Five jockeys, four Thoroughbreds, and one trainer comprise the 10 finalists
on the National Museum of Racing’s 2013 Hall of Fame ballot, as selected by the
Hall of Fame Nominating Committee. The candidates are: jockeys Chris Antley,
Calvin Borel, Garrett Gomez, Craig Perret, and Alex Solis; Thoroughbreds Ashado,
Housebuster, Invasor, and Lure; and trainer Gary Jones.
Hall of Fame voters may select as many candidates as they believe are worthy
of induction to the Hall of Fame. The four candidates with the highest vote
totals will be elected.
The finalists were selected by the Hall of Fame’s 16-member Nominating
Committee from a total of 86 candidates suggested throughout the year by turf
journalists, Thoroughbred industry participants, and racing fans. To be
eligible, trainers must have been active for 25 years, and jockeys must have
been active for 20 years. Thoroughbreds must have been retired for five years.
All candidates must have been active within the past 25 years. The 20- and
25-year requirements for jockeys and trainers, respectively, may be waived, but
a five-year waiting period is then observed before they become eligible.
Candidates not active within the past 25 years are eligible through the Historic
Review Committee.
The results of the voting on contemporary candidates will be announced on
April 26. The induction ceremony will be held at the Fasig-Tipton Sales Pavilion
in Saratoga Springs, New York, on August 9 at 10:30 a.m. (EDT). The ceremony is
free and open to the public.
Antley won 3,480 races and had purse earnings of $92,261,894 in a career that
spanned from 1983 to 2000. He won 127 graded stakes races and 293 overall
stakes. The leading North American rider by wins in 1985 with 469, Antley was a
two-time Kentucky Derby winner, taking the “Run for the Roses” with Strike the
Gold in 1991 and with Charismatic in 1999. He also won the Preakness with
Charismatic.
Other major victories for Antley included the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Woodward,
Santa Anita Handicap, Hollywood Derby, Alabama, Wood Memorial, Manhattan
Handicap, Carter Handicap, Louisiana Derby, Blue Grass, Coaching Club American
Oaks, and Jerome Handicap.
Borel, as of Wednesday, is one victory shy of 5,000 for his career and has
purse earnings of $120,044,775. In a career that began in 1983, he has won 286
stakes races and is the only jockey to ever win the Kentucky Derby three times
in a four-year span, accomplishing the feat with Street Sense (2007), Mine That
Bird (2009), and Super Saver (2010). His three victories in the “Run for the
Roses” are surpassed only by Hall of Famers Eddie Arcaro and Bill Hartack with
five each and Hall of Famer Bill Shoemaker with four.
One of only two riders with more than 1,000 wins at Churchill Downs (Hall of
Famer Pat Day is the other), Borel won the Preakness, Woodward, Haskell
Invitational, Mother Goose, and Kentucky Oaks with 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel
Alexandra. Among Borel’s other major victories are the Travers, Alabama,
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Sword Dancer, Florida Derby, and Stephen Foster
Handicap. He also won the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award in 2010.
Gomez has won 3,713 races and has purse earnings of $200,291,954 in a career
that began in 1988. He has won 308 graded stakes and 550 overall stakes. Gomez
won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey in 2007 and 2008 and led all North
American riders in earnings each year from 2006 through 2009.
Gomez won a record 76 stakes races in 2007 and has 13 Breeders’ Cup wins to
his credit, including the 2010 Classic with champion Blame. Among Gomez’s major
victories are the Pacific Classic, Travers, Santa Anita Derby, Whitney Handicap,
Stephen Foster, Kentucky Oaks, and Jockey Club Gold Cup. He won the George Woolf
Memorial Jockey Award in 2011.
Perret won 4,415 races and had purse earnings of $113,837,299 in a career
that spanned from 1967 through 2005. He was the leading apprentice jockey in
earnings in 1967 and won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey in 1990.
Perret won the Kentucky Derby with Unbridled in 1990 and the Belmont Stakes with
Bet Twice in 1987.
Along with four Breeders’ Cup victories, Perret also won the Travers, Florida
Derby, Haskell Invitational, Coaching Club American Oaks, Jerome Handicap,
Withers, Carter Handicap, Wood Memorial, Hopeful, and Queen’s Plate. He won the
George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award in 1988.
