Stevens to receive Big Sport of Turfdom Award

The Turf Publicists of America (TPA) announced Friday that its membership has

elected jockey Gary Stevens, winner of the 2013 Preakness and Breeders' Cup

Classic, as the recipient of this year's Big Sport of Turfdom Award. The annual

honor is bestowed upon a person or group of people who enhance coverage of

Thoroughbred racing through cooperation with media and Thoroughbred racing

publicists.

"This year has been crazy and keeps getting better," Stevens said. "I'm

honored. Some of my idols and closest friends have received this award. It's

humbling."

Stevens, 50, returned to the saddle in January after seven years of

retirement. He immediately re-established himself as one of racing's elite

riders, winning a graded stakes race within one month of his comeback, taking

Santa Anita's San Marcos on Slim Shadey. More success in racing's premier events

followed, as Stevens notched 17 graded stakes wins this year (through November

14), including eight Grade 1 events. He won his third Preakness with Oxbow, his

third Breeders' Cup Distaff astride Beholder and his first Breeders' Cup Classic

aboard Mucho Macho Man.

"Gary has long been a favorite of racing media and publicists but perhaps

never more so than this year, as his remarkable comeback amazed every one of

us," TPA President Mandy Minger said. "Through it all he made himself

consistently available with interviews that were both thoughtful and candid."

During retirement Stevens served as a racing analyst for NBC Sports and

HorseRacing Television (HRTV). In an already storied career before injuries

sidelined him in 2005, Stevens had won more than 5,000 races, including eight

Triple Crown events and eight Breeders' Cup races.

The Big Sport of Turfdom Award will be presented at the Race Track Industry

Program Awards Luncheon on December 10, emceed by Chris Lincoln. It is part of

the 2013 Symposium on Racing & Gaming presented by the University of Arizona at

the Westin La Paloma Resort in Tucson, Arizona.

The TPA consists of approximately 150 publicity and marketing personnel from

racetracks and racing organizations around the country. The Big Sport of Turfdom

award has been presented every year since 1966.

Previous winners of the Big Sport of Turfdom Award include jockeys Mike

Smith, Pat Day, Laffit Pincay Jr., Chris McCarron, Bill Shoemaker, Angel Cordero

Jr. and Eddie Arcaro; trainers Bob Baffert, D. Wayne Lukas, Jack Van Berg and

last year's winner, Dale Romans; as well as individuals who may not be involved

in the day-to-day aspect of Thoroughbred racing but made significant

contributions to the sport including author Laura Hillenbrand, broadcaster Jim

McKay, and actors Tim Conway and Jack Klugman.

The Awards Luncheon is included in the registration fees for the symposium.

Additional information about the luncheon may be obtained by contacting TPA

President Mandy Minger at (212) 366-7694.

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