Broadcaster Edwards to Emcee Eclipse Awards
Image:
Description:
Jeannine Edwards, a sports broadcaster for ESPN and ABC, will host the Eclipse Awards presentations Jan. 17 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.
Edwards has emceed the ceremony three times previously. The 44th annual Eclipse Awards will be presented by Daily Racing Form, Breeders' Cup, and The Stronach Group.
"It is an absolute privilege to once again be hosting the Eclipse Awards," Edwards said. "It's a night unlike any other on the racing calendar—glitzy, suspenseful, and the perfect setting to soak in the accomplishments of so many talented individuals, both two- and four-legged. I'm truly honored to be back, and along with the rest of the crowd can't wait to revisit a year's worth of memorable moments."
Edwards joined ESPN in 1995, initially working exclusively on Thoroughbred racing. Since then she has worked the sidelines for college football and college basketball, in addition to reporting on various news and stories for SportsCenter.
In 2009, Edwards was part of the broadcast team that won an Eclipse Award for the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) telecast on ABC, as well as an Emmy nomination for the Breeders' Cup on ESPN. That same team won a second Eclipse Award and a second Emmy nomination for the 2010 Breeders' Cup telecast. Edwards has also been consistently named as one of the top 10 female sportscasters by several media outlets.
A native of Tenafly, N.J., Edwards spent 10 years on the racetrack as an exercise rider, apprentice jockey, and trainer of Thoroughbred racehorses in New York and New Jersey. She initially got into television in 1994 as an in-house TV host at racetracks in Maryland.
"Jeannine always brings both a sharp wit and a sincere respect for horseracing to her hosting duties," Alex Waldrop, president and CEO of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, said in a press release. "She is a professional who knows how to set the right tone for a prestigious occasion like the Eclipse Awards."
Eclipse Awards tickets are available for $400 each or $4,000 for a table of 10. A block of rooms have been reserved at the Westin Diplomat Resort and Spa, located on the ocean and only a short distance from Gulfstream Park. For ticket purchases and room reservations, please contact Michele Ravencraft of the NTRA at , or call (859) 422-2657.