2019 Darley Awards Reclaims Classic Heritage in Move to Houston, Announces Official Selection of Nominees for the 2018 Racing Year
Its opening tagline Experience the Darleys Like Never Before aptly composes the optimism of the Arabian Racing Cup’s (ARC) Board of Stewards – hosts of the annual prestigious celebration for the best in USA Arabian racing – as the esteemed event, renowned for its swankiness throughout the Arabian horse industry, transitions from Hollywood and settles into its new home, the St Regis Houston hotel in Houston, Texas. With a tasteful combination of old-world luxury and modern stylings, the St Regis Houston perfectly sets the stage for Arabian racing’s elite vying for the Darley Award’s significant honours.
The prestige of the Darley Awards is due largely to its extensive and arduous selection process each year. The process officially commences at the end of each racing season when the Arabian Horse Association, under the direction of the Arabian Jockey Club, compiles Equibase stats on every racehorse entered that season in a pari-mutuel race. The top ten finalists in each of the 11 Darley categories are then presented to the Arabian Racing Cup’s Board of Stewards, who confidentially vote on the top three finalists (in order of placement) based on an explicit combination of race statistics, weights of importance and statistic equations for which to filter each horse’s information.
Once the top three finalists are determined, final voting expands to the 29-member Darley Award Voting Academy that includes state-affiliate racing organizations, the Arabian Jockey Club and a racing media panel. Like the Thoroughbred’s Eclipse Awards, results are kept secret to all but the voting manager, event manager, and the acclaimed artist, Karen Kasper, who has provided the Darley Award trophies for more than 25 years.
The final nominees for the 2019 Darley Awards include:
Three-year old Colt/Gelding
Big Ben AA
Burn Em Joey
RB Texas Hold Em
Three-year old Filly
Crimson Mary
Dance With Me BW
WMA Hope
Four-year old Colt/Gelding
Colors In Motion
Uptown Flying Flynn
RB Wild Card
Four-year old Filly
RB Kinkie Boots
Royally Bred
Uptown Sandy Girl
Older Horse
Easter Man
Quick Sand AA
Sand Victor
Older Mare
Burning Vaz
Dream Pearl
Pams Masquerade
Owner
Joseph and Betty Gillis
Jon and Krista Henningsgard
RoseBrook Farm LLC
Breeder
Joseph and Betty Gillis
Jon and Krista Henningsgard
Dianne K Waldron
Trainer
Lynn A Ashby
Terri Eaton
Jerenesto Torrez
Jockey
Carol Cedeno
Keiber Coa
Sasha Risenhoover
Horse of the Year
Easter Man
Quick Sand AA
Uptown Sandy Girl
Guests in attendance can also participate in a lavish silent auction of lifestyle items including private trips, fine wine, illustrious jewellery, and more. The annual ARC Live Stallion Auction, held during the Darley Awards, also offers breeders exclusive opportunities for some of the top Arabian racing stallions in the world. Current breeding stallions on the roster for this year include: AF Albahar, Big Easy, Grilla, Hilal Al Zaman, Mabrouk, Nashwan Al Khalediah, Serpahin Du Paon and Sir Bani Yas.
Additionally, for the first time in the history of the Darley Awards, this year’s award ceremony will be live-streamed with the Arabian Jockey Club’s popular broadcasting service, AJC LIVE, on its Facebook page.
Whether guests are new to racing or seasoned, all Arabian horse enthusiasts are invited to participate in celebration of the original racehorse. Tickets are $100 each before 28 February, $130 after, and includes a pre-dinner cocktail hour, a delectable three-course dinner and an open bar. Seating is limited. Tickets may be purchased at The Arabian Racing Cup website, along with additional information on travel, nominees, live stream info, weekend activities, private room block access at the St Regis Houston, and more.
The Arabian Racing Cup is a non-profit corporation founded by Dr. Same Harrison in 1983. It is dedicated to the national and international promotion of breeding and racing purebred Arabian horses. The Darley Awards were founded in 1987 and are the crown jewel of the Arabian Racing Cup. For more information, visit the Arabian Racing Cup website.
