Rapid Redux to be honored with special Eclipse

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

and the National Turf Writers And Broadcasters on Wednesday announced that Rapid

Redux, a winner of 19 consecutive races in 2011, will be honored with the

Special Eclipse Award.

The Special Award honors extraordinary service, individual achievements in,

or contributions to the sport of Thoroughbred racing.

Robert L. Cole Jr., of Baltimore, owner of Rapid Redux, will accept the

Special Award on January 16 at the 41st annual Eclipse Awards, presented by

Daily Racing Form and the Breeders' Cup. The Eclipse Awards will be held at

the Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills, California.

A chestnut gelding trained by David Wells, Rapid Redux, was a perfect

19-for-19 as a five-year-old in 2011, competing in starter allowance races in

the Mid-Atlantic region. This mark equaled Citation's U.S. record of 19 wins in

a calendar year. Counting the gelding's two wins to close out 2010, Rapid Redux

also broke the modern record for consecutive wins by a U.S -based runner

previously held by both Zenyatta and Peppers Pride, who registered 19 straight

victories.

Cole claimed Rapid Redux for $6,250 in October of 2010. During his streak

which began on December 2, 2010, Rapid Redux, a son of Pleasantly Perfect, raced

at seven different tracks and won at distances from five furlongs to 1 1/8

miles.

"It's a top award in this sport and a dream come true," said Cole, who grew

up in Towson, Maryland. "Rapid Redux has shown the greatest in durability and

consistency. He hasn't thrown in a bad race. To win like this over a 13-month

period is nearly impossible. He's Maryland home-grown running in Maryland. We

wanted him to stay close to home as he relates so well to the average fan. It's

not like going to the sales and paying a million dollars. He's a blue-collar

horse."

"The achievements of Rapid Redux in 2011 were remarkable," said Alex Waldrop,

President and CEO of the NTRA. "Winning 21 consecutive races including 19 of

them in a single year -- at distances ranging from five furlongs to a mile and

an eighth -- is something we won't soon again see. We congratulate Robert Cole,

trainer David Wells and the jockeys who rode Rapid Redux for all they did to

help Rapid Redux earn this Special Award."