The 54th Annual Eclipse Awards
In this year’s Annual Eclipse Awards, Horse of the Year was an easy decision and 99% of you will agree with me (there’s always that one). Champion Jockey was also pretty straightforward, as my selection set new records in two categories this year. We’ll see if you concur. As always, you may not agree with all of my opinions; in…
2023 Eclipse Award Voting
This year was not nearly as difficult as the last couple of years, with the exception of trying to decide on those second and third spots in a few categories. I tried so hard to vote in the Steeplechase category. Trainer Keri Brion, whose stable includes both flat and steeplechase horses, was nice enough to write a piece for the…
2022 Eclipse Award Voting
Those of you who have read my Eclipse Award voting posts over the past couple of years already know that I believe it’s important to not only take a defensible position in one’s voting, but also to share one’s reasoning behind those votes. In no year is that more important than this year: a year in which Champion three-year-old colt…
2021 Eclipse Award Voting
It’s that time of year again—Eclipse Awards voting. As a member of the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB) I have the privilege and the honor of having a vote in the Annual Eclipse Awards but, as I’ve said in prior years, I believe that vote comes with some responsibility. For me that means a few things. One, abstaining in…
What’s Right and Wrong in Horse Racing and the Need for Cooperation
This is an article that first appeared in the Paulick Report in two parts. I felt compelled to write this piece because so few people talk about what horse racing is getting right these days. There is a lot of good news to report and many reasons to feel excited about the future of horse racing. However, I couldn’t write…
2020 Eclipse Award Voting
My first high-pressure assignment of the New Year: Eclipse Award voting. While it is both an honor and a privilege to have a vote, it’s important to me to get it right. I take none of these categories lightly as an Eclipse Award win (or loss) can mean the world to the people involved. While I try not to be…
