Bob duncan honored with Special Eclipse Award for Revolutionizing Horse Racing starts
A lifetime dedicated to understanding and improving the equine experience at the starting gate has earned Bob Duncan a Special Eclipse Award for Career Excellence, announced by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters. Duncan will receive the prestigious award on January 22nd at the 55th annual Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards at The Breakers Palm Beach in Florida.
Duncan’s innovative methods and compassionate approach fundamentally changed starting gate procedures, impacting the sport both domestically and internationally.
Duncan’s journey began in 1967-68 at NYRA tracks, interrupted by a two-year service commitment with the United States Army in Korea. Upon his return,he quickly rose through the ranks,becoming assistant starter to Frank Calvarese before succeeding him as NYRA’s head starter in 1993 – a position he held until his 2004 retirement. Even after retirement, Duncan remained a valued consultant for NYRA and continues to offer his expertise to private stables.
The early years of Duncan’s career were marked by the common struggles of getting horses comfortably into the starting gate. He recognized in the 1990s that relying on fear and intimidation was not only counterproductive, often leading to disastrous starts, but also detrimental to the horses themselves. “Horses respond to good leadership,” Duncan explained. “Once we started communicating in a language that the horses understood, they responded calmly, and their performance improved. By watching horses, you learn how to connect with them; the key is to set aside your ego and any urge to dominate the horse.They are prey animals, and dominance just doesn’t work. We used to think we were heroes just to get the horses into the starting gate,but we didn’t realize the price that the horses were paying and,in turn,how it hurt their connections and the sport.”
Hall of Fame trainer and eight-time Eclipse Award winner Todd Pletcher lauded Duncan’s impact, stating, “Bob revolutionized the starting gate process over his 50-year tenure. He was the first to introduce more humane, behaviorally informed practices in his running of the gate-schooling and starting-gate program, establishing a model now emulated internationally.” Pletcher further emphasized Duncan’s advocacy for natural horsemanship throughout all facets of the racing industry – from training to breeding.
Duncan’s innovative approach involved phasing out practices like the heavy use of buggy whips and blindfolds, and integrating techniques championed by figures like Monty Roberts, Pat and Linda Parelli, and Ray Hunt. This shift focused on creating a calmer, safer habitat for both horses and handlers. The results were immediately apparent in New York, with horses exhibiting improved cooperation and performance.
The success in New York quickly garnered international attention, leading to requests for Duncan’s expertise from trainers across the globe, including aidan O’Brien and Gai Waterhouse in Ireland, Australia, and Barbados. By 2004, NYRA tracks had recorded 6,000 horse visits to the gates without a single serious incident, a testament to Duncan’s methods.
Duncan’s influence extended to major racing events,including the 2006 Kentucky Oaks (G1) and Kentucky derby (G1),where he served as a starting gate crew member. He famously worked with the frequently enough-fractious Quality Road, a Pletcher-trained horse who was scratched from the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) due to pre-race difficulties. Following the incident, Duncan was called upon to help. “I came down from Saratoga and schooled him at Belmont Park,” Duncan recalled. “I just took him in the stall with my rope halter and spent 15 minutes with him, moving him back and forth, and connecting with him. He was almost instantly responsive.”
The transformation was remarkable. In 2010, a calmer and more focused Quality Road went on to win four graded stakes races, including the Donn Handicap (G1), Metropolitan Handicap (G1), and the Woodward Stakes (G1).
Receiving the Special Eclipse Award, Duncan expressed humility and satisfaction. “This is not something that normally happens in our discipline,” he reflected. “There is so much joy and satisfaction to this process-handling the horses in this way-that it’s like winning a little Eclipse Award every morning.”
