30/06/2025
WI******ER — For one Wi******er man, the thrill of horse racing emerges when he snaps the right photo at the right time. This is exactly how Tim Sudduth won the coveted Jerry Frutkoff Best Preakness Image of 2024. The winning photo depicts jockey Jaime Torres celebrating the moment after guiding Seize the Grey to a celebratory finish at last year’s Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. Their victory is framed by spectators and features the iconic cupola and weather vane at the historic track.
Sudduth was presented the award last month at Pimlico during the Alibi Breakfast, a Maryland Jockey Club tradition since the 1930s. The photography award is sponsored by Nikon. It’s named after Jerry Frutkoff who was a renowned equine sport photographer. Frutkoff covered 55 Preakness Stakes in his career, from 1948 to 2003, according to bloodhorse.com, and he never missed a running of the Washington, D.C., International horse race during his career. His work was prolific and top-notch.
Sudduth says he is grateful to people like Frutkoff who paved the way and for the mentors he’s had while learning the art of equine sports photography. Sudduth always enjoyed photography while growing up, but it wasn’t until 2019 that he took a workshop in equine sports photography. A few years later, he started covering equine events.
“Charles Town Classic was the first one I did,” he said, adding that his mentors “saw something in me and have given me time to learn and grow. I am blessed that they took me under their wing.”
Michael Clevenger of the Louisville Courier Journal, Eclipse Sportswire owner Scott Serio, and Alex Evers, who works at Eclipse Sportswire, have played a big role in helping Sudduth develop his equine sports photography skills, giving him advice, and, more importantly, a chance. In turn, Sudduth says he tries to pay it forward by helping out local photographers when they ask him questions.
Since starting to cover equine sports — thoroughbred racing, steeple chase and fox hunts — Sudduth has had six photos chosen to hang in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York. His latest prize-winning photo will also be displayed there. Sudduth says the Frutkoff Award is particularly meaningful for him, as it ties together pieces from his past and gives him things to literally shoot for in the future.
Sudduth was no stranger to horses when he embarked on his equine photography journey. He grew up on a farm in Upperville in Fauquier County, where his grandfather and parents worked with horses. Sudduth liked horses, but didn’t have much of an interest in riding or farming.
But he has found that he enjoys viewing all things equine through the camera lens and capturing celebrations in the winner’s circle. Yet, he notes, it’s equally as interesting to photograph the jockey’s dismounting a horse when they don’t win.
“Everyone is in the same vicinity, win or lose. It’s an interesting space,” Sudduth said.
Sudduth seeks to find connections among humans and animals, jockeys and horse owners, spectators and those tending to the horses — before, during and after an event. “I like to watch the paddock as they prepare. I like to see things before the race — that moment when the jockey’s getting a leg up on the horse from the trainer. The owners may be there.”
“Photographing races is always interesting,” he said. “It’s always different, never the same. You can try to handicap a race to try to predict who will cross first. But, once they’re off, they’re off. There’s the thrill of the race. You’re capturing the horse as an athlete and the jockey as an athlete. They work in tandem to do the best they can. You watch them prepare for the race. You watch them practice. You capture all of the interactions.”
In the case of the winning photo, Sudduth notes that the grandstand at Pimlico Race Course is going to be torn down and the track is experiencing some renovations. In fact, 2025 marked the 150th running of the Preakness Stakes. There was some question when the 2024 race took place as to whether the renovations would realign things in a way that would make the view of the iconic cupola and weather vane a thing of the past. Sudduth positioned himself to capture the view, just in case it was the last time that they would be seen at the finish line.
It turns out the view of the cupola and weather vane will be saved. However, being positioned where he was, Sudduth was able to capture the joyous jockey win the Preakness, which is one of the three races in the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.
On a personal note, Sudduth notes that the winning jockey, Jaime Torres, started his career in 2019, the same year Sudduth started photographing equine events. That makes him particularly fond of the photo.
As for what’s next, Sudduth will continue to strive to capture “the shot” no matter what the equine event, and he relishes the recognition for his work. “It’s special to me. It represents part of the Triple Crown from last year. For me, the Frutkoff Award is just a step below winning the Eclipse Award of the Year and I hope to win that one day.”
Meantime, he will keep exploring what he’s able to do with shutter speed, lens and fast horses. To see more of Sudduth’s work, check out timsudduthphotography.zenfoliosite.com.
By KRISTA G. FARRIS Special to The Wi******er Star
