Downey, Hovdey Win 1994 Eclipse Awards

Times columnist Mike Downey and free-lance writer Jay Hovdey of Laguna Niguel have won 1994 Eclipse Awards for writing, the Thoroughbred Racing Assns. announced Thursday.

Downey won in the newspaper division for a story he wrote last January on trainer Jeff Lukas, who had been run down by Tabasco Cat, the eventual winner of the Preakness and Belmont Stakes.

Downey is the third Times sportswriter to win an Eclipse. Skip Bayless won one in 1977 and Bill Christine in 1984.

Hovdey, whose work also has appeared in The Times, won in the magazine division for his coverage of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont in the Blood-Horse.