Donna Barton Brothers to Receive Clay Puett Award
The University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program will honor Brothers for her contribution to the racing industry at its December symposium.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Equestrian
Donna Barton Brothers has been named the 2026 recipient of the Clay Puett Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Racing Industry. The award will be presented at the 52nd Annual Global Symposium on Racing on December 8, 2026.
Why it matters
The Clay Puett Award, presented annually by the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program since 1994, recognizes individuals who have made lasting contributions to horse racing. Brothers' career spans riding, broadcasting, and industry advocacy.
Brothers retired from race riding in 1998 with 1,130 victories and ranked as the second-leading female jockey in the country by career earnings. Her NBC Sports coverage of major races has spanned more than 26 years, though the source does not specify total broadcast hours.
The players
Donna Barton Brothers
A former professional jockey with 1,130 career victories who later became a longtime NBC Sports reporter covering major American horse races, and who serves on the executive board of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.
University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program
The academic program that presents the Clay Puett Award annually and hosts the Global Symposium on Racing, training professionals for the horse racing industry.
The details
Brothers began her professional riding career in 1987 and joined NBC Sports in 2000. She conducted on-track reporting on horseback alongside winning jockeys immediately after races and interviewed connections following the 2015 American Pharoah and 2018 Justify Triple Crown victories.
Timeline
1987: Brothers begins her professional riding career.
1994: The Clay Puett Award is established.
1998: Brothers retires from race riding.
2000: Brothers joins NBC Sports.
December 8, 2026: Award presented at the 52nd Annual Global Symposium on Racing at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Arizona.
Season Trajectory
The Clay Puett Award, established in 1994 to honor the inventor of the mechanical starting gate, has recognized figures who shaped how racing operates. Brothers' recognition extends that tradition to the sport's media and on-track presentation.
The award ceremony at the Global Symposium gives industry professionals and students a scheduled opportunity to hear from Brothers in person. Readers following racing broadcasts may recognize her as a familiar on-air voice from major events.
The takeaway
Brothers' career shows how experience on horseback can translate into credible reporting that connects racing's athletes with its audience. Her recognition highlights the value of those who bridge the sport's participants and the public.
What happens next
The award will be formally presented at the 52nd Annual Global Symposium on Racing on December 8, 2026.
Further reading
Explore more coverage in our Equestrian section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Blood Horse Interactive.
