Eclipse Award voting for apprentice jockey will be reconducted next week

Voting for the Eclipse Award for apprentice jockey will be reconducted early next week because statistics that were distributed to voters incorrectly included earnings and wins for one of the finalists after the rider lost his apprentice allowance, the administrators of the award said on Saturday.

The mistake inflated the earnings and win totals for Rosario Montanez, one of three finalists announced on Thursday for the Eclipse Award for apprentice jockey, by including statistics after he qualified as a journeyman rider. The other finalists were Ryan Curatolo, and Kyle Frey.

Voting for the apprentice jockey award and all other Eclipse Award categories closed on Jan. 3, with the winners scheduled to be announced on Jan. 16. The error affecting the apprentice jockey award was not caught until Friday, according to officials.

"This is an extremely unfortunate situation, but given the circumstances, the three voting organizations feel the only fair thing to do is to conduct a second vote," said Keith Chamblin, the senior vice president of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and a member of the Eclipse Award Steering Committee.

Voting for the Eclipse Awards is conducted by three blocs: employees of the Daily Racing Form, members of the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters, and a panel of racing officials.