The National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters announced Jan. 6 the winners of the 2021 Media Eclipse Awards in six categories. One recipient is BloodHorse's Eric Mitchell. In Tracks Join Rallying Cry to End Cargo Shipping, Eric Mitchell investigated the deplorable conditions of racehorses shipped by boat in steel container boxes from the United States to Puerto Rico, and the response of American racetracks to this much-criticized practice. The article was published on Aug. 24, 2021. Eric will join John to share with us the many paths he had to take to create his Eclipse-Award winning story and give us any updates on the practice of this shipping. Matt Shifman has been a devoted fan of thoroughbred racing and handicapping since childhood, going to the races with his father at Aqueduct, Belmont Park, and Monmouth Park from their home in Central New Jersey. Since 2011, Matt has been the New York and Monmouth Park Correspondent at Horse Racing Nation where he is currently a Senior Writer. He also co-hosts the popular weekly video show Horse Center with Brian Zipze, which can be seen on YouTube. The Fair Grounds will feature no less than five stakes in their full 13-race Saturday card. Matt and John will analyze several of the stakes including both of the “Points” races for the Kentucky Derby and Oaks. The points system bumps up a level in the scoring as the races are worth 50-20-10-5. The $400,000 G2 Risen Star for the boys has brought together a field of ten colts that have Derby Dreams stretching out to 1 1/8 miles. Early attention is going to the Ken McPeek trained Smile Happy, who was last seen winning the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs on November 27. Trainer Chad Brown brings the highly regarded Zandon to New Orleans. In the G2 Remsen at Aqueduct, he lost by a head-bob after a strong stretch duel at the 1 1/8 distance. A field of eleven fillies will match strides at 1 1/16 in the G2 $300,000 Rachel Alexandra. Their resumes boast 4 stakes winners, 3 graded stakes winners and 3 that were graded stakes-placed. The connections of Dream Lith are hoping to return to Churchill Downs where she captured the G2 Golden Rod in her last outing. The mystery filly is Brad Cox trained Turnerloose who has never started over a dirt oval, while earning $351,300 from two wins, including the $500,000 Juvenile Fillies at Kentucky Downs. You can follow Matt Shifman on Twitter@AndyScoggin. Matt is also a voter for the weekly NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll and a partner in the NY Hot List which provides handicapping services to ADWs around the country. Matt Shifman was recently named the winner of the 2021 Bill Handleman Award for outstanding coverage of the Haskell Stakes.