The National Turf Writers and Broadcasters will present Martine Bellocq, a lifelong horsewoman who rushed into a burning barn trying to save her horses in a wildfire that decimated much of the San Luis Rey Downs training center last December, with the Bill Mooney Award for displaying courage in the face of tremendous adversity.
Bellocq suffered severe burns over 60 percent of her body and endured the amputation of a lower leg, multiple skin-grafting surgeries and dialysis throughout 2018. She joins two prior Mooney winners – the award’s namesake who died after a long battle with cancer in 2017 and retired jockey and owner Rene Douglas.
Bellocq will be honored along with the NTWAB’s other four award winners at the organization’s 59th annual Awards Dinner at Whiskey Dry in Louisville Wednesday, October 31. The NTWAB will honor Mike Smith (Mr. Fitz Award), Donna Barton Brothers (Jim McKay Award), Jim Gluckson (Joe Palmer Award) and Marty McGee (Walter Haight Award), along with other writing award winners announced that evening.
One of the first female exercise riders in her native France before moving to the U.S., Bellocq and her husband Pierre met in 1974 and have worked together for decades. More recently, they maintained a small string of horses in training under Martine’s name.
According to the San Diego Tribune, Martine Bellocq braved the flames multiple times, running in and out and dousing herself with water as she tried to coax favorite trainee Wild Bill Hickory from his stall. Although she was unable to save Wild Bill Hickory, it’s thought one of the couple’s then-2-year-olds survived the blaze because of her efforts.
Bellocq was honored with the Laffit Pincay Jr. Award at Del Mar earlier this year, as well as the Spirit of Courage Award from San Diego’s Burn Institute.
The NTWAB Awards Dinner is traditionally held during Breeders’ Cup Week and is the organization’s only fundraiser. A portion of the proceeds from the event are used toward scholarships for prospective Thoroughbred racing journalists and to support Thoroughbred industry charities.
Tickets are available for the event either by contacting Loren Hebel-Osborne at lorenpr@aol.com, NTWAB at ntwab2016@gmail.com, or this link to Eventbrite.
NTWAB release
