“I was kicking around the Pimlico barn area the day before the Preakness, taking notes, talking to people,” Clancy said. “The place felt empty, a little strange due to the Covid restrictions on attendance and media access. It was October, not May.

"And then I saw Kenny McPeek hosing Swiss Skydiver's legs outside the barn and thought of all the horses I hosed when I worked in my father's barn. I wandered over, said hello, fed the filly a mint or two and Kenny and I talked horses for a while. It was amazing. I remember walking away hoping she would win so I could write about it. She had to come through on the track, and did she ever. The battle with Authentic was just what the 2020 Preakness needed, and it was an honor to tell her story.”

           

Clancy is the owner, publisher, editor and a writer for ST Publishing Inc., parent company of thisishorseracing.com, and editor of Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred, a monthly magazine published by the Maryland Horse Breeders Association. In 2014 he won an Eclipse Award for excellence in writing. Clancy lives in Fair Hill.

Smith, a staff photographer at Getty, was named recipient of the Jerry Frutkoff Photographer Award for his photo of Swiss Skydiver and Authentic battling in the stretch. The image was published by Getty on Oct. 3, 2020.

“I loved the facial expression of (Robby) Albarado as he went nose-to-nose with the filly to defeat the Kentucky Derby winner,” Smith said. “All the excitement we dream of when photographing racing was there.”

Smith acknowledged co-worker for Rob Carr for his support and vision, and his late grandfather Paul Szugaj for his love of Thoroughbred racing.

“I would be remiss if I didn’t say anytime I’m against the rail photographing racing – those two are on my mind,” he said.

The award-winning photo may be viewed here.

Clancy and Smith will be recognized Friday at Pimlico.