NTRA | Horse Racing Free Tips

Mary Holthaus Voted Winner Of Eclipse 50 Contest; Secretariat Fan-Favorite

Mary Holthaus first became a fan of Thoroughbred racing while watching Secretariat uncork his legendary form during his sweep of the 1973 Triple Crown. Forty-eight years later, Holthaus and Big Red were linked again as the former was selected as the winner of the NTRA Eclipse 50 Contest, which asked fans to choose their top 10 favorite Eclipse Awards champions, along with their favorite champion jockey and trainer, from the past 50 years.

Holthaus, who resides in Easton, Maryland, was randomly selected from the participants who submitted a ballot. The longtime racing fan won a trip for two to Lexington, Ky., to spend a day at the races at Keeneland Race Course, tour the Four Roses Bourbon Distillery and visit historic Spendthrift Farm, home of 2020 Horse of the Year Authentic.

“I am still shocked that I won this contest,” said Holthaus, who owns shares in four horses through MyRacehorse.com. “I became interested in racing in 1973 due to Secretariat. In fact, due to Secretariat, my life would change forever. I have been to Kentucky two times before, once to see Secretariat when he was alive and one time to attend the Derby and visit the horse farms in Lexington.

“I am very thrilled to go to Spendthrift Farm and see the top stallion in the country along with all their other wonderful horses.”

Holthaus was announced as the Eclipse 50 contest winner during the 50th annual Eclipse Awards ceremony, which was presented virtually on January 28 by Spendthrift Farm. Later in the broadcast, it was revealed – fittingly – that Secretariat himself had been voted the No. 1 all-time Eclipse Awards champion.

Secretariat was followed in the balloting by 1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew in second. Champion Zenyatta was third with 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah fourth and two-time Horse of the Year Cigar fifth. Affirmed, winner of the 1978 Triple Crown, was sixth in the rankings followed by Hall of Famers John Henry, Ruffian, Forego, and Spectacular Bid completing the top 10.

Hall of Famer Bob Baffert was voted the all-time favorite Eclipse Award-winning trainer with Laffit Pincay, Jr. selected as the top Eclipse Award-winning jockey.

The Eclipse 50 ballot consisted of 10 horses, one jockey and one trainer from each of the past five decades selected by a panel consisting of media, racing historians and others.

Individuals participating on the panel that selected the Eclipse 50 and Champion trainers and jockeys were: Edward L. Bowen, Charlsie Cantey, Adam Coglianese, Irwin Cohen, Steven Crist, Dora Delgado, Tom Durkin, Bob Ehalt, Bill Finley, Tracy Gantz, Jim Gluckson, Amy Gregory, Tom Hammond, Evan Hammonds, Gregory Harbut, Steve Haskin, Charles Hayward, Jay Hovdey, Alicia Hughes, Dave Johnson, Jonathon Kinchen, Cate Masterson, Tom Law, Tim Layden, Amy Owens, Ray Paulick, Tom Pedulla, Mike Penna, Jay Privman, William (Billy) Reed, Jennie Rees, Ramiro Restrepo, Tom Robbins, Peter Rotondo, Andy Serling, Ellis Starr, Todd Schrupp, Mary Simon, Lynne Snierson, Denise Steffanus, Sonny Taylor, and Jon White.

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Authentic’s Kentucky Derby Win Voted NTRA Moment Of The Year

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced today that Authentic's stirring triumph in the 146th Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve has been voted the 2020 FanDuel Racing-NTRA Moment of the Year based on the results of 3,403 votes cast via Twitter and an online poll.

The winning moment occurred on September 5, 2020 at 7:05 p.m. ET on a day that saw the Run for the Roses contested without fans at Churchill Downs due to the coronavirus pandemic. Under handling from Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, Authentic defeated heavily favored Tiz the Law in the Kentucky Derby to give Spendthrift Farm its first win in the race under the helm of B. Wayne Hughes. The Kentucky Derby triumph also gave Velazquez his 200th career Grade 1 victory and trainer Bob Baffert a record-tying sixth win in the classic.

Adding to the magnitude of the moment was the fact that Authentic's triumph ignited a celebration from the more than 5,000 owners of My RaceHorse, one of several partners in the ownership of the son of Into Mischief along with Madaket Stables and Starlight Racing.

Represented on Twitter by the hashtag #AuthenticDerby, the winning moment earned 1,363 votes.

The FanDuel Racing-NTRA Moment of the Year will be recognized and memorialized at the 50th Annual Eclipse Awards presented by Spendthrift Farm which will air live on TVG and Racetrack Television Network (RTN) on January 28 at 8 p.m. The ceremony will also be streamed on the following outlets: NTRA.com; America's Best Racing Facebook page and Twitter feed; XBTV Facebook page; DRF.com; Bloodhorse.com; ThoroughbredDailyNews.com; Equibase.com; Breeders' Cup Facebook page and YouTube channel; MyRacehorse Facebook page and YouTube channel; and TOBA.org.

