Secretariat Vox Populi Award

The Secretariat Vox Populi Award, also known as the "Voice of the People" award, was established in 2010 by Penny Chenery, who was the owner of Secretariat. The annual award "recognizes the horse whose popularity and racing excellence best resounded with the American public and gained recognition for Thoroughbred racing."[1]

Recipients of the award to date:

Year
 Horse
 Trainer
 Owner
2023 Cody's Wish Bill Mott Godolphin
2022 Cody's Wish Bill Mott Godolphin
2021 Hot Rod Charlie Doug O'Neill Boat Racing LLC, Gainesway Stable, Roadrunner Racing, and William Strauss
2020 Authentic Bob Baffert Spendthrift Farm, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables, Starlight Racing
2019 Bricks and Mortar[2] Chad Brown Klaravich Stables & William H. Lawrence
2018 Winx[3] Chris Waller Magic Bloodstock Racing, Richard Treweeke, Debbie Kepitis
2017 Ben's Cat[4] King T. Leatherbury The Jim Stable
2016 California Chrome[5] Art Sherman & Alan Sherman California Chrome, LLC
2015 American Pharoah[5] Bob Baffert Zayat Stables
2014 California Chrome[5] Art Sherman Perry Martin & Steve Coburn
2013 Mucho Macho Man[6] Kathy Ritvo Reeves Thoroughbred Racing
2012 Paynter[6] Bob Baffert Zayat Stables
2011 Rapid Redux[7] David J. Wells Robert Cole Jr.
2010 Zenyatta[6] John Shirreffs Jerry & Ann Moss

As of 2013, the award was chosen by a combined vote of the general public, conducted online; plus a vote of the Vox Populi committee, and a vote by Chenery.[6] After Chenery's death in 2017, the voting procedure changed; as of 2021, six nominees are chosen by a committee of "several distinguished personalities from within and outside the racing industry who all share a keen interest and affection for the sport". Online voting is then turned over to the general public, who can write in their own choices. Voting closes on November 30, with the winner announced in December.[8]

Two horses, California Chrome and Cody's Wish, are the only ones to date that have received the Secretariat Vox Populi Award twice. In 2023 Cody's Wish became the first winner of the award in consecutive years.[9]

  1. ^ "Mucho Macho Man wins 'Vox Populi' award". Usatoday.com. 2013-12-26. Retrieved 2013-12-27.
  2. ^ "Bricks and Mortar". Secretaiat.com. 2020-01-01. Retrieved 2020-01-28.
  3. ^ "Winx Voted 2018 Secretariat Vox Populi Award Winner". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
  4. ^ "Ben's Cat Named Vox Populi Winner". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
  5. ^ a b c Leonard Lusky. ""Vox Populi" Award - Secretariat.com". Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  6. ^ a b c d "Vox Populi Award Goes to Mucho Macho Man". BloodHorse.com. 2013-10-20. Retrieved 2013-12-27.
  7. ^ "2011 Vox Populi Award Goes to Rapid Redux". BloodHorse.com. 2012-01-05. Retrieved 2013-12-27.
  8. ^ ""Vox Populi" Award". Secretariat.com. Retrieved December 5, 2021.
  9. ^ "Cody's Wish Voted Back-to-Back Winner of Vox Populi". The Blood-Horse. 9 December 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.