Newsletter from President Byron King Ahead of Kentucky Derby

NTWAB's spring meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 29, at 11 a.m. ET in the press conference area at Churchill Downs. Members attending in person are welcome to join us on-site, and a Zoom option will be available for those unable to travel. More.....

My Fellow NTWAB members, 


I look forward to seeing many of you at Churchill Downs for the Derby in about five weeks.


Our spring NTWAB meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 29, at 11 a.m. ET in the press conference area at Churchill Downs. Members attending in person are welcome to join us on-site, and a Zoom option will be available for those unable to travel.


This spring, we have numerous terms expiring, including those of all our officers (president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary), as well as board positions currently held by Nicole Russo, Carlos Morales, and Sara Gordon. We will open the floor for officer nominations, then elections, and finally for those three board positions. 


If you are interested in serving, please let me or any officer/director know. Some directors may choose to run for re-election or not, though I suspect many will. We welcome the submission of anyone interested in serving the NTWAB.


Beyond that information, here are a few updates:


To promote transparency, the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters is again sharing how its members voted for the top selection in each Eclipse Award category. Please see the attached chart in a PDF format.


Regarding the Eclipse Awards, the board commends the membership for its strong and timely participation in this year’s voting. 138 of 144 authorized NTWAB voters (95.8%) submitted ballots, exceeding the overall 92% turnout across all three voting blocs.


We also extend our thanks to those organizations hosting interns this year: The Saratoga Special, BloodHorse, Daily Racing Form, the New York Racing Association’s television production with FOX featuring Saratoga Live, Maryland Horse Breeders and its affiliated publications, NBC, Horse Racing Happy Hour, Paulick Report, and Agentes 305. Your commitment to developing the next generation of equine journalists is greatly appreciated. With matching support from The Jockey Club, the NTWAB is proud to co-fund these opportunities.


In that same spirit, we recognize board member and broadcaster Scott Hazelton for speaking earlier this month with students in the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program. A recap of his visit, written by student Tashua Spiess, is available online. You’ll find it an enjoyable read. Thank you, Scott, for your time and efforts! Carlos Morales and I also plan to visit the program in the coming year. If you are interested in speaking with students at any college or university, please let us know—sharing the experiences of a turf writer or broadcaster may encourage some young people to pursue our profession.


Looking ahead, the Breeders’ Cup returns to Keeneland Oct. 30–31. Our annual awards dinner will return on Wednesday evening, Oct. 28, to Malone’s Prime in Lexington. They did a great job hosting us when the Breeders’ Cup was last at Keeneland. We hope you will make plans to join us.

A detailed agenda for the April 29 meeting will be circulated in advance. Planned topics include the annual membership review, new member applications, follow-up from the 2025 Eclipse Awards, and Triple Crown logistics. If there is an item you would like added to the agenda, please contact NTWAB Secretary Jennifer Kelly at thesirbarton@gmail.com.


Finally, if you know someone who may be a strong candidate for membership—or have a colleague within your organization who qualifies—please encourage them to apply. Applicants should submit a letter of interest along with two letters of recommendation to Jennifer Kelly at thesirbarton@gmail.com by April 22.


All the best,


Byron King
NTWAB President
March 27, 2026


Ben Baugh, Ocala Area NTWAB Member, Dies at 60

May 7, 2026
Ben Baugh, a longtime member of NTWAB, died unexpectedly overnight after the Kentucky Derby. He was 60. Baugh lived in Reddick, just north of Ocala, Fla., and most recently worked with 352today.com, where fellow journalist Scott Harrell described him as a consummate newsman. "In fact, the only things Ben loved more than the place he lived were the equine sports it helps nurture and support," Harrell wrote. "His final stories for 352Today concerned the region’s connection to his cherished Kentucky Derby. “Ben was a dedicated journalist who cared deeply about his work and the community he served. He brought curiosity, professionalism, and a steady presence every day,” wrote North Central Florida Media GM Lisa Varner in an internal announcement published at 352today. “His contributions to 352today and the stories he told will have a lasting impact, and he will be greatly missed.” Former trainer Randy Bradshaw eulogized Baugh on Facebook, writing "That’s so sad - spent a week with Ben when he was doing a piece on Wayne Lukas, he was a great person and talented writer!" Former jockey Pablo Morales posted upon his retirement, "I wanna give a huge thank you to Benjamin Baugh for writing about my career and my retirement, having his support thru my time as a jockey has been an honor...." Baugh's coverage of U.S. efforts to support local military veterans drew the praise of Todd Belknap, an official of Vets Helping Vets. "I met Ben when I was the Deputy Director at Vets Helping Vets USA. Ben was so approachable, and he had a keen sense of humor to navigate the rigors of journalism and the mine fields that accompany the trade," Belknap wrote. "Ben helped us tremendously at Veterans Helping Veterans USA, always fitting us in on his already crammed schedule whenever we had a story or event we needed help promoting." Baugh's LinkedIn bio says he was a graduate of Ashland University in Ohio and covered politics, public safety, education, religion, entertainment and equestrian sports for 28 years. He had previously written for the Ocala Gazette, its former sister publication Ocala Style, and Past the Wire. According to the latter publication, Baugh was "an intern at Thoroughbred Racing Communications, and through hands-on time at Adena Springs South and Crupi’s New Castle Farm, learning racing not just as a craft but as a way of life." Ed DeRosa of Horse Racing Nation posted at X, "Worked with Ben at TTimes way back when.RIP!" A report at 352.com says Baugh was discovered on the morning of May 3 by his stepfather, John Butt, who came to wake him for church. According to his Facebook page, Baugh is survived by his brother Matthew Baugh and cousins Errol Portman, Rita Schineis, Lorraine Portman and Carolyn Dent. A post at 352today.com says information about any memorial events will be forthcoming. We at National Turf Writers and Broadcasters extend our sympathies to Ben's family, friends and colleagues. By Dick Downey .

Open Letter to FanDuel and Flutter Entertainment from NTWAB

March 31, 2026
Earlier today, the board of directors of the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters shared a letter with executive leadership at FanDuel and Flutter Entertainment expressing our concerns regarding the decision to phase out FanDuel TV.

NTWAB 2025 Eclipse Awards Voting

March 27, 2026
Click through the link to view NTWAB members 2025 Eclipse Awards votes

The 2025 Eclipse Awards: It's Official

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!

Media Eclipse Award Winners Announced

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.

2025 Eclipse Awards Finalists Announced

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.

NTWAB, The Jockey Club to Co-Fund Record Nine Media Internships in 2026

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.

NTWAB Notes from the President

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.

National Turf Writers and Broadcasters Announces Expansion of Internship Funding for 2026

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.

NTWAB Annual Awards Dinner Honors Luck, Andersen, Harper, Ouzts

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.