The National Thoroughbred Racing Association announced the winners of three
Media Eclipse Awards on Monday. In the Feature/Enterprise category, Mike Jensen
won for his series of articles in the Philadelphia Enquirer on Smarty Jones’
campaign through the Triple Crown; Bill Christine won the News/Commentary
category for his article “Kayak II” in the Los Angeles Times that explored the
circumstances of Kayak’s runner-up finish to stablemate Seabiscuit in the 1940
Santa Anita Handicap; and Cindy Pierson Dulay captured the honor for Photography
for her shot of Stephan’s Angel (Crypto Star) acting up on the track before a
race at Pimlico.
Jensen, a staff writer for the Inquirer since 1988, traced the story of
Smarty Jones, trainer John Servis, owners Roy and Pat Chapman, jockey Stewart
Elliott and an assortment of other characters working behind the scenes with the
Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness (G1) winner.
“This was easily the most fun and the most intense six weeks I’ve had in the
sports writing business,” Jensen said after winning his first Media Eclipse
Award. “The people involved with Smarty Jones were real life stories, and this
was a great sports story, even if he had lost the Kentucky Derby. There was a
news story developing every day and it wasn’t hard getting out of bed in the
morning to cover this.”
Christine, a Los Angeles Times writer since 1982, won his second Media
Eclipse Award after being recognized for Outstanding Newspaper writing in 1984.
“With all the attention Seabiscuit garnered in 2003, I thought it was the
forgotten horse, Kayak, got lost in the shuffle,” Christine explained. “As I
researched it a little more, I learned what a great horse he was. Had he beaten
Seabiscuit that day, his career may have changed. He was a terrific horse with
Hall of Fame credentials.”
Piersen Dulay’s photograph, which was snapped prior to Stephan’s Angel’s
runner-up finish in the Miss Preakness (G3) on May 14, appeared in the July 2004
issue of Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred. The award is the first for her.
“I’m thrilled to win this award in a business I love very much,” siad Pierson
Dulay, who is a resident of Ontario. “The connections decided not to saddle
Stephan’s Angel in the enclosed paddock at Pimlico and instead brought her
outside in front of the stands (for saddling). I do look for horses acting up
from time to time, but this was a lucky shot.”
The 2004 Eclipse Awards will be held on January 24 at the Regent Beverly
Wilshire in Beverly Hills, California.