Paynter's recovery voted 'NTRA Moment of the Year'

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 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