Jim Duley has been named recipient of the Jerry Frutkoff Memorial Award sponsored by Nikon, to be presented Thursday, May 19 at the Alibi Breakfast at Pimlico Race Course.
Duley's photo, taken from the first turn looking down the stretch, captures American Pharoah crossing the finish line on a sloppy track and jockey Victor Espinoza raising his right hand triumphantly.
"I was standing at the end of the stretch looking straight at the finish line," said Duley, a photographer living in Gambrills, Md. "I had a Nikon camera. I was more worried about my gear than I was myself because of the weather. Because of the rain, I'm guessing there were only a handful of photographers out there, less than half of the spots allocated for photographers were being used. I was just glad to be able to get the shot.
"I'd like to thank the Maryland Jockey Club for this honor and I look forward to this year's race ... maybe without the rain."
The Alibi Breakfast, which began in the 1930s on the porch of the historical Pimlico Clubhouse, features a gathering of media, owners, trainers, jockeys and horsemen to celebrate the Preakness, and solicit race predictions.
