Christie DeBernardis and Patty Wolfe have earned the Eclipse Award for Audio/Multi-Media Internet for their piece chronicling the journey of Cozmic One, first foal of champion Zenyatta, from the racetrack to the show ring through the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) and the careful eye of 17-year-old show rider Isabela de Sousa. The entry appeared first online in the July edition of TDN Weekend, a publication of Thoroughbred Daily News and can be viewed here.
The story of Cozmic One is told by DeBernardis, who came up with the idea, wrote the text, took the pictures and interviewed de Sousa on camera, and Wolfe, who shot and produced the video of de Sousa, in which the young rider extols the opportunity of second careers for retired racehorses and the success of Off-the-Track Thoroughbred (OTTB) programs. The video captures Cozmic One and the young de Sousa together with the rider discussing her process of choosing Cozmic One, previously owned by Jerry and Ann Moss, as her next mount in the RRP sponsored Thoroughbred Makeover competition. De Sousa is then seen riding Cozmic One in a “demo event” at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event in April 2018, as well as at her home, where Cozmic One resides with his pal and fellow OTTB Isle of Giants.
“We are truly honored and humbled that our work was chosen for an Eclipse Award,” said DeBernardis, an associate editor at TDN. “It is our industry's highest honor and what we all strive for day in and day out. There are so many talented writers and photographers in horse racing that we are lucky to know and work with, so to be selected as an Eclipse winner among such an exceptional group is beyond flattering. I am very grateful to my family, friends and everyone at the TDN who have supported me and made this possible. I am also thankful to have met Sergio and Isabela de Sousa, who inspired this piece and welcomed me into their home and stable. And, I can't forget Cozmic One, who attracted many readers to this story and shined a new light on retired racehorses.”
Wolfe, who produces videos for TDN, added, “I am humbled to be recognized with this extraordinary honor. Working with the TDN on their visual media initiative has already been the most fulfilling (and fun) part of my career. Christie's vision for this story was spot on, and I'm grateful we had the chance to help Isabela and Cozmic One tell their story.”
Judges in the Audio/Multi-Media Internet category were Ashely Cline, founder and publisher of the equestrian lifestyle blog, EquestrianStylist.com; Brian Nadeau racing analyst for Horseplayer Now and Amy Zimmerman, Santa Anita Park Vice President and Senior Associate Producer for NBC Sports.
Also winning 2018 Media Eclipse Awards: Tim Layden of SI.com will be honored in the Feature/Commentary Writing category for “Remember Chic Anderson's Legendary Call of Secretariat's Record Run at 1973 Belmont Stakes” and Jeremy Balan of BloodHorse.com will be recognized in the News/Enterprise Writing category for “San Luis Rey Horsemen Faced Brutal Challenges in Fire.”
NBC Sports captured two Eclipse Awards, one for live racing programming for its coverage of the 2018 Belmont Stakes and in the television features category for “San Luis Rey Fires.”
Barbara D. Livingston, chief photographer for Daily Racing Form, won her fourth Eclipse Award for Photography for a photograph of the GIII Gallant Bob S. at Parx. Inside the final 50 yards of the six-furlong race, Whereshetoldmetogo was in a furious stretch drive to the outside of the favored Firenze Fire, when suddenly Whereshetoldmetogo attempted to bite Firenze Fire. Livingston, standing in the gully at the outside rail to the left of the wire, caught the action with her Canon 1DX Mark II and 300mm f2.8 lens in an image displaying the teeth of Whereshetoldmetogo right below the withers of Firenze Fire.
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