The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced today that Daily Racing Form (DRF) and Breeders’ Cup Limited (BCL) have agreed to serve as Presenting Sponsors of the Eclipse Awards, now to be officially known as The Eclipse Awards Presented by Daily Racing Form and Breeders’ Cup Limited. The 41st annual Eclipse Awards ceremony will be held Monday, January 16, at the Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills (A Four Seasons Hotel) in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Voting for The Eclipse Awards Presented by Daily Racing Form and Breeders’ Cup Limited is conducted by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, National Turf Writers and Broadcasters, and Daily Racing Form.
“We are tremendously appreciative of the support and leadership demonstrated by Daily Racing Form and Breeders’ Cup in stepping up as the Presenting Sponsors of a night that holds so much significance to everyone in the Thoroughbred industry,” said Alex Waldrop, President and CEO of the NTRA. “For 117 years, DRF has been an intrinsic part of horse racing, as has Breeders’ Cup for the past 28 years. We are grateful for their devotion to the Eclipse Awards and their unwavering dedication to promoting the sport.”
“Our mission at DRF is to attract and grow new fans and cultivate thoroughbred racing’s next generation of horseplayers,” said John Hartig, CEO of Daily Racing Form. “Our increased involvement in the Eclipse Awards is a reflection of this mission, as well as DRF’s deep, abiding love of the traditions and Champions that help make Thoroughbred racing the greatest sport in the world.”
“There is an indisputable synergy between the Breeders’ Cup World Championships and the Eclipse Awards,” said Craig Fravel, President and CEO of Breeders’ Cup Limited. “This agreement is reflective of that connection and our desire to support and grow what is already one of the biggest nights in the industry.”
This year’s Eclipse Awards Presented by Daily Racing Form and Breeders’ Cup Limited features several hotly contested races, including Horse of the Year. Among the contenders for 2011 Horse of the Year is Havre de Grace, who would be the third consecutive female winner of racing’s most prestigious award, following Rachel Alexandra (2009) and Zenyatta (2010).
Tickets are available for $400 each or $4,000 for a table of 10. For ticket purchases and room reservations, please contact Michele Ravencraft of the NTRA at
mravencraft@ntra.com, or call (859) 422-2657. Order forms for tickets are available at
www.ntra.com/eclipsetickets.
The Eclipse Awards Presented by Daily Racing Form and Breeders’ Cup Limited are named after the great 18th-century racehorse and foundation 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.
Daily Racing Form, "America's Turf Authority since 1894" for Thoroughbred racing horseplayers and professionals throughout North America, is the Thoroughbred industry's dominant multi-channel media company. Launched in Chicago on November 17, 1894, Daily Racing Form is the only daily newspaper in the U.S. dedicated solely to the coverage of a single sport, publishing up to 2,000 unique pages of statistical and editorial copy every day, in as many as 30 daily editions, 364 days a year (with the exception of Christmas Day). Its companion website,
www.drf.com, is the most heavily trafficked horseracing destination, providing players with interactive past performances and exclusive handicapping and wagering tools.
The Breeders’ Cup administers the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Thoroughbred racing’s year-end Championships. The Breeders’ Cup also administers the Breeders’ Cup Challenge qualifying series, which provides automatic starting positions into the Championships races. Total purses for this year’s two-day event at Churchill Downs, Nov. 4-5, were $26 million. Breeders’ Cup press releases appear on the Breeders’ Cup Web site. You can also follow the Breeders’ Cup on social media platforms, Facebook, Twitter and on YouTube.
The NTRA is a broad-based coalition of horse racing interests consisting of leading Thoroughbred racetracks, owners, breeders, trainers, horseplayers and affiliated horse racing associations, charged with increasing the popularity of horse racing and improving economic conditions for industry participants. The NTRA has offices in Lexington, Ky., and New York City. NTRA press releases appear on the NTRA web site,
NTRA.com.
