As announced, 1/18/2010

Winners

The complete list of 2009 Eclipse Award winners and voting totals are below.

• Horse of the Year: Rachel Alexandra
• Two-Year-Old Male: Lookin At Lucky
• Two-Year-Old Filly: She Be Wild
• Three-Year-Old Male: Summer Bird
• Three-Year-Old Filly: Rachel Alexandra
• Older Male: Gio Ponti (4)
• Older Female: Zenyatta (5)
• Female Sprinter: Informed Decision (4)
• Male Sprinter: Kodiak Kowboy (4)
• Male Turf Horse: Gio Ponti (4)
• Female Turf Horse: Goldikova (4)
• Steeplechase Horse: Mixed Up (10)
• Owner: Godolphin Racing
• Breeder: Juddmonte Farms
• Jockey: Julien Leparoux
• Apprentice Jockey: Christian Santiago Reyes
• Trainer: Steve Asmussen

The winner of the Special Award, voted on by a panel of representatives from the three presenting organizations and previously announced, is Monique Koehler, founder of race horse rescue programs. The Special Award is presented to honor outstanding individual achievements in, or contributions to, the sport of Thoroughbred racing.

Media Eclipse Awards also are given in the categories of photography, audio and multi-media Internet, news/commentary writing, feature/enterprise writing, local television, national television–feature and national television–live racing programming to recognize members of the media for outstanding coverage of Thoroughbred racing. The 2009 Media Eclipse Awards winners, determined by a judges’ panel for each category and previously announced, are:

• Photography - Jeff Taylor, The Winchester Star, 'Rider Thrown'; March 9, 2009.
• Writing - Feature/Enterprise: Joe Drape, The New York Times; April 30, 2009.
• News/Commentary - Sean Clancy, The Blood-Horse, "Life's Work"; January 3, 2009.
• National Television - Live Racing: ESPN, The Belmont Stakes on ABC; Mike McQuade, Producer; June 6, 2009.
• National Television - Feature: NBC Sports, 'The Story of Mine That Bird, 50-1'; Rob Hyland and Jack Felling, Producers; May 16, 2009.
• Local Television – WLKY-TV- Louisville, Ky. 'Tom McCarthy'; John Boel and Scott Eckhardt, Producers; April 29, 2009.
• Audio and Multi-Media Internet - ESPN Radio, The 2009 Kentucky Derby; John Martin, Producer; May 2, 2009.

Eclipse Awards are bestowed upon the Thoroughbred horses and individuals whose outstanding achievements have earned them the title of Champion in their respective divisions. 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.

Voting Overview

In voting that concluded January 4, 2010, Eclipse Awards voters cast their ballots to rank the top three horses and individuals in each Championship division on a 10-5-1 point system basis with the exception of the Horse of the Year category. This voting established the top three finalists in each division, the names of which were released on Jan. 6, 2010. Eclipse Award winners; however, were determined by first-place votes only.

The tallies below represent only first-place votes from members of the consolidated voting entities, NTRA/Equibase, Daily Racing Form and National Turf Writers Association.

Voter participation rate: 232/271 = 85.6%

Two-Year-Old Male (Name, First-Place Votes)
Lookin At Lucky, 209; Vale of York, 17; Buddy’s Saint, 2; Noble’s Promise, 2; D’Funnybone, 1; Jackson Bend, 1.

Two-Year-Old Filly
She Be Wild, 171; Blind Luck, 41; Hot Dixie Chick, 17; Awesome Maria, 1; Biofuel, 1; Tapitsfly, 1.

Three-Year-Old Male
Summer Bird, 225; Mine That Bird, 4; Blame, 1; I Want Revenge, 1; No Vote, 1.

Three-Year-Old Filly
Rachel Alexandra, 232.

Older Male
Gio Ponti, 184; Einstein (BRZ), 18; Kodiak Kowboy, 16; Macho Again, 5; Furthest Land, 2; Rail Trip, 2; Well Armed, 1; Voter Abstentions, 4.

Older Female
Zenyatta, 231; Icon Project, 1.

Female Sprinter
Informed Decision, 222; Ventura, 6; Game Face, 1; Indian Blessing, 1; Music Note, 1; Diamondrella, 1.

Male Sprinter
Kodiak Kowboy, 118; Zensational, 54; Dancing in Silks, 43; Fabulous Strike, 9; California Flag, 6; Vineyard Haven, 1; Voter Abstentions, 1.

Male Turf Horse
Gio Ponti, 206; Conduit, 22; Presious Passion, 3; Court Vision, 1.

Female Turf Horse
Goldikova (IRE), 172; Ventura, 41; Magical Fantasy, 7; Midday (GB), 7; Pure Clan, 3; Forever Together, 1; Voter Abstentions, 1.

Steeplechase Horse
Mixed Up, 209; Red Letter Day, 3; Voter Abstentions, 20.

Horse of the Year
Rachel Alexandra, 130; Zenyatta, 99; Voter Abstentions, 2; No Vote, 1.

Outstanding Owner
Godolphin Racing, 61; Mr. and Mrs. Jerome S. Moss, 56; Juddmonte Farms, 40; WinStar Farm, 38; Stonestreet Stables and Harold McCormick, 15; Augustin Stables, 7; Michael Gill, 6; Darley Stable, 3; Zayat Stables, 2; Heiligbrodt Racing Stables, 1; Midwest Thoroughbreds, 1; Voter Abstentions, 2.

Outstanding Breeder
Juddmonte Farms, 157; Adena Springs, 44; Dolphus Morrison, 16; Maverick Productions, Ltd., 3; WinStar Farm, 3; Eugene Melnyk, 2; Darley Stable, 1. Voter Abstentions, 6.

Outstanding Trainer
Steve Asmussen, 130; John Shirreffs, 57; Jonathan Sheppard, 19; Bob Baffert,10; Saeed bin Suroor, 5; Bobby Frankel, 4; Jerry Hollendorfer, 2; Hal Wiggins, 2; Todd Pletcher, 2; Voter Abstentions, 1.

Outstanding Jockey
Julien Leparoux, 122; Garrett Gomez,46; Ramon Dominguez, 45; Calvin Borel, 13; Mike Smith, 3; Kent Desormeaux, 2; Russell Baze, 1.

Apprentice Jockey
Christian Santiago Reyes, 93; Luis Saez, 48; Luis Batista, 47; Inez Karlsson, 8; Michael Straight, 4; Omar Moreno, 3; Jose Vega, 3; Tony Maragh, 2; Casey Papineau, 1; Angel Serpa, 1; Voter Abstentions, 21, No Vote, 1.

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