Photo Essay From Our 64th Annual Awards Dinner
Photos by Skip Dickstein.
Award Winners: Team Kenny McPeek, Backside Learning Center, Sean Clancy, Laffit Pincay III, Tom Law, John Cherwa
The National Turf Writers and Broadcasters' 64th Annual Awards Dinner was held at The Brigantine, with its gorgeous view of Del Mar, on Oct. 30.
NTWAB President Byron King, news editor at BloodHorse, welcomes the sold-out crowd.
Steve Byk of "At the Races" was an engaging emcee and helped us out tremendously. He designated an education fund at the National Horsemen's and Benevolent Association as the recipient of an honorarium for his services. Byk won the Jim McKay Award in 2021.
Sean Clancy, who delivered a humorous and moving acceptance speech, was named to receive the Walter Haight Award for Career Excellence In Turf Writing. After starting out as a steeplechase rider, his primary vocations have been with The Saratoga Special (along with his brother Joe, lower photo right, and Tom Law) and Steeplechase Times. King makes the presentation. Clancy chose Old Friends to receive a charitable donation from NTWAB.
King presents Laffit Pincay III with the Jim McKay Award for Excellence in Broadcasting after Pincay addressed the crowd, which included Hall of Fame jockey Laffit Pincay, Jr., his father (lower right), with passion for his chosen profession. Pincay has worked for HRTV, ESPN, NBC, and FOX/NYRA with class and professionalism. Amy Zimmerman (lower photo, right) delivered an eloquent introduction for Pincay. The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation and Racing for Home will receive charitable donations from NTWAB on behalf of Pincay.
Team Kenny McPeek was presented with the Mr. Fitz Award for for Typifying The Spirit Of Racing. McPeek is shown with his wife Sherri and exercise rider Danny Ramsey, whom McPeek said arrives at his barn every morning "bringing positivity." Team McPeek won the 150th Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Oaks with Mystik Dan and Thorpedo Anna, respectively. McPeek became first trainer to pull off the double since 1952 and only the third trainer overall to do so. Also pictured is Paul Fitzsimmons, the great-grandson of the late "Sunny Jim" Fitzsimmons, who introduced Team McPeek and for whom the award is named. McPeek chose The Race for Aftercare to receive a donation from NTWAB.
The Backside Learning Center was voted the winner of the Joe Palmer Award for Meritorious Service To Racing. Executive Director Sherry Stanley, top photo, accepted the award with great eloquence and accepted an NTWAB donation after being introduced by racing analyst Caton Bredar. The BLC is located at Churchill Downs and provides multiple services to backside workers and their families.
Tom Law, a six-time former NTWAB president, and John Cherwa each won Breeders' Cup Writing Awards for their coverage of the 2023 event. Tom Pedulla, lower photo, accepted for Cherwa, who could not be present. Pedulla won the Walter Haight Award in 2022. Presenting the awards were Breeders' Cup Director of Media Relations Jim Gluckson and Claire Crosby, Vice-President of Communications. Cherwa writes for the Los Angeles Times and Law for The Saratoga Special.
Dick Downey, NTWAB Treasurer and administrator of ntwab.org, tells the stories behind each of the night's donation recipients.
Sean Clancy, Tom Law, Steve Byk and Joe Clancy share a laugh as the dinner wraps up.
Longtime friends Mike Kane, Rhonda Norby and Tim Wilkin enjoyed a reunion at the NTWAB dinner. Kane (2023) and Wilkin (2019) are past winners of the Walter Haight Award. Norby is the Director of Marketing and Communications at Equibase.
Multi-talented broadcaster and writer Nick Luck (center), who hosts the Nick Luck Daily Podcast among other endeavors, and guests enjoy conversation as dinner is served.
Beautiful Del Mar lights up the night in the vista from the banquet area of The Brigantine.
--Our thanks to photographer Skip Dickstein for shooting the dinner. Photo essay by Dick Downey.
