(NTRA press release)
The victory by Zenyatta in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic—a win that culminated a perfect seven-for-seven 2008 campaign—has been voted the 2008 National Thoroughbred Racing Association Moment of the Year.
The connections of Zenyatta will be honored at the Eclipse Award ceremony Jan. 26 in Miami with the "NTRA Moment of the Year" award. Balloting was conducted at the NTRA Web site, ntra.com, and offered voters 12 different images illustrating a wide range of human emotions as well as outstanding displays of equine athleticism. The images and events that fans chose from were:
• Pyro charges past all 10 of his foes in the stretch to take the Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds
• Reigning Horse of the Year Curlin dominates the Dubai World Cup
• Big Brown powers home from post 20 to take the Kentucky Derby
• Exhilaration turns to heartbreak as Eight Belles suffers a fatal injury following the Kentucky Derby
• Big Brown spurts away from his opponents in the Preakness Stakes
• Triple Crown hopeful Big Brown is eased as Da' Tara wins the Belmont Stakes
• Red Rocks spoils Curlin's grass debut in Belmont's Man o' War Stakes
• Curlin wins the Jockey Club Gold Cup to become North America's first $10 million earner
• Peppers Pride sets a modern North American record with her 17th straight victory
• Zenyatta caps her undefeated season with a last-to-first win in the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic
• Goldikova unleashes a powerful stretch burst to defeat Kip Deville in the Breeders' Cup Mile
• Raven's Pass culminates a big day for the Europeans, defeating Henrythenavigator in the Breeders' Cup Classic
The winning entry received 24% of the votes cast. The runner-up was Big Brown’s Kentucky Derby victory, which received 18%. Finishing third in the vote with 15% was the tragic injury suffered by Eight Belles following the Kentucky Derby.
