NTRA ANNOUNCES FINALISTS FOR ECLIPSE AWARDS

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), National Turf Writers Association (NTWA) and Daily Racing Form (DRF) today announced the finalists for the 2000 Eclipse Awards, voted on and presented by the three organizations in recognition of excellence in Thoroughbred racing. Finalists in the 11 equine and five human categories appear below. Winners will be announced at the Eclipse Awards ceremony, which takes place at the historic Saenger Theatre in New Orleans, La., Tuesday, Jan. 30.

Winners of the Special Eclipse Award and the Eclipse Award of Merit, as determined by a committee composed of representatives from the presenting organizations, will be announced on Friday, Jan. 5.

For Eclipse Awards ticket and hotel information, contact Jamie Haydon at the NTRA at (800) 792-6872, or via e-mail at jhaydon@ntra.com.

The Eclipse Awards are named after the great 18th-century racehorse and sire Eclipse, who began racing at age five and was undefeated in 18 starts, including eight walkovers. Eclipse sired the winners of 344 races, including three Epsom Derbies.

The finalists for each Eclipse Award category are (in alphabetical order):

2-YEAR-OLD FILLY
Caressing
Raging Fever
She's a Devil Due

2-YEAR-OLD COLT OR GELDING
City Zip
Flame Thrower
Macho Uno
Point Given

3-YEAR-OLD FILLY
Jostle
Spain
Surfside

3-YEAR-OLD COLT OR GELDING
Fusaichi Pegasus
Giant's Causeway
Tiznow

3-YEAR-OLD & UP TURF MALE
John's Call
Kalanisi (IRE)
War Chant

3-YEAR-OLD & UP TURF FEMALE
Gaviola
Perfect Sting
Tout Charmant

3-YEAR-OLD & UP SPRINT
Kona Gold (unanimous)

4-YEAR-OLD & UP MALE
General Challenge
Kona Gold
Lemon Drop Kid

4-YEAR-OLD & UP FEMALE
Beautiful Pleasure
Heritage of Gold
Riboletta (BRZ)

4-YEAR-OLD & UP STEEPLECHASE
All Gong (GB)
Pompeyo (CHI)
Yellowroad

HORSE OF THE YEAR
Kona Gold
Lemon Drop Kid
Tiznow

OUTSTANDING BREEDER
Juddmonte Farms
Harry Mangurian Jr.
Frank Stronach

OUTSTANDING OWNER
Michael Cooper and Cecilia Straub-Rubens
Juddmonte Farms
Frank Stronach

OUTSTANDING TRAINER
Robert Frankel
Scott Lake
Joseph Orseno

OUTSTANDING JOCKEY
Jerry Bailey
Russell Baze
Pat Day

OUTSTANDING APPRENTICE JOCKEY
Norberto Arroyo Jr.
Tyler Baze
Greta Kuntzweiler