NEW YORK, 20 February — Prince Ahmad ibn Salman, chairman of Saudi Research & Marketing Group, has been selected honorary president of the board of New York State equestrian club.
Prince Ahmad was also named the best owner and best breeder. Officer, from his stable, was named the best horse among the two-year-olds.
The selection of Prince Ahmad to the top post, despite the fallout of the Sept. 11 events, comes as a commendation of his successes in horse racing, especially in North America.
At the Eclipse Awards in Miami, Florida, this week, Prince Ahmad’s horses performed remarkably well. They contested in seven major categories for the first time and won two. In five other major categories, his horses placed second. Eclipse Awards is as popular in the racing circles as Oscars is in the entertainment industry and is attended by a large number of prominent businessmen, politicians, horse owners and media persons.
At the Eclipse festival, Point Given, owned by the prince, was unanimously selected the best horse in three years. It also won the best horse of the year award, competing with the American Tiznow, and Irish horse Johannesburg. This is the first time an Arab horse owner has picked up this prize.
Speaking to reporters after receiving the awards, Prince Ahmad said he was dedicating the awards to his late brother Prince Fahd ibn Salman. His statement was received by ringing applause. Prince Ahmad, in his speech, also wished more peace and security for all peoples of the world.
Point Given, born in March 1998, recorded a historic victory in Belmont Stakes recently. He was ridden by jockey Gary Stevens.
Point Given’s four straight summer Grade One triumphs outweighed the colt’s baffling flop behind Monarchos in the Kentucky Derby before a career-ending injury robbed him of a tilt at the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Tiznow’s last-gasp Classic win over Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Sakhee was enough to land top older male honors. Ireland’s Johannesburg, bidding to be Europe’s first US Horse of the Year for nearly two decades, took the consolation of top two-year-old colt.
