Eclipse Awards for older runners get new names

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Lexington, KY (SportsNetwork.com) - The groups that vote for the Eclipse Awards announced Thursday the renaming of the categories for Older Male and Female thoroughbreds.

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association, National Turf Writers and Broadcasters and Daily Racing Form announced that the Older Male category has been renamed Older Dirt Male and the Older Female category has been renamed Older Dirt Female. These changes will take effect for the 2015 Eclipse Awards.

"There has been a growing consensus among members of the three voting organizations to more clearly define the older horse categories in determining male and female champions on dirt and turf," said Keith Chamblin, Senior Vice President of the NTRA and a member of the Eclipse Awards steering committee. "Older male and female turf horses will continue to compete for the turf championships in their gender divisions, while the older male and female dirt horses will compete strictly against horses on the dirt or main track surfaces in their respective divisions. All are eligible for the Horse of the Year category."

There are already Eclipse Awards for Older Male Turf and Older Female Turf horses. Previously, the Older Male and Female categories included all thoroughbreds running on all surfaces. Any horse that runs primarily on synthetic tracks will be eligible for the Older Dirt awards.