New Eclipse Award created for the ladies

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Lexington, KY (Sports Network) - A brand new Eclipse Award has been created to honor female sprinters. The new category brings to 12 the number of champions that will be recognized with an Eclipse Award.

The awards are voted upon by members of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers Association (NTWA).

"We received a lot of feedback from NTWA members and there was a near unanimous feeling that the move to create an Eclipse Award for Champion Female Sprinter was long overdue," said Tom Law, President of the National Turf Writers Association and Managing Editor of the Thoroughbred Times. "It was also felt that expansion into other categories should be considered in the future, but not at this time."

The Eclipse Award for Champion Filly or Mare Sprinter comes on the heels of the addition of a Breeders' Cup race for filly and mare sprinters. The new $1 million race will be conducted for the first time at this year's World Thoroughbred Championships at Monmouth Park in New Jersey.

"The suggestion to consider expansion came from a number of industry organizations and individuals who participate in the Eclipse Award voting process," said Keith Chamblin, Senior Vice President of the NTRA and a member of the Eclipse Awards Steering Committee. "Their interest in revising the awards to more accurately reflect the changing American racing landscape will receive further consideration over the next 10-12 months. Areas that will receive additional analysis going forward include the three-year-old turf divisions and the mile divisions on both dirt and turf. Attention will also be paid to the eventual impact of the new Breeders' Cup World Championship races."