Tom Cassidy of TVG has been presented the 2017 Bill Handleman Memorial Award for outstanding coverage of last year's Grade 1 Haskell Invitational. The award was presented to Cassidy at the Thursday post-position draw for this Sunday's Haskell.

Cassidy won the award for his on-air coverage of Exaggerator's victory.

"This is quite an honor," Cassidy said. "I spent a lot of time in the pressbox here discussing racing with Mr. Handleman."

Cassidy, a native of Spotswood, New Jersey, went to work in the press office at Monmouth Park when he was still in high school. He was announced as the award winner by John Heims, who first hired him.

Cassidy is based at Monmouth throughout the meet for TVG. His wife, Audrey, works in the Monmouth press office.

The award is named for the longtime lead sportswriter of the Asbury Park Press. Handleman died in 2010 at age 62.

PHOTO: Tom Cassidy (left) accepts the Bill Handleman Memorial Award from John Heims, the media relations director at Monmouth Park. Photo courtesy of EquiPhoto