Dateline: 01/04/2005
NBC Sports Wins National Television - Live Racing Eclipse Award for Belmont Stakes
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) today announced that NBC Sports has won the Eclipse Award for National Television - Live Racing for its production of the 2004 Belmont Stakes. The show, produced by David Michaels, aired on Saturday, June 5, from Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, and featured the bid by Smarty Jones to become the first Visa Triple Crown winner since 1978. To date, NBC has won seven Eclipse Awards, including four for its coverage of the Visa Triple Crown series.
"To have won the Eclipse Award after this amazing year in racing is a great honor for our team at NBC Sports," Michaels said. "As the television market becomes more competitive, our 'dream team' of announcers and production people continues to push the envelope to put on the best possible telecast. The Triple Crown, just as it does for the horses and horsemen, makes us rise to the occasion and do the best job we possibly can."
Honorable mention in this category went to HD-Net for its coverage of the Santa Anita Derby on April 3, 2004. The show's producer was Darrell Ewalt.
Judges for the National Television - Live Racing category were: Marty Rotberg of PBS affiliate WNET; Kenneth Sheil, former NFL Films producer and Stuart Kirshenbaum of Oak Street Films.
Espn Wins Media Eclipse Award for Outstanding National Television Feature Program
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) today announced that ESPN, for its ESPN Original Entertainment division, has won the Media Eclipse Award for National Television - Features for its documentary "Smarty Jones: America's Horse," which aired on October 31, 2004, on ESPN and ESPN HD.
"Smarty Jones: America's Horse" chronicles the quest of last year's Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner through the eyes of the key individuals for the Visa Triple Crown. The half-hour program included interviews with trainer John Servis, jockey Stewart Elliott and owner Roy Chapman before and after their Triple Crown run.
Executive Producers of "Smarty Jones: America's Horse" were Mark Shapiro and Michael Antinoro. The program was produced by Fredrick "Fritz" Mitchell and photographed by Peter Franchella.
"'Smarty Jones' was as much about the great people in the sport as it was about horseracing," said Mitchell. "Everyone, the Servises and the Chapmans, couldn't have been nicer in cooperating with us on their assault of the Triple Crown."
Honorable mention in the National Television - Features category went to NBC Sports for "Brotherly Love," produced by Alex Piper, which aired on May 15, 2004 during its Preakness Stakes telecast; and to ESPN Classic for "Woodie's World...Secretariat," produced by Bud Lamoreaux, which aired on October 28, 2004.
Judges in the National Television - Features category were George Butler of White Mountain Films; Joel Feld of College Sports Television; Paul Lucey of Fox Sports Net - New England and Michael Sheehan of HBO Sports.
Eclipse Awards are given to recognize members of the media for outstanding coverage of Thoroughbred racing. Eclipse Awards are bestowed upon horses and individuals whose outstanding achievements have earned them the title of Champion in their respective categories. Awards also are given to recognize members of the media for outstanding coverage of Thoroughbred racing.
The Eclipse Awards are named after the great 18th-century racehorse and sire Eclipse, who began racing at age five and was undefeated in 18 starts, including eight walkovers. Eclipse sired the winners of 344 races, including three Epsom Derbies.
The 2004 Eclipse Awards will be held on Monday, January 24, 2005 at the Regent Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills, California.
