Moment of the Year Voting Now Open
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Online voting is now open at the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) website, www.ntra.com, for the 15th annual "Moment of the Year."
The winning moment will be recognized at the Jan. 18, 2014, Eclipse Awards ceremony at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.
Voters casting ballorts for the eventual winner automatically will be entered in a random drawing to win a $100 gift certificate for Breeders' Cup merchandise.
To vote for the 15th annual "NTRA Moment of the Year," click here.
According to an NTRA release, the eligible moments were selected to "illustrate a wide range of human emotions and achievements as well as outstanding displays of equine athleticism."
Listed chronologically, the 12 events that fans can choose from are:
—Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens riding his first winner in North America since 2005 aboard Branding in the first race at Santa Anita Park. (Occurred Jan. 12)
—Spicer Cub bolts around the parked starting gate along the outside rail and still nearly wins at Pimlico Race Course, losing by a nose. (April 13)
—Orb wins the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. ) for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey and owners Stuart Janney III and Dinny Phipps. (May 4)
—Oxbow wins the Preakness Stakes (gr. I), giving Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas his sixth win in the Triple Crown's middle jewel and 50-year-old Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens his third. (May 18)
—Paynter , after battling back from life-threatening illness the year before, returns to the races to win an allowance at Betfair Hollywood Park. (June 14)
—Hall of Fame jockey Russell Baze becomes the first North American rider to reach the 12,000-win milestone aboard Handful of Pearls at the Alameda County Fair at Pleasanton. (July 7)
—Ken and Sarah Ramsey win three major grade I turf stakes—the Secretariat (with Admiral Kitten), Sword Dancer (Big Blue Kitten) and Arlington Million (Real Solution)—at two different tracks in less than two hours. (Aug. 17)
—Will Take Charge barely gets up to beat front-running Moreno by a nose in the $1 million Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course. (Aug. 24)
—Retired jockey Ramon Dominguez is presented with the Mike Venezia Award, as well as the 2012 Eclipse Award trophy for outstanding jockey he was unable to accept last January, during a ceremony in the Saratoga winner's circle. (Aug. 25)
—Five-year-old mare Mizdirection beats males in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (gr. IT) for the second straight year in her final career start. (Nov. 2)
—Wise Dan wins the 2013 Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) for the second straight year, capping a season that will likely be recognized with a repeat Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year. (Nov. 2)
—Mucho Macho Man wins the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) by a nose for jockey Gary Stevens, trainer Kathy Ritvo, and owners Reeves Thoroughbred Racing. (Nov. 2)