The recovery of Paynter from deadly battles with laminitis
and colitis following his victory in the 2012 Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth
Park has been voted by fans the 2012 National Thoroughbred Racing Association
(NTRA) Moment of the Year.
The connections of Paynter will be honored with the
“NTRA Moment of the Year” award at the 42nd annual Eclipse Awards on Saturday at
Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida.
Paynter has been returned to trainer Bob Baffert and is
currently at Santa Anita Park, preparing for a 2013 campaign.
This year’s balloting was conducted at
ntra.com and offered voters 12 different images illustrating a wide range of
human emotions as well as outstanding displays of equine athleticism. Finishing
second was I’ll Have Another’s narrow victory over Bodemeister in the Preakness
Stakes.
The images and events that fans chose from, with percentage of votes
they received in parentheses, were:
the Kentucky Oaks, guiding Believe You Can to victory (5 percent)
upset from post 19 in the Kentucky Derby (10 percent)
Preakness by a neck (13 percent)
Have Another is scratched from the Belmont Stakes (7 percent)
heat as Alpha and Golden Ticket hit the wire together (7 percent)
laminitis and colitis and begins rehab for a possible 2013 campaign (27 percent)
Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic for trainer Bill Mott and jockey Mike Smith, who
registers his record 16th Breeders’ Cup riding win (4 percent)
Filly & Mare Sprint (1 percent)
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and remain undefeated (4 percent)
Breeders’ Cup Mile over an international field (5 percent)
Breeders’ Cup Classic (6 percent)
Clark Handicap (11 percent)
“The NTRA Moment of the Year award is one of an increasing
number of ways for fans to engage in the Eclipse Awards festivities,” said Keith
Chamblin, NTRA senior vice president. “Paynter’s gallant struggle with laminitis
and colitis inspired fans all across North America, and we are delighted to
salute his triumph over those challenges as the latest NTRA Moment of the Year.”
The first-ever “NTRA Moment of the Year” was the touching
scene involving Charismatic and jockey Chris Antley following the 1999 Belmont
Stakes. The following year’s winner was the stretch run of the 2000 Breeders’
Cup Classic, which saw Tiznow hold on for a dramatic victory against Giant’s
Causeway. Tiznow won again the following year as fans selected his stirring
repeat victory in the Classic over Sakhee.
In 2002, fans cited the passing of
the last living Triple Crown winner, Seattle Slew. In 2003, popular Kentucky
Derby win by Funny Cide was selected. Birdstone’s upset win in the Belmont
Stakes over Smarty Jones took down top honors for 2004. In 2005, fans selected
Afleet Alex’s spectacular victory in the 2005 Preakness Stakes.
Voters in 2006
chose Barbaro’s gallant struggle to recover from his Preakness injury while at
the New Bolton Center. The 2007 Moment of the Year was Rags to Riches’ historic
victory over Curlin in the Belmont Stakes. In 2008, it was Zenyatta’s win in the
Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic. Zenyatta “repeated” in 2009 when fans selected
her triumph in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
In 2010, the Breeders’ Cup Classic
again supplied the stage as Blame held off the furious stretch drive of Zenyatta. The winning 2011 Moment once more occurred in the Breeders’ Cup
Classic when Drosselmeyer capped off a brilliant weekend for trainer Bill Mott
and jockey Mike Smith.
The Eclipse Awards will be televised live on HRTV Saturday beginning at 8
p.m. (EST).
Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com