Mary Rampellini
NTWAB Annual Awards Dinner Shines As Team Golden Tempo, Velazquez, Other Notables Are Feted
A capacity crowd attended the 66th edition of the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters Annual Awards Dinner at Malone's Prime in Lexington, kY. where NTWAB presented achievement awards and Breeders'.Cup Media Awards winners were also presented. Photo array by Skip Dickstein. Narration compiled by Dick Downey with contributions from Byron King.
NTWAB president Byron King welcomes a capacity crowd to the 66th Annual Awards Dinner.
Team Golden Tempo won the Mr. Fitz Award for typifying the spirit of racing as NTWAB recognized the group behind the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner. The Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable-owned and -bred colt’s victories under Jose Ortiz propelled trainer Cherie DeVaux into the record books as the first woman to win the Kentucky Derby and the first female trainer to capture two American Classics. Assistant trainer and exercise rider Enrique Miranda and groom Jose Hernandez also played important roles in his preparations. Golden Tempo represented a long-term vision of Phipps Stable, headed by Ogden Phipps II and Daisy Phipps Pulito, along with Vinnie and Teresa Viola of St. Elias Stable and contributions from Monique Delk. Pictured are (L-R) emcee Steve Byk, NTWAB secretary Jennifer Kelly, Monique Delk, Teresa Viola, Vinnie Viola, Golden Tempo trainer Cherie DeVaux holding the trophy, assistant trainer David Carroll, Daisy Phipps Pulito, Enrique Miranda and Olivia Dapolite .
The Joe Palmer Award for for meritorious service To racing was presented to John Velazquez. He is one of the most accomplished riders in racing history, boasting more than 6,800 victories, multiple Eclipse Awards, six Triple Crown race wins including three Kentucky Derby wins, 22 Breeders' Cup victories, and countless grade 1 triumphs. Beyond those achievements on the track Velazquez served as the Jockeys’ Guild chairman for more than 20 years, later serving as co-chair with Mike Smith from 2018 until stepping down earlier this year. He remains an active board member. His service continues as a 20-year board member of the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund. Velazquez also serves on the board of the New York Racetrack Chaplaincy. In the photo are (L-R) emcee Steve Byk, John Velazquez, Leona Velazquez and Terry Meyocks, CEO of the Jockeys' Guild.
Bob Ehalt won the Breeders' Cup Joe Hirsch Award for Outstanding News Reporting. Julie June Stewart, who could not attend, was named for the Bill Leggett Award for Outstanding Feature Writing. Pictured are Byk, Ehalt and Jim Gluckson, head of Media Relations for Breeders' Cup.
Frank Taylor, who co-founded Stable Recovery with Christian Countzler, accepted on behalf of graduates of the program the Bill Mooney Award for displaying courage in the face of tremendous adversity. Stable Recovery uses horses in a role Taylor
described as "the secret sauce" that has helped dozens of individuals recover from substance abuse, supporting them on their path to sobriety and helping them find meaningful employment within the Thoroughbred racing industry.
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Above, Bill Selwyn is shown accepting the Breeders' Cup Tracy Award for Outstanding Photography from Claire Crosby, Breeders' Cup Vice President of Communications. Below, Crosby looks on as FanDuel's Anna James accepts the Tracy Award for Outstanding Videography.
The late Mary Rampellini, who died on July 4 at age 53, is the posthumous recipient of the Walter Haight Award for career excellence in turf writing. She was a full-time reporter and handicapper for Daily Racing Form for nearly a quarter-century. Her brother Ralph accepted the award in her behalf. Mary was raised in a racing family as the daughter of noted horseman Ralph Rampellini. Ralph told a spellbound audience stories of the family's lifelong experiences in the sport.
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Team TVG/FanDuel Racing is the recipient of the Jim McKay Award for excellence in broadcasting. Originally launched in 1999 as Television Games Network, TVG was rebranded as FanDuel TV in 2021. For 27 years the network provided comprehensive coverage of horse racing through a dedicated, year-round channel. FanDuel management began phasing out its horse racing television coverage this year. NTWAB has nothing but praise for their work and wishes everyone the best of luck. Rick Lee, center, accepted the award. Pictured are (L-R) Craig Watson, Zerfana Khan, Jeff Lifson, Caton Bredar, Joaquin Jaime, Simon Bray, Rebecca Somerville, Lee, Anna James, Joe Chile, Roger Roman and Emily Shields.
NTWAB Treasurer Dick Downey thanks our program sponsors and everyone in attendance for helping our organization donate $8,000 to The Horse Farm Workers' Educational Assistance Fund (designated by Steve Byk), Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fung (John Velazquez and Team FanDuel/TVG), Race Track Chaplaincies at Lone Star Park, Remington Park and Oaklawn Park (on behalf of the late Mary Rampellini), Stable Recovery LLC, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (Team FanDuel/TVG) and the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (Team Golden Tempo); and for assisting our funding in cooperation with The Jockey Club of an internship program that reached over $15,000 this year. We will see you next year in New York.
Breeders' Cup Pre-Entries and PPs All in One Place
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 2026 Media Eclipse Awards.
Breeders’ Cup Limited is now accepting entries for the Breeders’ Cup Media Awards, which honor the best Photography, Videography, News Reporting, and Features from the 2025 Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
Team Golden Tempo, Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, the late turf writer Mary Rampellini, the broadcast team from TVG and FanDuel Racing, and the graduates of Stable Recovery will be honored during the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters’ 66th Annual Awards Dinner on Wednesday, Oct. 28, in Lexington, Ky.
Breeders’ Cup Limited is now accepting entries for the Breeders’ Cup Media Awards, which honor the best Photography, Videography, News Reporting, and Features from the 2025 Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
Mary Rampellini, who made her career as a reporter for Daily Racing Form, died July 4. A longtime member of National Turf Writers and Broadcasters, Rampellini began her work for DRF almost 30 years ago.
My fellow NTWAB Members, It was great seeing so many of you during the Triple Crown season and at our biannual meeting held during Kentucky Derby week.
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 .
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'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.....
