LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Nov. 20, 2023) – For the 14^th straight year, horse racing fans will determine the most popular Thoroughbred of the year via online voting for the Secretariat Vox Populi Award.

Created by Secretariat’s late owner Penny Chenery, the Vox Populi, or “Voice of the People” award annually recognizes the racehorse whose popularity and racing excellence best resounded with the public and gained recognition for the sport.  

Courtesy of Secretariat.com

Through online voting at Secretariat.com, fans can vote for one of the five candidates selected by the Vox Populi nominating committee, or write in their own favorite. The poll is open now through Dec. 3, with the winner to be announced in December. The Vox Populi trophy presentation is planned for Jan. 13, 2024 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.

The nominees for the 2023 Secretariat Vox Populi Award are: Arcangelo, winner of the 2023 Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets and Travers Stakes and the first horse to win a Triple Crown race with a female trainer, Jena Antonucci; Casa Creed, the seasoned 7-year-old turf veteran who has continued to thrill fans while demonstrating both heart and resilience in winning the Kelso Stakes and Fourstardave Handicap; Cody’s Wish, 2022 Secretariat Vox Populi recipient whose four wins in five starts this year as a 5-year-old included the Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, and who shared an endearing and enduring connection with his namesake, the late Cody Dorman; Echo Zulu, the courageous 2021 champion juvenile filly and former Secretariat Vox Populi nominee who came back to form in 2023 with impressive victories in each of her three stakes starts before suffering a career-ending injury, from which she battles back once again on her road to recovery; and White Abarrio, the eye-catching gray 4-year-old comeback colt who capped off a remarkable racing resurrection with scintillating victories in the 2023 Whitney Stakes and Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic.

“Just as Mom envisioned, the Secretariat Vox Populi Award continues to celebrate horses who have excited and inspired fans throughout the year, and it’s wonderful to see that the 2023 candidates include both familiar favorites and engaging new nominees,” said Kate Chenery Tweedy, daughter of Penny Chenery. “In this 50^th-anniversary year of Secretariat’s Triple Crown, it has been especially heartwarming to see that his popularity remains so strong, and his legacy continues to thrive through this Award named in his honor.”

Previous Vox Populi winners embody the sport’s contemporary superstars and beloved equine heroes: Cody’s Wish (2022), Hot Rod Charlie (2021), Authentic (2020), Bricks and Mortar (2019), Winx (2018), Ben’s Cat (2017), California Chrome (2016 and 2014), American Pharoah (2015), Mucho Macho Man (2013), Paynter (2012), Rapid Redux (2011) and 2010 inaugural winner Zenyatta.

The 2023 Secretariat Vox Populi nominating committee comprises several distinguished personalities from both within and outside the Thoroughbred racing industry who share an appreciation for the sport. For more information about the award, visit Secretariat.com, the official website for the 1973 Triple Crown champion and a comprehensive online source for historical information, photography, merchandise and memorabilia chronicling Secretariat’s historic career and enduring legacy. Secretariat.com also can be found on Facebook and Instagram.