Moment of the Year voters chose from 11 occurrences in 2020 illustrating a range of human emotions as well as outstanding displays of equine athleticism. Authentic's exploits actually accounted for the top two voting choices as his triumph in the Nov. 7 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic in track-record time, represented by the hashtag #AuthenticClassic, finished second in the balloting with 1,010 votes.

Finishing third in the voting was Greg Harbut and Ray Daniels becoming the first Black owners in 13 years to have a Kentucky Derby starter when Necker Island finished ninth in the Run for the Roses. Signified by the hashtag #RepresentationMatters, that moment garnered 508 votes.

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.

The Eclipse Awards are sponsored by Spendthrift Farm, Roberts Communications, Four Roses Bourbon, Daily Racing Form, Breeders' Cup, FanDuel Group, The Stronach Group, TVG, Dean Dorton, Stonestreet Farm, Keeneland, Racetrack Television Network, Jackson Family Wines, Florida HBPA, Runhappy, 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.

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50th Annual Eclipse Awards To Be Presented Virtually, Program Will Air Live On Jan. 28

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association, National Turf Writers and Broadcasters and Daily Racing Form announced today that the 50th Annual Eclipse Awards, presented by Spendthrift Farm, will air live on TVG and Racetrack Television Network on Thursday, Jan. 28, beginning at 8 p.m. ET., and also streamed on other outlets and platforms.

This year's ceremony will be a virtual telecast. NBC Sports' Kenny Rice will anchor the program from Lexington, and will be joined by many fellow Eclipse Awards' masters of ceremonies and presenters from the past 20 years. Britney Eurton and Jeannine Edwards will present from historic Spendthrift Farm, home to some of racing's greatest champions. Acacia Courtney and Gabby Gaudet will present from Gulfstream Park in Florida; Gary Stevens and Daily Racing Form National Correspondent Jay Privman from Santa Anita Park in California, and Kenny Mayne from EPSN Studios.

In addition to TVG and RTN, the Eclipse Awards ceremony will be shown live on the following outlets: NTRA.com; America's Best Racing Facebook page and Twitter feed; XBTV Facebook page; DRF.com; Bloodhorse.com; ThoroughbredDailyNews.com; Equibase.com; Breeders' Cup Facebook page and YouTube channel; MyRacehorse Facebook page and YouTube channel; and TOBA.org.

In addition to honoring the 17 winners in the horse and human categories, Thomas Goldsmith will receive the Eclipse Award as the 2020 Horseplayer of the Year. Members of the media will be honored for outstanding coverage in six categories.

In keeping with the 50th anniversary theme, results from the NTRA Eclipse 50 Contest, a vote by fans of their 10 favorite Eclipse Award-champion horses and their favorite champion trainer and jockey from the past 50 years, will also be revealed throughout the show.

The Eclipse Awards are conducted by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB), and Daily Racing Form. The Eclipse Awards ceremony is produced by the NTRA.

Order of Events for 50th Annual Eclipse Awards Ceremony:

1. Older Male
2. Older Female
3. Horseplayer of the Year
4. Steeplechase Horse
5. In Memoriam
6. Breeder
7. 3-Year-Old Filly
8. 3-Year-Old Male
9. Media Awards
10. FanDuel Moment of the Year
11. 2-Year-Old Male
12. 2-Year-Old Filly
13. Apprentice Jockey
14. Jockey
15. Trainer
16. Male Sprinter
17. Female Sprinter
18. Female Turf
19. Male Turf
20. Owner
21. Horse of the Year

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2021 National Horseplayers Championship Tour Begins Friday At HorsePlayers.com

The 2021 National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) Tour officially begins this Friday, Jan. 29 with a $75 online qualifier to be held on HorsePlayers.com, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced today.

Friday's contest will be the first NHC qualifier to offer 2021 NHC Tour points awarded to Tour members who finish in the top 10 percent of officially-sanctioned NHC contests and among the first contests to offer berths to the $3,000,000-estimated 2022 NTRA National Horseplayers Championship to be held at Bally's Las Vegas Jan. 28-30, 2022. The officially declared Tour points leader will be eligible for a $5 million bonus should he or she win the 2022 NHC.

The 2021 NHC Tour, which offers an additional $365,000 in prize money, runs through January 9, 2022 and is expected to offer hundreds of online and onsite opportunities to compete for an NHC berth. The top 75 individual point leaders on the overall year-end Tour Leader Board, who have not already qualified through an official on-track or online contest, will automatically qualify into the 2022 NHC. Horseplayers cannot buy an entry into the NHC; they must earn a berth in qualifying contests held throughout the year.

Tour membership of $50 must be paid prior to participating in an online or on-track NHC qualifier to be eligible to win a berth in the NHC. To sign up for the NHC Tour, go to www.ntra.com/membership.

For more information on the NHC Tour benefits and to view the official rules go to www.nhctour.com. A schedule of 2021 Tour events will be updated regularly at https://www.ntra.com/nhc/nhc-events/.

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