Eclipse Award of Merit goes to Penny Chenery

By: SPORTS NETWORK

New York, NY (Sports Network) - Penny Chenery, owner of the legendary Secretariat, will be presented with the Eclipse Award of Merit. The National Thoroughbred Racing Association made the announcement on Wednesday.

Chenery will be recognized for her lifetime of outstanding achievement in thoroughbred racing. She is best known as the owner of 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat. Regarded as possibly the greatest race horse of the last century, Secretariat became the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years.

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association has already announced some of the Media Eclipse Awards for 2005.

Louisville television station WAVE 3 has won the award for Local Television. WAVE is recognized for its pre and post-race coverage of the 2005 Kentucky Derby. This is the second consecutive year that the station received the award.

Sirius Satellite Radio wins the award for audio and multi-media internet for its coverage of the 2005 Breeders' Cup.

Lynn Roberts of Louisiana has been named the winner of the 2005 Media Eclipse Award for Photography. Her picture of a three-horse photo finish at the Fair Grounds of the Colonel E.R. Bradley Handicap on January 15 was selected as the winning photograph.

The Eclipse Awards for 2005 will be presented on Monday, January 23 in Beverly Hills, California at the Regent Beverly Wilshire. Jerry O'Connell, star of the television show "Crossing Jordan", will host the program for the second straight year.

The TVG channel will televise the program live beginning at 8:00 PM (ET).