The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced today that the breakthrough performance by Japanese horses Loves Only You (JPN) and Marche Lorraine (JPN) at the 38th Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar last November has been voted the 2021 FanDuel Racing-NTRA Moment of the Year based on the results of 3,000 votes cast via Twitter and an online poll.
The FanDuel Racing-NTRA Moment of the Year will be recognized this evening at the 51st Annual Eclipse Awards presented by 1/ST Racing, FanDuel Racing Group and the NTRA at Santa Anita Park. The Eclipse Awards ceremony will air live on TVG and Racetrack Television Network (RTN) beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
In addition to TVG and RTN, the ceremony will be streamed live on NTRA.com, americasbestracing.net (ABR), Bloodhorse.com, DRF.com, Equibase.com, MyRaceHorse.com (YouTube), santaanita.com/live Thoroughbred Daily News (TDN.com), TOBA.org and XBTV.com.
In voting concluded Feb. 2, fans voted for #JapaneseDuo as the top Moment of 2021. On 13 previous occasions, Japanese-based horses had failed to win a race at the Breeders' Cup World Championships, but all that changed dramatically at last year's Breeders' Cup at Del Mar. On Nov. 6, DMM Dream Club's 5-year-old mare, Loves Only You, slipped between horses and won the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, and gave Japan its first-ever Breeders' Cup triumph. Not to be outdone, but just two hours later, U. Carrot Farm's Marche Lorraine shocked the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff, winning by a nose at 49-1, and awarding Japan its second win at the World Championships.
Moment of the Year voters chose from 11 occurrences in 2021 illustrating a range of human emotions as well as outstanding displays of equine athleticism. Following #JapaneseDuo in second place was #DiversityStepForward when George Leonard became the first African American trainer to compete in the Breeders' Cup World Championships.
Past Moments of the Year
The first-ever “NTRA Moment of the Year” was the touching scene between Charismatic and jockey Chris Antley following the 1999 Belmont Stakes. The next year's winner was the stretch run of the 2000 Breeders' Cup Classic, which saw Tiznow hold on for a dramatic victory against Giant's Causeway.
Tiznow won again the following year as fans selected his stirring repeat victory in the Classic over Sakhee. In 2002, fans cited the passing of the last living Triple Crown winner, Seattle Slew. In 2003, the popular Kentucky Derby win by Funny Cide was selected. Birdstone's upset win in the Belmont Stakes over Smarty Jones took down top honors for 2004. In 2005, fans selected Afleet Alex's spectacular victory in the 2005 Preakness Stakes.
Voters in 2006 chose Barbaro's gallant struggle to recover from his Preakness injury while at the New Bolton Center. The 2007 Moment of the Year was a historic victory by the filly Rags to Riches over Curlin in the Belmont Stakes. In 2008, it was Zenyatta's win in the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic. Zenyatta “repeated” in 2009 as fans selected her triumph in the Breeders' Cup Classic.
In 2010, fans selected Blame's narrow Breeders' Cup Classic victory over Zenyatta. Drosselmeyer's hard-fought win over Game on Dude in the Breeders' Cup Classic was the public's choice for 2011. For 2012, the recovery of Paynter from near-deadly battles with laminitis and colitis captured the hearts of voters like no other story. In 2013, fans recognized Mucho Macho Man's nose victory in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic for his popular connections. The 2014 award went to California Chrome's dominant win in Kentucky Derby 140. In 2015 there was a landslide vote in favor of American Pharoah's historic Triple Crown-clinching Belmont Stakes win. In 2016, California Chrome was again part of the winning moment – a dramatic Dubai World Cup victory that came as Victor Espinoza's saddle slipped out from underneath him.
In 2017, the tragic fire at San Luis Rey and the industry's response led the way among the votes cast while Justify's sweep of the Classics to become just the 13th Triple Crown winner was the clear pick the following year. In 2019, Maximum Security's historic disqualification in the 145th Kentucky Derby — the first winner in Derby history to be demoted for a racing infraction — earned the distinction.
Authentic's stirring triumph in the 146th Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve was voted the 2020 FanDuel Racing-NTRA Moment of the Year.
The Eclipse Awards are sponsored by Roberts Communications, Four Roses Bourbon, Daily Racing Form, Breeders' Cup, FanDuel Group, The Stronach Group and 1/ST Racing, Santa Anita Park, TVG, Dean Dorton, Stonestreet Farm, Keeneland, Racetrack Television Network, Jackson Family Wines, EquinEdge, Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, Hallway Feeds and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.
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.
