Voting Begins for 2019 NTRA Moment of the Year

Fourteen of the most memorable, significant, and reflective events from the last 12 months of Thoroughbred racing are up for the 2019 NTRA Moment of the Year, a distinction determined by fan voting and recognized at The Eclipse Awards. Voting is open on the National Thoroughbred Racing Association website, NTRA.com, and via Twitter, where every retweet or use of the official hashtag for the moments as presented on the NTRA account will be counted as one vote.

To vote on the NTRA website, go to https://www.ntra.com/eclipse-awards/2019-moment-of-the-year/. Fans are permitted to vote for multiple moments but there is a limit of one vote per moment for each Twitter account. Subsequent votes from an account will be disqualified. Votes must be submitted by Jan. 17 at 11:59 p.m. (ET).

The NTRA Moment of the Year will be revealed during the 49th Annual Eclipse Awards Jan. 23 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The eligible 2019 moments illustrate the wide range of human emotions and achievements, as well as outstanding displays of athleticism. Events fans can choose from are listed chronologically as follows, along with the designated hashtag that can be used to vote:

#ThunderSnowDWC—Godolphin's homebred Thunder Snow made history when he edged Gronkowski at the wire to become the first two-time winner of the Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1). A group 1 winner at ages 2, 3, 4, and 5, the son of Helmet went on to finish third in the June 8 Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap (G1) before he was retired in November with more than $16.5 million in earnings. (Race date: March 30)

#MaximumSecurityDQ—The 145th Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) will live in infamy as Maximum Security crossed the wire first but was disqualified due to interference, with Country House elevated to victory. Maximum Security became the first horse disqualified from a Kentucky Derby triumph due to an in-race foul. Despite the disqualification, Gary and Mary West's Maximum Security stamped himself the leading candidate for divisional honors with subsequent victories in the TVG.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) and Cigar Mile Handicap (G1). (Race date: May 4)

#BodexpressRun—After unseating jockey John Velazquez at the start of the Preakness Stakes (G1), Bodexpress galloped alongside the field around the Pimlico Racecourse oval before he was caught by outrider Kaymarie Kreidel. That 'born free' moment turned Bodexpress into a social media sensation and he later proved he could do some real running by winning two of his next three starts. (Race date: May 18)

#MitoleMet—With six grade/group 1 winners in its field, the 2019 Metropolitan Handicap (G1) was arguably the most loaded race on the Belmont Stakes Day card and it lived up to the hype when Mitole  prevailed by three quarters of a length over McKinzie. The Met Mile was one of four grade 1 wins on the year for Mitole, who capped his career with a victory in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1). (Race date: June 8)

#GoodbyeMarylou—Thoroughbred racing lost a member of its royal family when Marylou Whitney, the "Queen of Saratoga," died at the age of 93. In addition to being one of the most successful owners in Thoroughbred racing, Whitney was known for her philanthropic contributions and immeasurable passion for the sport—particularly for the city of Saratoga Springs, N.Y. She was presented with an Eclipse Award of Merit in 2010 for her contributions to racing and was elected to The Jockey Club in 2011. (Date: July 19)

#CovfefeTest—In a duel that invoked memories of the 2002 battle between You and Carson Hollow, eventual Breeders' Cup winner Covfeve matched strides with Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) heroine Serengeti Empress to the wire before getting up by a half a length to win the Longines Test Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. That victory marked the first grade 1 win for Covfefe and was one of five victories on the year for the filly, who likely cemented divisional honors with a win in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1). (Race date: August 3)

#ChadSweep—In one of the most impressive displays of strength from his powerhouse stable, three-time Eclipse Award winning trainer Chad Brown saddled the winners of all four graded stakes—including three grade 1 races—on the Arlington Million card. Brown scored with champion Sistercharlie in the grade 1 Beverly D. Stakes (G1T) and Valid Point in the Secretariat Stakes (G1T) before taking the signature event, the Arlington Million XXXVII Stakes (G1T), with Bricks and Mortar—the favorite for 2019 Horse of the Year honors. Brown also won the day's finale, the grade 3 Pucker Up Stakes, with Café Americano. (Race date: Aug. 10)

#FourStarStormy—Owner Gary Barber's decision to wheel his filly Got Stormy back in the Fourstardave Handicap (G1T) seven days after she captured the De La Rose Stakes at Saratoga paid dividends as she bested eventual TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) winner Uni to become the first filly to capture the race, doing so in course-record fashion. Trained by Mark Casse, Got Stormy went on to finish second in both the Ricoh Woodbine Mile (G1T) and Breeders' Cup Mile before closing out her campaign with a victory in the Matriarch Stakes (G1T) at Del Mar. (Race date: Aug, 10)

#BisouBest—The third and final meeting of the season between grade 1 winners Midnight Bisou and Elate proved among the most stirring races of the year with Midnight Bisou running down her rival in the final strides to win by a nose in the Personal Ensign  Stakes Presented by Lia Infiniti (G1) at Saratoga. Midnight Bisou previously defeated Elate in the Azeri Stakes (G2) and Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) and brought a seven-race win streak into the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), where she ran second. (Race date: Aug. 24)

#OmahaBeachSprint—In his first start since winning the Arkansas Derby (G1) in April, Omaha Beach showcased his versatility when he caught Shancelot in deep stretch to win the Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes (G1). Trained by Richard Mandella, Omaha Beach was the morning-line favorite for the Kentucky Derby before he missed the race due to a throat ailment. Omaha Beach closed out his 2019 campaign with a victory in the Dec. 28 Runhappy Malibu Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park. (Race date: Oct. 5)

#BelvoirBayBC—Less than two years after having to run for her life during the Lilac Fire that decimated San Luis Rey Training Center, Belvoir Bay again demonstrated her heart when she toppled male rivals to win the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) in course-record time. The 6-year-old mare went missing for days after the fire hit in December 2017 and spent time receiving hyperbaric oxygen treatments to recover from her injuries. She was a force in her own right in 2019, winning three starts and finishing a close second to Blue Point in the Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored By Azizi Developments (G1) in Dubai in March. (Race date: Nov. 2)

#BricksBC—After having his career nearly derailed in 2017, Bricks and Mortar stamped himself the favorite for 2019 Horse of the Year honors when he capped an unbeaten campaign with a victory in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T). The son of Giant's Causeway was sidelined for more than a year after undergoing surgery for a severe stringhalt condition in 2017 but has not lost since returning to the races in December 2018. His victory in the Breeders' Cup was his sixth victory of 2019, five of which came in grade 1 races. (Race date: Nov. 2)

#VinoRossoBC—Vino Rosso  provided trainer Todd Pletcher one of the few accomplishments missing from the seven-time Eclipse Award winner's resume when he captured the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) to give his conditioner his first victory in the prestigious test. Vino Rosso previously won the Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes (G1) in May and looked every bit at home over the oval again in the Breeders' Cup as he rolled to a 4 1/4-length triumph. (Race date: Nov. 2)

#IradBC—Irad Ortiz Jr. showed again why he is one of the best riders in the game when he booted home four winners during the two-day Breeders' Cup World Championships. Ortiz's victories began in the first championship race on Four Wheel Drive in the Nov. 1 Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2T). He also won on Spun to Run in the Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile (G1), Bricks and Mortar in the Turf and capped it off in the finale with a score on Vino Rosso in the Classic. (Race dates: Nov. 1-2).

Justify 's sweep of the Classics to become just the 13th Triple Crown winner was last year's NTRA Moment of the Year.