Blood-Horse garners Eclipse for multi-media presentation

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form

and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB) announced Monday that

The Blood-Horse has won the 2014 Media Eclipse Award in the

Audio/Multi-Media Internet category for "Waiting, and Waiting, for Crowning

Glory: A generation repeatedly denied a Triple Crown winner looks to California

Chrome," an in depth examination of the difficulties of winning Thoroughbred

racing's greatest challenge, which appeared on bloodhorse.com on May 28, 2014.

Written by Frank Angst, "Waiting, and Waiting, for Crowning Glory" offered a

comprehensive multi-media presentation on the various components of the "near

misses" of the Triple Crown, which has not been won since Affirmed captured the

Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes in 1978. The Blood-Horse

examined the improbable odds of a horse sweeping all three Grade 1 races at

distances of greater than 1 1/8 miles; related the stories of the most recent

horses who won the first two Jewels of the Triple Crown; and recalled the

"spoilers," the horses that won the Belmont Stakes and denied the Derby and

Preakness winners their ultimate goal.

The last section of the piece undertook explanations for the reasons behind

the Triple Crown not being achieved in 36 years, exploring the changes in

breeding, training, field sizes of the Triple Crown races, and fewer starts by

horses than previous generations, among other variables. Recollection of the

excitement and disappointment of those who experienced the "near-misses" also

come to light, from owners Mike Pegram, Jack Knowlton to trainers Barclay Tagg,

Rick Dutrow and John Servis, who discuss the rigors of the Triple Crown

campaign.

"Crowning Glory" was supported by video interviews with Hall of Fame Jockey

Chis McCarron, and Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito, recalling their experiences

in ending Triple Crown bids; and from Michael Hernon of Gainesway Farm, which

stands 2004 Belmont Stakes winner Birdstone, and Bill Farish from Lane's End,

home of 1999 Belmont winner Lemon Drop Kid, two "spoilers" who went on to

promising careers as graded stakes producing sires.

"It's a tremendous honor and I can't emphasize enough how much of a team

effort it was to win this award," said Angst, a staff writer at The

Blood-Horse since 2013 who previously wrote for the Thoroughbred Times

for 12 years. "After doing this story, when a horse finally wins the Triple

Crown, I will be more impressed and appreciative of the enormous accomplishment

it is to sweep all three races."

"The most satisfying part of this project's success was seeing the decision

to innovate and step outside our comfort zones pay off," said Claire Novak,

Online Features Editor for The Blood-Horse. "Our team put in their best

effort to combine Frank's detailed reporting with cutting-edge design and video

elements we'd previously not been able to include in online features. In the

end, the piece reflected the kind of quality and forward-thinking attitude that

publishers must maintain in order to remain relevant in the modern media world.

We look forward to continuing to push our limits with online features and

presentations, and everyone who worked on this story is honored to see it

receive this award."

In addition to Angst and Novak, the piece was designed by Kim Reeves; Anne

Eberhardt was visual director; Scott Tracy was multi-media producer; Gary Bodgon

and Charlie McCarthy were the videographers and Kevin Thompson was visual assets

coordinator. The text was edited by Tom Hall, Eric Mitchell and Ian Tapp.

Honorable mention in the Audio and Multi-Media Internet category went to

Horse Racing Radio Network (HRRN) for its live broadcast of the 140th Kentucky

Derby on May 3.

Judges in this category were John Lee, multi-media producer, Brian Nadeau of

Horseplayer Now and Jessica Chapel of breederscup.com.

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