Jockey Connie Doll and trainers David Martinez and Martin Pimentel will receive special awards when Emerald Downs completes its 18th season of Thoroughbred racing this weekend.
Doll is to receive the Lindy Award, named in honor of the legendary Clerk of Scales Lindy Aliment, while Martinez and Pimentel are co-honorees of the Martin Durkan Award, named in honor of the late state senator and longtime proponent for Thoroughbred racing in Washington.
Both awards will be presented during Saturday’s 11-race card.
Voted by the jockeys, the Lindy Award honors accomplishment and sportsmanship throughout the 2013 meeting, at which the 54-year-old Doll has ridden six winners (five Thoroughbred, one Quarter Horse) while setting a good example for her peers, including a large contingent of seven female riders.
A native of Ravensdale, Wash., Doll has ridden in recognized races since 1976, a 37-year career in which she has won multiple riding titles on the state’s Blue Mountain circuit of Sun Downs, Walla Walla, Dayton and Waitsburg. Doll also won titles at Harbor Park (Elma) and Kalispell, Mont., and has enjoyed success riding Arabians and Quarter Horses, in addition to Thoroughbreds.
The Martin Durkan Award, chosen by Director of Racing Bret Anderson and staff, honors trainers that exhibit leadership, cooperation, sportsmanship and excellence on and off the track throughout the 75-day meeting.
A 35-year-old native of Hidalgo, Mexico, Martinez has enjoyed a 15-win season including victories by 3-year-old gelding Mike Man’s Gold in the $50,000 Seattle Slew Handicap and 4-year-old gelding Until You in a $30,000 allowance race. Owned by Coal Creek Farm, Until You also gave Martinez his first starter in the Longacres Mile, finishing seventh in the race won by Herbie D. Martinez branched out two years ago, after stints with Vann Belvoir as assistant trainer and Howard Belvoir as groom.
A 46-year-old native of Michoacan, Mexico, Pimentel is a popular backstretch figure and has been instrumental in helping the track’s Quarter Horse racing program. A longtime assistant to the late Craig Roberts, Pimentel began his career in Southern California with trainer Jay Robbins in 1983. Coincidentally. Pimentel earned Trainer of The week honors for September 20-22, compiling a 2-2-0 record in five starts.
Lindy Award
2013*Connie Doll 2012*Javier Matias
2011*Lance Bullock 2010*Gallyn Mitchell 2009*Jose Zunino
2008*Travis Cunningham 2007*J.C. Estrada 2006*Ricky Frazier
2005*Kevin Krigger 2004*Debbie Hoonan 2003*Scott Saito
2002*Kevin Radke 2001*Jay Conklin 2000*Gary Baze
1999*Dan Brock 1998*David Nuesch 1997*Geoffrey Cooper
1996*Vann Belvoir 1995*Vince Ward 1994*Mike Ardis
1993*Ken Doll 1992*Debbie Hoonan 1991*Gary Baze
1990*Vann Belvoir 1989*Gary Baze 1988*Vicky Aragon
1987*Chad Hoverson 1986*Bryson Cooper 1985*Frank Gonsalves
Martin Durkan Award
2013*David Martinez, Martin Pimentel
2012*Dan Markle 2011*D. Munger, B. Christian 2010*Howard Belvoir
2009*Charles Essex 2008*Roy Lumm 2007*Chris Stenslie
2006*Steve Koler 2005*Robbie Baze 2004*H.R. Pat Mullens
2003*Rick Terry 2002*Debbie Van Horne 2001*H.R. Pat Mullens
2000*Pete Axmaker 1999*Tom Wenzel 1998*Doris Harwood
1997*Tim McCanna 1996*Steve Bullock 1995*Les Merritt
1994*Dennis Ward 1993*Roy Lumm 1992*T. Burlingame, F. Lucarelli
1991*M. Chambers, T. McCanna 1990*Marion L. Smith 1989*Bill Tollett
1988*Mike McCann 1987*Junior Coffey 1986*Claude Gibson
1985*Bob McMeans 1984*Larry Ross 1983*A. D. Hoksbergen
1982*Kay Vaughan 1981*Hump Roberts 1980*Ben Harris
1979*Kathy Walsh 1978*Clint Roberts 1977*Martin Kenney
