of
the Preakness.
Local television: WAVE 3 TV, the Louisville NBC affiliate, for
its nine and a half hours of Derby day coverage. Production team
included producers Caroline Dickie, Amy Foos and Michael Lattin,
and director Tim Ingram. Steve Lang-ford is general manager of
WAVE 3 TV; Jeff Hoffman, station manager. Honorable mention:
CN8 in Philadelphia for “Smarty Jones: The Inside Story,” produced
by Bruce Casella, which aired on June 11.
National television—features: ESPN Original Entertainment
division for its documentary “Smarty Jones: America’s
Horse,” which aired on October 31 on ESPN and ESPN HD.
Executive producers were Mark Shapiro and Michael Antinoro. The
program was produced by Fredrick (Fritz) Mitchell and photographed
by Peter Franchella. Honorable mentions: NBC Sports for “Brotherly
Love,” produced by Alex Piper, which aired on May 15 during
its Preakness Stakes telecast; and ESPN Classic for “Woodie’s
World. . . Secretariat,” produced by Bud Lamoreaux, which
aired on October 28.
National television—live racing: NBC Sports for its production
of the Belmont Stakes. The show, produced by David Michaels,
aired on June 5 from Belmont Park. To date, NBC has won seven
Eclipse Awards, including four for its coverage of Triple Crown
races. Honorable mention: HDNet for its coverage of the Santa
Anita Derby. Producer was Darrell Ewalt.
News/commentary writing: Bill Christine for his article “Kayak
II” that appeared in the Los Angeles Times on December
24, 2003. The article explored the circumstances surrounding
the 1940 Santa Anita Handicap, in which *Kayak II finished second
to his stablemate Seabiscuit. Honorable mentions: Sean Clancy
for “Emptiness No Win Could Fill” about Angel Cordero
Jr., which appeared in Daily Racing Form on August 20, and to
Tim Layden, whose article “Why America Loves Smarty Jones,” appeared
in Sports Illustrated on May 10.
Feature/enterprise writing: Mike Jensen for his series of articles
in the Philadelphia Inquirer on the run of Kentucky Derby and
Preakness winner Smarty Jones through last year’s Triple
Crown. Jensen traced the story of Smarty Jones, trainer John
Servis, owners Pat and Roy Chapman and an array of individuals
working behind the scenes, from May 1 through August 6. Honorable
mentions: Pete Perkins of the Arkansas Democrat for a series
of articles titled “Thrills and Spills: Jockeys Ride for
the Rush. . .” that appeared on March 7, and Lenny Shulman,
for “Life After Racing,” which explored the retirement
and rehabilitation of ex-race horses, and appeared in The Blood-Horse
on February 28.
