Members of the NTWAB, here we are eight weeks away from the May 3 Kentucky Derby! I look forward to seeing many of you at Churchill Downs! Please make a note that our spring NTWAB meeting will take place at Churchill Downs on Wednesday, April 30 at 11 a.m. ET.

To promote transparency, National Turf Writers and Broadcasters annually discloses how its members voted for the top spot in each of the Eclipse Award categories. The attached chart , presented via Google Sheets, may be fully accessed by scrolling both vertically and horizontally.

Twitter posts @NTWAB by Dick Downey

Lexington, Ky. (January 8, 2025) ―The National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters today announced the winners of the 2024 Media Eclipse Awards in six categories.

The 2024 Eclipse Awards Finalists, with the exception of Horse of the Year, in alphabetical order.

The National Turf Writers and Broadcasters are pleased to announce the organization will support a record five internships at various horse racing media outlets in 2025.

Tim Layden, a member of National Turf Writers and Broadcasters, and former NTWAB members Ed Schuyler, Jr. and the late Edwin Pope have been selected to the National Museum of Racing’s Joe Hirsch Media Roll of Honor.

Outlets are encouraged to apply by Dec. 16.

Lexington, KY, November 8, 2024: The Eclipse Awards for Media are presented by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers And Broadcasters. Rules governing the Media Eclipse Awards are established by representatives of the three presenting organizations. MEDIA ECLIPSE AWARD CATEGORIES Writing - News/Enterprise Writing - Feature/Commentary Photography Television - Live Racing Programming Television - Features Audio/Multimedia Internet DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS Entries must be RECEIVED by 5:00 p.m. (ET), Friday, November 15, 2024. Entries received after that time will not be accepted. Entries for the Writing, Photography, and Audio/Multimedia Internet, and Television awards will be accepted through the Eclipse Awards Submissions Portal. Instructions are in the link below: https://www.ntra.com/eclipse-award-media-submission-portal/ ENTRY FEE None RULES Entries should display outstanding achievement in the coverage of North American Thoroughbred racing and must have been primarily published or aired for the first time between November 20, 2023, and November 14, 2024. All submissions are limited only to works pertaining to the Thoroughbred breed , and no other equine breed. Submissions on subjects, topics, and individuals that took place exclusively outside of North America will not be accepted. Print and Internet submissions (news/enterprise writing, feature/commentary writing, and photography) must have been published in a paid-circulation, independent publication OR on the Internet at a website that is a same-name affiliate of a paid-circulation, independent publication, recognized broadcast news organization (e.g., The BloodHorse Interactive, the Boston Globe Online, MSNBC) or on an independent, non-industry supported website. Internet submissions that originate from blogs or social media platforms are not eligible for the competition, unless previously authorized. Television entries must have aired on a commercial, subscription or public television station. Audio/Multimedia entries must have aired on a commercial or public radio station or been broadcast on the Internet at a site that is a same-name affiliate of a paid-circulation publication or recognized broadcast news organization. Fiction or entries that constitute a commercial application (e.g., advertisements, publicity or promotions) are not eligible in any category. Submissions from recognized Thoroughbred industry outlets will be accepted as long as those submissions appear in a recognized paid circulation publication, website, television, or multimedia outlet. Submissions that appear solely on the industry outlet's website or video platform will not be accepted. Submissions by industry outlets are subject to review by the Eclipse Award Steering Committee prior to official entry into the competition in all categories. LETTERS OF ENTRY Entries must originate with the author (print submissions) or producer (audio/multi-media Internet and television submissions). All entries must include a cover letter, and uploaded in the Submissions Portal from the author (for print submissions), photographer (for photography submissions), or producer (for audio/multimedia Internet and television), stating his/her wish to enter his/her materials; publication/broadcast information (outlined below); and contact information (name, address, telephone, fax, cell phone and e-mail, as applicable). Please indicate the category of each submission in your cover letter. If you are submitting in two distinct categories please include two separate cover letters. The cover letter in the two writing categories, photography and audio/multimedia must be written in a stand-alone Word Document and uploaded to the Submissions Portal. Please include the date that the media organization published the article, in the cases of the writing and photography awards, or the air date of a multi-media/internet submission. DO NOT include information in your cover letter extolling the virtues of your story and the “impact” on the public at large, or the time and effort devoted to writing or producing the entry. The judges will not see your letter, and it will have no bearing on the outcome of the competition. Editors may submit print materials on behalf of authors, provided such submissions include the cover letter described above. All other third-party submissions will be rejected. In the writing categories, submissions by editors on behalf of multiple writers from a publication on a feature subject, special section, or a compendium of stories on breaking news will be rejected. Authors and producers must identify in their cover letters any sections of their submissions that have been previously published in their current form i.e., tracts of copy taken verbatim from articles or videos containing the exact same language or narration, which is being repurposed for the current entry. This information will be relayed to the judges. The presenting organizations reserve the right to determine the eligibility