Grening, Fortus honored for writing

David Grening of Daily Racing Form and Bob Fortus of the New Orleans Times-Picayune have been named winners of the inaugural Joe Hirsch

Memorial Writing Contest, recognizing print and Internet coverage of the 141st running of the Belmont Stakes in 2009, by the New York Racing Association.

Grening won in the feature/advance category for a story on Tim Ice, trainer of the

Belmont's winner, Summer Bird, in the June 6, 2009,

Racing Form headlined "Ice's small stable has a big future."

Fortus earned his award in the wrap-up division for a story in the June 7 Times-Picayune headlined "Summer Bird stuns Belmont favorites; Personal Triple Crown narrowly eludes Borel."