President's Message: Breeders' Cup

Greetings. It was great seeing many of you last week at the Breeders’ Cup and for our two primary events – the 63rd annual NTWAB Awards Dinner and the membership meeting.
 

The Awards Dinner was blessed with more than 120 attendees, including a 100 percent attendance rate for our winners (something we were unlucky about the last two years). The venue – secured almost at the 11th hour by our event-planning team led by Loren Hebel-Osborne – at the Altadena Town & Country Club seemed well received. Take a moment to check out the photos from the event here, courtesy of Mary Eddy from NYRA (and former member of our team at The Saratoga Special). 

The event obviously took on greater significance in the aftermath of the Breeders’ Cup with the passing of Cody Dorman, who came with his parents as part of “Team Cody’s Wish.” And the trend of good karma for horsemen who show up at the event also continued as Bill Mott, who was on hand with “Team Cody’s Wish,” won three races over the weekend.

Thirty-six members – 17 in person and 19 via Zoom – attended the membership meeting, where we discussed protocols, issues, complaints and other topics with representatives from HISA and HIWU. We also received a report from the Membership Review Committee, the Scholarship/Internship committee, discussed Media Eclipse Awards (the deadline is 8 p.m. ET Friday, Nov. 17) and some changes in the rules for 2023 and approved applications for 10 new members.

Welcome to Regular Writer members Karen Johnson, Jim Mulvihill, Ken Snyder and Remi Bellocq; Regular Broadcaster members Todd Schrupp, Matt Bernier and Mike Joyce; and Associate members Dubbs Anderson, Carlos Morales and Anthony Mormino.

Attached are Minutes from the meeting from Jennifer Kelly, along with the Treasurer's Report from Dick Downey.

Please let me know of any issues you encountered at the Breeders’ Cup. I typically have a follow-up meeting with Jim Gluckson to discuss any issues related to access, credentialing, etc., in the immediate weeks after the event.

Eclipse Award voting will begin soon; so please be sure to have dues paid up and let Jennifer Kelly know of any address changes for the printed voting packet as soon as possible.

Finally, I wish you all a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

Tom Law
NTWAB President
November 10, 2023

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.

Letter from the President: Breeders' Cup on the Horizon

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.

2025 Media Eclipse Awards Rules

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.

Bill Christine, Former NTWAB President, Dead at 87

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.