Trainer Howard Belvoir has been named the 2010 winner of the Martin Durkan Award and will be honored in a special ceremony Sept. 25 at Emerald Downs.
Racing secretary Bret Anderson and his staff annually present the Martin Durkan Award to a trainer who exhibits leadership, cooperation, sportsmanship and excellence on and off the track throughout the 90-day meeting. Belvoir, 66, has enjoyed another fine season while ranking first in starters, with 406, and sixth in victories, with 41. He was instrumental early in the season, often running more than five horses a day to help fill races and programs at Emerald Downs.
“Bret said to me, ‘I know you don’t like awards, but you really earned this one'," Belvoir said. “Actually, it’s a great honor. I’m humbled to win the award.”
Belvoir has finished in the top 10 all 15 years at Emerald Downs, and he recently became only the third trainer with 500 career wins at Emerald Downs. He trained the last two runners to be named Horse of the Meeting—Assessment in 2009 and Wasserman in 2008—while also becoming the first trainer at Emerald Downs to win back-to-back runnings of the Longacres Mile (gr. III).
The Martin Durkan Award is named in honor of the late state senator, a longtime proponent and enthusiast for racing in Washington.
Martin Durkan Award winners:
2010-Howard Belvoir 1992-T.Burlingame, F.Lucarelli, B.McLean
2009-Charles Essex 1991-Mike Chambers, Tim McCanna
2008-Roy Lumm 1990-Marion L. Smith
2007-Chris Stenslie 1989-Bill Tollett
2006-Steve Koler 1988-Mike McCann
2005-Robbie Baze 1987-Junior Coffey
2004-H.R. Pat Mullens 1986-Claude Gibson
2003-Rick Terry 1985-Bob McMeans
2002-Debbie Van Horne 1984-Larry Ross
2001-H.R. Pat Mullens 1983-A.D. Hoksbergen
2000-Pete Axmaker 1982-Kay Vaughan
1999-Tom Wenzel 1981-Hump Roberts
1998-Doris Harwood 1980-Ben Harris
1997-Tim McCanna 1979-Kathy Walsh
1996-Steve Bullock 1978-Clint Roberts
1995-Les Merritt 1977-Martin Kenney, T.D. McLaughlin
1994-Dennis Ward 1976-Jack Haymes
1993-Roy Lumm 1975-Craig Roberts