Respected Broadcaster to be Recognized May 17 at Alibi Breakfast

 

BALTIMORE – Jeannine Edwards, who served as senior horse racing reporter for ESPN and ABC for 16 years and provided extensive coverage of the Triple Crown and Preakness Stakes, will receive the Special Award of Merit Thursday, May 17 at the Alibi 

Breakfast at Pimlico Race Course. 

 

The Special Award of Merit is given to those who have made a positive impact on the racing industry. Previous recipients have been Jim McKay, D. Wayne Lukas, Dr. Dean Richardson and Edgar Prado, Team American Pharoah, Jerry Bailey and King Leatherbury.

 

Edwards’ career in broadcasting was preceded by 10 years on the racetrack as an exercise rider, apprentice jockey, and trainer in New York and New Jersey. She moved to Maryland in 1993 and worked as the in-house host at Pimlico and Laurel Park.

 

Edwards was part of the ESPN horse racing team that won three consecutive Eclipse Awards (2009-2011) for Outstanding Live Telecasts, as well as two Emmy nominations. She also covered college football and basketball before retiring in January after a 22-year broadcast career.

 

“I was stunned when I got the call that I was receiving this award,” Edwards said. “My first reaction was "Me? I don't deserve something like that!" And then "I haven't been retired long enough!"  To call this an honor would be an understatement. I'm touched, humbled, and blown away by this award. There are so many long-time, hard-working, talented professionals who have made horse racing their life's work that I feel extremely blessed to be recognized in this way. A thousand Thank You's to the Maryland Jockey Club.....for giving me my start in television and now honoring me with this accolade."