OCEANPORT, N.J. – Stephen Edelson of the Asbury Park Press is the 2013 winner of Monmouth Park’s Handleman Memorial Award, which honors outstanding media coverage of the $1 million Haskell Invitational.

The award is named for the late Bill Handleman, who was a sportswriter and columnist for the Asbury Park Press for nearly three decades and made Monmouth Park his home away from home. Mr. Handleman died in June of 2010 at age 62.

Tom Luicci, lead racing writer for the Star-Ledger, won the inaugural Handleman Award in 2012.

Edelson earned this year’s Handleman Award for his extensive coverage of the 2012 Haskell Invitational, both before and after the 45th running of the race, won by Zayat Stables’ Paynter, who gave trainer Bob Baffert his record-setting sixth Haskell win.

Edelson, who has been a leading sportswriter at the Asbury Park Press for 28 years, covers Thoroughbred racing in addition to team sports.

The Haskell Invitational runs this Sunday at Monmouth Park.