(Edited press release)

The New England Turf Writers Association has selected its champions and award winners for 2008. The annual awards dinner will take place in July of 2009 during the live racing season at Suffolk Downs. The honorees are as follows:

--Snow Down, 2-year-old female
--Mr. Jolson,  2-year-old male 
--Shorty Puffs, 3-year-old female
--Hold On Smokey, 3-year-old male, Robert M. O’Malley Memorial Award 
--Nijinsky Bullet, older female
--Southern Rainbow, older male 
--Gator’s Tracks, Joseph E. Carney Memorial Award
--Nijinsky Bullet, Sprinter 
--Flirt for Fame, Cliff Sundberg Memorial Award
--Donald Kielty and Little Tara, special achievement 
--Winston Thompson, jockey, Eli Chiat Memorial Award
--Rafael Ramos, trainer, Gerry Sullivan Memorial Award
--Lorita Lindemann, yearly achievement, Lou Smith Memorial Award
--Edward “Ned” Allard, lifetime achievement, Sam McCracken Memorial Award

The winner of the James B. Moseley Award for Horse of the Year will be announced at the awards dinner. The NETWA’s Hall of Fame Class of 2009 will be announced in the spring and will also be honored at the awards dinner.

For additional information, contact the NETWA at (617) 568-3220.