Photo Highlights of NTWAB's 59th Annual Awards Dinner

Photos by Paul Rolfes

President Tom Law welcomes a capacity crowd to the venue at 4th Street Live!.

Tom Leach, voice of the Kentucky Wildcats and the event's emcee.

Bob Baffert shares a laugh at the Jockeys' Guild table during cocktail hour.

Jim Gluckson accepts the Joe Palmer Award for meritorious service to racing, presented by Tom Pedulla.
President Law and our event planner, Loren Hebel-Osborne, look on.


Donna Barton Brothers won the Jim McKay Award for Excellence in Broadcasting. Tom Hammond presents.

The irrepressible Marty McGee speaks after being presented with the Walter Haight Award for career excellence in turf writing.

Triple Crown winning jockey Mike Smith, aka Big Money Mike, accepts the Mr. Fitz Award for typifying the spirit of racing.

Martine Bellocq was injured saving horses from fire at San Luis Rey, putting them first.
Accordingly, she received the Bill Mooney Award for courage in the face of adversity.
Remi Bellocq accepts on her behalf from Natalie Voss.


Mark Midland speaks after accepting the Ron Rippey Award for Handicapping Media.

Jay Privman is eloquent as ever after winning two Breeeders Cup writing awards

for news reporting and feature writing.


 


At the dinner, ceremonial checks were presented showing 2018 charitable donations by NTWAB as follows:


Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance; amount $1,000.00; designated by Donna Barton Brothers.


John Asher Scholarship Fund at Western Kentucky University; amount $1,000.00; designated by Marty McGee.


John Asher Scholarship Fund at Western Kentucky University; amount $1,000.00; designated by National Turf Writers and Broadcasters.


Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund; amount $1,000.00; designated by Jim Gluckson.


Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund; amount $1,000.00; designated by Mike Smith.


United Pegasus Foundation; amount $1,000.00; designated by Martine Bellocq.


Kidney Health Alliance of Kentucky; amount $500; designated by Tom Leach.


 


--By Dick Downey for NTWAB

January 23, 2026
Cutting to the chase, and to the surprise of almost no one, the HORSE OF THE YEAR is SOVEREIGNTY. Other finalists were Forever Young and Journalism. Congratulations!
January 8, 2026
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters today announced the winners of the 2025 Media Eclipse Awards in six categories. Every entry must have been primarily published or aired for the first time between November 16, 2024, and November 14, 2025.
January 4, 2026
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB) today announced the finalists for the 2025 Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards, recognizing excellence through the past year in Thoroughbred racing.
December 26, 2025
The National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB), with matching financial support from The Jockey Club, has agreed to support a record nine internship applications at horse racing media outlets in 2026, by far the largest group funded since the program began in 2023.
December 4, 2025
It was great seeing so many of you at Del Mar for the 2025 Breeders’ Cup and during our annual NTWAB Awards Dinner and our general membership meeting during Breeders’ Cup week.
December 2, 2025
The National Turf Writers and Broadcasters with matching financial support from The Jockey Club, today announced a substantial expansion of its internship funding program for equine media outlets in 2026. Both organizations have authorized contributions of up to $12,000 each, co-funding potentially eight paid internships designed to bolster staffing in horse racing media and foster the next generation of equine journalists.
By Dick Downey November 1, 2025
A sold-out crowd attended the 65th edition of the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters Annual Awards Dinner at The Brigantine Del Mar on Oct. 29 where four traditional NTWAB Awards and four Breeders'.Cup Media Awards were presented. Photo array by Skip Dickstein. Narration by Dick Downey with contributions by Byron King.
October 23, 2025
I’m excited to see many of you at our 65th annual NTWAB Annual Awards Dinner on Oct. 29, the next day during our bi-annual general membership meeting Oct. 30 at Del Mar in the auxiliary press box, and during the two-day Breeders’ Cup World Championships Oct. 31-Nov. 1.
October 7, 2025
Lexington, Ky. (Oct. 7, 2025) ─ The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), in conjunction with Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers And Broadcasters today released the guidelines for the 2025 Media Eclipse Awards. The media awards are presented by the NTRA, Daily Racing Form, and the NTWAB in recognition of outstanding achievement in media coverage of Thoroughbred racing.
By Dick Downey September 9, 2025
Bill Christine, a multiple award-winning sports and turf writer and former president of NTWAB, died at age 87.