The Maryland Million Ltd. Board of Directors is proud to give this Unsung Hero Award annually in honor of the memory of Joe Kelly. Joe was the first and only publicist for Jim McKay Maryland Million Day. As a close friend of founder Jim McKay, he was involved from the introduction of the concept in 1985 until his death in 2012. Joe was a mentor to writers, horsemen and fans alike, and loved our sport from his early days as a sportswriter.

Your Unsung Hero candidate should embody characteristics that are valuable, but often go unrewarded. He or she should be honest, hardworking and humble. They should inspire and set a good example through their principles and actions. The Unsung Hero Award recipient will receive a $1,000 honorarium and be recognized at the Sip & Win event and on Jim McKay Maryland Million Day at Laurel Park.

Nominees that are not selected for the award this year will be considered again in future years. If the person was nominated within the last two years, there is no need to nominate them again.

PREVIOUS WINNERS

• Holly Robinson (2013)
• Howard G. “Gelo” Hall (2014)
• Darryll-Ann Buschling (2015)
• Dr. David Zipf (2016)
• Mary Shunk (2017)
• Georganne Hale (2018)
• Heather Cellinesi (2019)
• Ahesahmahk Dahn (2020)
• Brenda Herzog (2021)
• Fran Burns (2022)
• Betty McCue (2023)
• Cathy Schmidt (2024)

NOMINEE MUST HAVE…

• Demonstrated a particular commitment, impact or contribution to the Thoroughbred industry or equine community in general
• Been involved in the Thoroughbred industry in Maryland for at least five years.

To nominate, please fill out a nomination form — online or hard copy — and include a recommendation letter of 500 words or less expounding on the reasons for your nomination.

Return the completed form and your letter of recommendation to:
Maryland Million Ltd., Attn: Emily Stakem, 321 Main St, Reisterstown, MD 21136

Or email it to Emily Stakem at [email protected]

NOMINATION FORM