The 4th-annual Ron Rippey Handicapping Media Award is open for entries. Brisnet.com will present the winner on Thursday, November 2, at the National Turf Writers And Broadcasters dinner at the Brigantine overlooking Del Mar.
The Rippey Award is open to any article, blog post, or multimedia presentation pertaining to a handicapping topic published (in print or online) in the past year (Sept. 1, 2016-Sept. 12, 2017). Eligible topics include how to handicap/bet a race, post-race trip notes, or general essays on topics such as money management, use of proprietary data, or (in)famous handicappers. The award offers a $1,000 cash prize plus reasonable accommodations to attend the NTWAB dinner to receive the award.
To enter, submit your published work (and/or a link to it) to RippeyAward@Brisnet.com.
“Handicapping horse races is both an art and a science, and the ability to produce compelling content about the topic is a specialty that deserves recognition,” said Brisnet.com Director of Marketing Ed DeRosa. “We not only want to acknowledge the work done in this realm but also encourage people to continue to produce this type of content, and who better to honor than successful handicapper and newspaper columnist Ron Rippey.”
A beloved regular on the contest circuit, Rippey won the 2006 National Handicapping Championship and was a 10-time qualifier for the prestigious event. He also wrote about racing and made picks for the Newark Star-Ledger and contributed Spotlight Selections to Brisnet.com for major race days. Rippey died August 26, 2014.
“Ron’s enthusiasm for both playing the game and writing about it was infectious,” DeRosa said. “He wanted to beat you, but he wanted you to have fun while he did it, which is the essence of good handicapping content.”
Turf writers Jessica Oswald and Jeff Lowe will judge entries, and the duo offers a mix of media experiences:
- Oswald is secretary of the NTWAB and a freelance contributor to TwinSpires.com, the Louisville Courier-Journal, Thoroughbred Daily News, and other publications;
- Lowe directs communication for Team Valor International, helping owners keep tabs on the international stable; he is a former Thoroughbred Times reporter who currently contributes to America’s Best Racing.
Previous winners:
- 2016 David Hill for “How a Las Vegas Sports Betting Legend Spends Horse Racing’s Biggest Weekend”
- 2015 Joe Nevills for “Kentucky Derby 2015: Who is bred for Derby Distance?”
- 2014 Barry Meadow for “Statistics & Garbage”
For more information or to submit an entry, e-mail RippeyAward@Brisnet.com by Tuesday, Sept. 26.
