Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred, the monthly magazine published by the Maryland Horse Breeders Association in Reisterstown, received multiple honors in the annual American Horse Publications Equine Media Awards for material published in 2025.
Presented at the AHP annual conference in Lexington, Ky. May 16, the awards recognize editorial excellence across multiple divisions by the association’s business and individual members. The contest included entries from publications across multiple disciplines in the equine industry.
Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred editor Joe Clancy received two first-place awards.
In the personal column category, Clancy’s “Walk of Ages” editorial about Pimlico Race Course from the June 2025 edition won the top prize. The column followed the writer as he walked through the facility on the final Preakness Day before Pimlico was razed as part of a complete rebuild.
Contest judges appreciated the details. “This was an absolutely fantastic piece of descriptive writing. This is an article that should be in the racetrack’s archives for racing fans to read whenever they are missing the old racetrack this article describes. This type of descriptive and flowing writing was done tastefully and will be memorable for any reader. Being able to take readers on a journey while incorporating so many big moments is why this is the first-place article in this class. From the first word to the last, this piece was an encapsulating experience that any horse lover will appreciate.”
Clancy received an honorable mention in the same category for another Pimlico remembrance, from the May 2025 edition. Called “Old Pimlico’s Places,” this one dug up some of the track’s important locales and the writer’s connections to them.
Judges also ranked Clancy’s coverage of the 2025 Maryland Hunt Cup as the top entry in the event-coverage category. Written for the June edition, the article headlined “Big Fences, Big Moment” covered the Hunt Cup win of Maryland-bred Road to Oz and trainer Mark Beecher’s experiences – before and after – the feat. “This deftly written piece tells an engaging story,” judges wrote. “The reporter elicited meaty quotes that moved the story along at a readable pace and broke up the technical aspects of the event.”
Photographer Scott Serio received a second-place prize in the editorial photograph category for his image “Single Track” from the July edition. Run as a Post Time two-page spread designed by Barrie Reightler, the black-and-white image showcased a lone horse galloping on a muddy Pimlico track during morning training. Judges cited the photo for, “Excellent use of tone, texture, and leading lines creates a strong sense of depth and direction, guiding the viewer naturally through the frame. The restrained black-and-white treatment enhances mood and reinforces the narrative, giving the image a timeless editorial quality. The composition effectively communicates isolation and focus, making it feel like a moment within a larger story rather than a standalone image.”
Clancy’s article about 2024 steeplechase champion Snap Decision "Dark Knight," from the March edition, received a third-place nod in the feature article category for association publications.
Other Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred honors went to writer Maggie Kimmitt with an honorable mention in the human-animal bond category for a profile of retired Thoroughbred Sadie’s Magic from the May edition; writer Vinnie Perrone with an honorable mention in the personality profile category for a feature on the life of trainer Hank Allen called “Home Run” from the February magazine.
“We’re so proud to be recognized, and owe a thank you to the judges, American Horse Publications, the Maryland Horse Breeders Association, readers, advertisers and contributors,” said Clancy. “My byline may be on some of those award winners, but each edition we publish gets touched by hard-working team members. It takes everybody.”
Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred, a multiple winner of the contest’s General Excellence award, was founded in 1991 and is a successor to the Maryland Horse magazine founded in 1936. Readers are Thoroughbred breeders, owners, trainers, riders and enthusiasts in the Mid-Atlantic region. American Horse Publications, which approved a name change to Equine Media Association this month, was founded in 1970. Its more than 470 members include equine-related publications, professionals, students, organizations and businesses. Full awards program available at AHP website.
