WinStar Farm – the Versailles, Ky., breeding operation that is home to leading stallions like Tiznow, Distorted Humor and Pioneerof the Nile – has signed on as the primary sponsor for TVG’s live coverage of the 47th Annual Eclipse Awards, presented by Daily Racing Form, Breeders’ Cup and The Stronach Group on January 25 at 8 p.m. ET. TVG also will provide pre-event coverage from the red carpet and post-event interviews with the Horse of the Year connections.
“The Eclipse Awards showcases the best in our sport each year,” said Elliott Walden, WinStar Farm President & CEO. “We are honored to have Always Dreaming and Battle of Midway as 3-Year-Old Male finalists, and for WinStar Farm to have a chance to be back-to-back Outstanding Breeder. We are proud to partner with the NTRA to help broadcast this terrific event to the rest of the world.”
WinStar Farm won the 2016 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Breeder and is a finalist for the third time this year. WinStar also won an Eclipse Award as Outstanding Owner in 2010.
Grade 1 winners of 2017 bred by WinStar include Bolt d’Oro, an Eclipse Award finalist in the 2-Year-Old Male division, as well as New Money Honey, American Patriot, and Mr. Hot Stuff, an Eclipse Award finalist for Outstanding Steeplechase Horse. Other top runners of 2017 by WinStar stallions include Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming (an Eclipse Award finalist in the 3-Year-Old Male division), by Bodemeister; Preakness Stakes runner-up Classic Empire, by Pioneerof the Nile; and Breeders’ Cup winners Rushing Fall (a finalist for 2-Year-Old Filly) and Roy H (a finalist for Sprinter), by More Than Ready.
The four Grade 1 winners are tied for most by any breeder this past season. WinStar was the North American leader by all graded stakes wins with nine.
“We are very appreciative of WinStar’s help making the live Eclipse Awards telecast available on TVG with limited commercial interruption, and congratulate them on again being a finalist for Outstanding Breeder,” said Alex Waldrop, President and CEO of the NTRA, which produces the ceremony.
TVG is in more than 45 million homes nationwide and also available via DirecTV Now, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV, and Roku.
The Eclipse Awards are voted upon by Equibase chart callers and racing secretaries and officials representing the NTRA; members of the National Turf Writers And Broadcasters; and staff from Daily Racing Form.
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 bestowed upon horses and individuals whose outstanding achievements in North America have earned them the title of Champion in their respective categories. Those awards are voted by NTRA, Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB). Eclipse Awards also are given to recognize members of the media for outstanding coverage of Thoroughbred racing.
A complete list of past Eclipse Award winners can be accessed online at http://ntra.kinsta.cloud/en/eclipse-awards/history.
Tickets to The Eclipse Awards ceremony are on sale for $425 each or $4,000 for a table of 10. For reservations, please contact Casey Hamilton of the NTRA at chamilton@ntra.com, or call (859) 422-2627. For more information on The Eclipse Awards, visit ntra.com/eclipse-awards.