of all entries and to disqualify an entry at any time, including after the determination of an award, at its sole discretion. The presenting organizations reserve the right not to bestow an award in a particular category, based on the quantity or (as determined by a panel of judges) the quality of submissions. Questions concerning eligibility should be directed to the address for entries, listed below. By submitting an entry for consideration, the entrant represents and warrants that submission is a factual and accurate depiction of the subject it concerns. LIMITS ON ENTRIES Two per entrant, per category (with an exception for a multi-part series in the writing categories). Entrants in the writing categories are limited to submissions by the individual author, or by the author’s editor, with permission from the author. Upon submission, you will receive an automatic reply from NTRA to notify you that your entry or entries have been received. The NTRA will contact you directly if there are any rules or issues with your submission. It is the obligation of the individual to follow up if he or she did not receive an automatic reply in the writing, multi-media, and photography categories. MEDIA ECLIPSE AWARDS CATEGORIES 1) News/Enterprise and Feature/Commentary Writing There are two categories of competition for Writing awards: 1) News/Enterprise – Submission guidelines for works in this category are the following: timely, hard news articles and expository pieces involving concentrated background research, investigative reporting, or news analysis. 2) Feature/Commentary – Submission guidelines for works in this category are columns, opinion pieces, essays, viewpoints, and biographical profiles. Submissions from industry outlets that are published by a recognized publication will be eligible for the competition in an unedited version in either category. However, standard press releases will not be accepted. Submissions that appear solely on the industry outlet's website or video platform will not be accepted. Please note that competition in the Writing categories is limited to three (3) authors in the byline for single articles or for articles submitted as a multi-part series. -No Q&A submissions will be accepted in either category. Multi-Part Series Rules Within each category of writing, authors may submit a multi-part series of related articles that: A) Have been pre-arranged by the editors and stated in the published work that the articles constitute a specified series; with the same subject matter (e.g., racing surfaces, medication) examined or profiled in each article of the series. Articles submitted under the title “occasional series” will not be accepted. Collections of articles under the title “The Year in Horse Racing” will not be accepted. B) Authors submitting a multi-part series may not submit an additional piece in the same category. They may, however, enter another category, subject to the rules outlined above. Submission in either the News/Enterprise or Feature/Commentary category excludes the candidate from submitting the same written piece in the Audio and Multi-Media Internet category. Books – Excerpts from published books, whether complete narratives or in anthology form, will not be accepted. Authors must identify in their cover letters any sections of their submissions that have been previously published in their current form i.e., tracts of copy taken verbatim from articles or videos containing the exact same language or narration, which is being repurposed for the current entry. This information will be relayed to the judges. I. COVER LETTER Please upload a cover letter in the Submissions Portal stating the name, date, and publication of your submission and the category you have selected. Please also send a web link of your article as proof that it was published during the time period of the competition. II. SUBMISSIONS TO THE JUDGES · Authors must submit ONE copy of each submission in common Microsoft Word format. No Zip files will be accepted. DO NOT PLACE A WEB LINK IN YOUR MICROSOFT WORD DOCUMENT TO THE JUDGES. · Submissions must appear as the article was worded in the PUBLISHED form. · At the top of your submission, you must include the date and time that the article was first published. · All Headlines, Sub-Headlines, Bylines, and Hyperlinks MUST BE REMOVED from the submission. · No publication names are permitted on the submission. · You MUST REMOVE THE NAME OF YOUR PUBLICATION EACH TIME IT APPEARS IN YOUR SUBMISSION, and insert the words “name of publication removed;” e.g. “According to a recent study by the Anywhere USA Times…” must be changed to “According to a recent study by (Name of Publication Removed)…” · Photos, graphs, charts, hyperlinks, or other graphic elements appearing within the article(s) must be deleted. · The author must indicate for which writing category the work is being submitted (e.g., “News Enterprise” or “Feature Commentary” in the cover letter). Submissions Portal Link https://www.ntra.com/eclipse-award-media-submission-portal/ 2) Photography Photography entries are limited to images for events that took place in North America. Submission must have been published in a paid-circulation publication OR on the Internet at a website that is a same-name affiliate of a paid-circulation publication, recognized broadcast news organization (e.g., The BloodHorse, the Boston Globe Online, MSNBC) or on an independent news outlet. Photographs from recognized industry outlets that have been published on paid-circulation publications or recognized broadcast news organizations will be accepted. Internet submissions that originate from blogs or social media platforms are not eligible for the competition, unless previously authorized. Submissions from recognized Thoroughbred industry outlets will be accepted as long as those submissions appear in a recognized paid circulation publication, website, television, or multimedia outlet . Submissions that appear solely on the industry outlet's website will not be accepted. I. COVER LETTER Please upload a cover letter through the Submissions Portal in an attachment stating the name, date, and publication of your photography submission. Please also send a web link of your photograph as proof that it was published during the time period of the