Ghostzapper, the powerful winner of the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), led the list of 2004 award winners announced by the New York Turf Writers' Association March 23. Owned by Stronach Stables and trained by Hall of Famer Bobby Frankel, Ghostzapper was named the winner of the Secretariat Award as New York's Horse of the Year.Ghostzapper won the Tom Fool (gr. II) at the Belmont spring meet and also survived a thrilling stretch duel with Saint Liam in winning the Woodward (gr. I) at the Belmont fall meet. He also won the Iselin Handicap (gr. III) at Monmouth in his undefeated four-start campaign.
Other 2004 NYTWA award winners:
-- Team Smarty Jones, the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Award for the persons who did most for racing;
-- Nick Zito, the C.V. Whitney Achievement Award;
-- John Velazquez, the Fourstardave Award and the Eddie Arcaro Award;
-- John Servis and John Imbriale, co-winners of the Red Smith "Good Guy" Award;
-- Todd Pletcher, the Woody Stephens Award
-- Marylou Whitney, the Paul Mellon Award
-- Ken and Sarah Ramsey, the Ogden Phipps Award
-- Sackatoga Stable, the Big Apple Award;
-- John Hettinger, the President's Award. All will be honored at the 82nd annual New York Turf Writers' Awards Dinner and Dance on Aug. 22, at the Gideon Putnam Hotel in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
