Japanese BC Victories Honored As Moment of the Year

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association announced Feb. 10 that the breakthrough performance by Japanese horses Loves Only You  and Marche Lorraine  at the 38th Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar last November has been voted the 2021 FanDuel Racing-NTRA Moment of the Year based on the results of 3,000 votes cast via Twitter and an online poll.

The FanDuel Racing-NTRA Moment of the Year will be recognized Thursday evening at the 51st Annual Eclipse Awards presented by 1/ST Racing, FanDuel Racing Group, and the NTRA at Santa Anita Park. The Eclipse Awards ceremony will air live on TVG and Racetrack Television Network beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET. 

In addition to TVG and RTN, the ceremony will be streamed live on BloodHorse.com.

In voting concluded February 2, fans voted for #JapaneseDuo as the top Moment of 2021. On 13 previous occasions, Japanese-based horses had failed to win a race at the Breeders' Cup World Championships, but all that changed dramatically at last year's Breeders' Cup at Del Mar. On Nov. 6, DMM Dream Club's Loves Only You slipped between horses and won the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T), and gave Japan its first-ever Breeders' Cup triumph. Not to be outdone, but just two hours later, U. Carrot Farm's Marche Lorraine shocked the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), winning by a nose at 49-1, and awarding Japan its second win at the World Championships.

Moment of the Year voters chose from 11 occurrences in 2021 illustrating a range of human emotions as well as outstanding displays of equine athleticism. Following #JapaneseDuo in second place was #DiversityStepForward when George Leonard became the first African American trainer to compete in the Breeders' Cup World Championships.

Authentic  's stirring triumph in the 146th Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) was voted the 2020 Moment of the Year.