competition. NOTE: The cover letter is to be sent as a single stand/alone attachment and not an open document in the email part of the submission. II. SUBMISSION OF PHOTOGRAPHS Photographers must submit in jpeg format one image of each photo, with NO identifying marks (e.g., photographer’s name). The submission must be accompanied by a single “Web print” in the cover letter of the published photo showing date, publication title, and photographer’s name. Note: No Zip Files will be accepted. Submissions will be judged based on the following criteria: originality, creativity, composition, and magnitude of the moment. Please note that cropping of the original photo by the editor in the picture’s final published form will be accepted. However, photographs that include color enhancement, “Photoshopping” or deliberate alteration of the image will not be allowed in the competition. Submission Portal https://www.ntra.com/eclipse-award-media-submission-portal/ 3) Television – Live Racing Programming and Features Television entries (features or live racing programming) from a recognized over-the-air, cable, or satellite outlet are to be submitted in via the weblink to the portal listed below. Your link must be accompanied by a letter detailing the name of the entrant, the date each program aired, and the name of the station or network on which it aired. Commercials must be deleted or the entry will be disqualified. However, opening billboards returning from a commercial break will be accepted. An industry outlet may submit an entry as long as that submission has aired on a recognized television outlet. Submissions related to industry promotional projects or from breeding farms will not be accepted into the competition. There are two television award categories: 1. Live Racing Programming entries must be from a live racing program of Thoroughbred horse racing. Programs with the subject matter primarily devoted to morning workouts will not be included. 2. Feature entries may be submitted as either single, stand-alone pieces, a documentary, a historical piece, a news report, or as part of a live-racing program. Entries in the Features category are limited to 120 minutes. “Medley” tapes containing more than two features of any duration, will not be accepted. ALL SUBMISSIONS MUST BE SENT AS WEB LINKS and uploaded to the Submissions Portal. https://www.ntra.com/eclipse-award-media-submission-portal/ Please be sure your entry is not password protected and that your link will open directly to your submission. 4) Audio/Multimedia Internet Audio/Multimedia Internet entries is one category combining audio (radio, podcasts) with multi-media. It is not two separate categories. All entries must have aired on a commercial or public radio station or been on the Internet at a site that is a same-name affiliate of a paid-circulation publication or recognized broadcast news organization. Entries airing exclusively on YouTube will not be accepted. Submissions from industry outlets that are published by a recognized publication will be eligible for the competition in an unedited version in either category. Submissions that appear solely on the industry outlet's website or video platform will not be accepted. All entries in this category must be limited to 60 minutes. Entries for live radio broadcasts may submit a compilation of the best work over the course of one program. ALL SUBMISSIONS MUST BE SENT AS WEB LINKS and uploaded to the Submissions Portal. https://www.ntra.com/eclipse-award-media-submission-portal/ The Audio/Multimedia Internet category may consist of audio only (e.g., a radio or Internet-based broadcast) OR a multi-media, Internet-based submission, whose components include audio. No more than two (2) individual radio or Internet-based audio broadcasts per person may be submitted. “Medley” tapes containing more than three radio shows or Webcasts of any duration, will not be accepted. The Multimedia Internet entries must have one integrated theme and be presented in a Webcast centering on a news event, subject, or feature. To be eligible, the Webcast must include at least two forms of media, one of which must be original audio. The complementary form(s) of media may be video, photographs, graphics, and/or print (e.g., a story or stories). Please note that if the entry includes video, the video must be produced as original content. The entry, in its entirety, must be retrievable from one Internet frame, with links to components of the package being considered part of the frame, provided they link back to pages within the originating Web site and not to other, external Websites. Entries that first appeared over the air or on cable television prior to appearing on the internet will not be accepted. Submission in the Multimedia Internet category excludes the candidate from submitting the same written piece in the News/Enterprise or Feature/Commentary categories. Multimedia Internet submissions must be accompanied by a letter from the editor or equivalent senior official of the website, attesting that the package is the work of the author(s) or organization that submitted it and that it appeared on the website on the date(s) in question. Authors/Producers must identify in their cover letters any sections of their submissions that have been previously published in their current form i.e., tracts of copy taken verbatim from articles or videos containing the exact same language or narration, which is being repurposed for the current entry. This information will be relayed to the judges. Audio/Multimedia Internet entries must be submitted as a single URL Web address. Commercial breaks for radio entries must be deleted or the entry will be disqualified. However, an opening “billboard” with sponsor mentions will be permitted. Submissions of Webcasts and Radio Programs must be accompanied by: 1) A letter from the Web producer or equivalent senior official of the Website attesting that the work is that of the author who submitted it and including the date the program was Webcast and the name of the website on which it aired. 2) Program title and air date of the production or webcast. 3) The name of the network, radio station, or web outlet *** NOTIFICATION OF WINNERS Winners will be notified by the NTRA no later than Thursday, January 2, 2025. --Eclipse Awards release