“Premiere Radio is a firm believer and supporter of Thoroughbred racing, and I’m fortunate to have a great broadcast team,” said Whitfield. “The Kentucky Derby is indeed the ‘world’s greatest two minutes in sports,’ and we are proud to have provided coverage of the race to those across the country and to our military forces around the world who may have been unable to view the race on television.”

Judges for the Audio category, which was broadened this year to include Internet-based, multi-media presentations with an audio component, were George Nicholaw, vice president and general manager of KNX News Radio in Los Angeles, Jim Militello, a sports reporter for Associated Press Radio Network, and Mike Francesa, co-host of WFAN’s radio sports show “Mike and the Mad Dog.”

Premiere Radio’s broadcast was “a totally professional presentation covering all aspects of Thoroughbred racing’s premier event,” said Nicholaw. “Each segment made you anxious to participate in the actual race coverage.”

Click here to listen to a portion of the broadcast (Real Player required).

“We are so pleased to receive the prestigious Eclipse Award for our coverage of the Preakness,” said Michaels. “This was a thrilling year to be involved in horse racing, as we saw War Emblem simultaneously attempt the Triple Crown and bring horse racing back into the sporting consciousness. The team of people we have working on our broadcasts are the best in the business, and this award acknowledges their passion and talent that resonates throughout their work.”

Judges for the National Television – Live Racing Programming category included Ed O’Brien, a morning news anchor at WRGB-TV in upstate New York; Marty Rotberg, a 25-year sports marketing veteran who is now managing director, national sponsorship, with PBS Sponsorship Group/WNET in New York; and Terry Hanson of Hanson Enterprises, a sports and entertainment management firm.

“The telecast provided a feeling of warmth and personal involvement, giving the viewer the sense of being part of the action and the emotion of the day,” said Rotberg. “Instead of just reporting the day’s action in simple black and white, this production was delivered in warm living color.”

Eclipse Awards are given to recognize members of the media for outstanding coverage of Thoroughbred racing. Eclipse Awards also are bestowed upon horses and individuals whose outstanding achievements have earned them the title of Champion in their respective categories. The awards are presented by the NTRA, the National Turf Writers Association and Daily Racing Form.

Michael Clevenger

Louisville Courier-Journal staff photographer Michael Clevenger won the media Eclipse Award for photography for his photo of War Emblem and Victor Espinoza winning the Kentucky Derby.

"I am truly honored and humbled by this award," said Clevenger. "It is a tribute, not just to me, but to the staff of The Courier-Journal. It means even more that this honor comes from covering the most incredible horse race of all, the Kentucky Derby."

The panel of judges for the Photography category included Julia Schmalz, sports picture editor for USA TODAY; Clem Murray, director of photography for the Philadelphia Inquirer; Torry Bruno, deputy director of photography for The Chicago Tribune; and Steve Fine, director of photography for Sports Illustrated.

“Alex is clearly one of the emerging bright lights in feature producing,” said David Michaels, NBC Sports VISA Triple Crown senior producer. “His piece on War Emblem was beautifully told and artfully produced. Alex worked very hard to tell this compelling story and his Eclipse Award is richly deserved.”

Judges for the National Television – Feature category include Paul Lucey, a producer for FOX Sports Net – New England; Stu Kirshenbaum, a two-time Emmy award-winning freelance producer whose subjects include Thoroughbred racing; and George Butler, producer of such acclaimed documentaries as Pumping Iron and The Endurance.

“NBC did a masterful job of conveying the mixed emotions of War Emblem’s former owner and former trainer in the days after the Kentucky Derby,” said Kirshenbaum. “I think it underscored the essence of Thoroughbred racing ... both sides involved in the sale of War Emblem took a gamble and hoped for the best.”

“I’m pleased that the group that has produced this show for the last 11 years has been recognized with this award,” said Bryan Krantz, president and general manager of Fair Grounds. “We’re especially grateful because this project is a labor of love for everyone involved with it.”

Judges for the Local Television category include Dan Guido, a videographer and electronic photo journalist whose credits include ESPN’s “SportsCenter” and Major League Baseball’s “This Week in Baseball”; Robert Fishman, a multiple Emmy Award-winning director for CBS Sports; and Rob Duboff, marketing consultant and executive-in-residence at Boston College.

“The overall production, which included the talent, the race coverage, the photography and the features within the telecast, were of network quality,” said Guido. “I would put it in a category with a Breeders’ Cup telecast.”

“I’m surprised and honored by the award,” said Sullivan, a writer and senior editor at Harper’s. “It’s been won in the past by so many writers I revere. When I was working on the piece for Harper's, I more than once despaired at my ability to get across how complicated the worlds of Thoroughbred breeding and racing are. So it’s tremendously gratifying to know that a group of knowledgeable readers thought I’d succeeded even partly.”

The panel of judges for the Writing – Feature/Enterprise category include Sandy Padwe, associate professor of professional practice with the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and a former reporter or editor with the Philadelphia Inquirer, Newsday, The New York Times and Sports Illustrated; Greg Michalson, a longtime Thoroughbred owner/breeder and the editor of BlueHen Books, a literary imprint and member of Penguin Putnam, Inc.; and Kevin Conley, an editor at The New Yorker and author of “Stud: Adventures in Breeding.”

“I thought that [the article] was written beautifully, with a lot of passion and emotion,” said Padwe. “But that passion and emotion never got in the way. His feeling for the track and racing came through very clearly, but again it was understated. It just had a wonderful, cohesive feeling that caught the nature of the sport.”

“Truthfully, this is the only award I’ve ever wanted to win, partly because I don’t count covering the people involved with horseracing as work,” Drape said. “As the man said: A bad day at the track is better than a good day anywhere else. I’m also honored to be on the same roster with folks who have won the award in previous years. It’s hard not to smile when you see Red Smith’s name on the list. He cared about the game and was the greatest of them all.”

The panel of judges for the Writing – News/Commentary category included Frederick C. Klein, columnist for Sports Business Journal; Pete Coates, Bloomberg News’ primary horseracing reporter; and Steve Wulf, executive editor of “ESPN The Magazine.”

“The winner did a nice job of explaining the complex wagering fraud as it unfolded,” said Coates. “The writer not only stayed on top of the investigation but detailed the implications to the horseracing community.”