Solis has won 4,938 races and has purse earnings of $230,959,903 in a career
that began in 1982. He has won 319 graded stakes and 629 overall stakes. Solis
has won three Breeders’ Cup races, including the 2003 Classic with Pleasantly
Perfect. He won the 1986 Preakness with Snow Chief.
Major victories for Solis include the Santa Anita Derby, Florida Derby,
Hollywood Derby, Pacific Classic, Wood Memorial, Santa Anita Handicap, Dubai
World Cup, Manhattan Handicap, Metropolitan Handicap, and Jockey Club Gold Cup.
He won the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award in 1997.
Ashado, bred in Kentucky and owned by Starlight Stables, Paul Saylor, and
Johns Martin, won 12 of her 21 career starts with purse earnings of $3,931,440.
She was named champion three-year-old filly in 2004 and champion older female in
2005. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Ashado won the Spinaway, Schuylerville, and
Demoiselle at two. At three, she won the Kentucky Oaks, Breeders’ Cup Distaff,
Coaching Club American Oaks, Fair Grounds Oaks, and Cotillion Handicap. In her
final season, at age four in 2005, Ashado won the Go for Wand Handicap, Ogden
Phipps Handicap, and the Beldame.
Housebuster won 15 times in 22 career starts and earned $1,229,696. He was
named champion sprinter in 1990 and 1991. Bred in Kentucky by Blanche P. Levy
and owned by her son, Robert P. Levy, Housebuster won the Jerome Handicap,
King’s Bishop, Spectacular Bid, Swale, Hutcheson, Withers, Lafayette, and Derby
Trial in 1990 at age three en route to an 8-for-10 campaign. A winner of eight
consecutive races at one point in his career, Housebuster won the Carter
Handicap, Forego Handicap, and Vosburgh at four in 1991. Eleven of his 15 wins
were in graded stakes races. He was trained by Hall of Famer Jimmy Croll.
Invasor was bred in Argentina and won 11 of 12 career starts with earnings of
$7,804,070. He was named Horse of the Year and champion older male in 2006 when
he won the Pimlico Special, Suburban Handicap, Whitney Handicap, and Breeders’
Cup Classic. At age five in 2007, Invasor won the Donn Handicap and Dubai World
Cup. He was trained at ages four and five by Kiaran McLaughlin. Prior to that,
Invasor won the Uruguyan Triple Crown in 2005 for trainer Anibal San Martin.
Following the Uruguyan Triple Crown victories, Invasor was purchased by Sheik
Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum to run for Shadwell Stable. Nine of his wins were
in Grade/Group 1 events.
Lure won 14 of 25 career starts with earnings of $2,515,289. Bred and owned
by Claiborne Farm, Lure won the Breeders’ Cup Mile in 1992 and 1993. He won nine
graded stakes, including four Grade 1 events. Trained by Hall of Famer Shug
McGaughey, Lure set track records at five furlongs and one mile. He also won the
Gotham, Kelso Handicap, Early Times Turf Classic, Dixie Handicap, United Nations
Handicap, Elkhorn, Fourstardave Handicap, Bernard Baruch Handicap, and Daryl’s
Joy.
Jones won 1,465 races and had purse earnings of $52,672,611 in a career that
spanned from 1975 to 1996. He won 102 graded stakes and 233 overall stakes.
Jones trained 104 stakes-winning horses, including Turkoman, the 1986 champion
older male. Jones trained Turkoman to victories in the Marlboro Cup, Oaklawn
Handicap, and Widener Handicap. He conditioned Hall of Famer Best Pal to wins in
the Santa Anita Handicap, Oaklawn Handicap, Hollywood Gold Cup, and Strub. Jones
also trained Kostroma to a world turf record of 1:43 4/5 in the 1 1/8-mile Las
Palmas Handicap.
Other major victories for Jones include the Mother Goose, Santa Barbara
Handicap, Hollywood Oaks, Del Mar Futurity, Hollywood Futurity, Yellow Ribbon,
Swaps, Apple Blossom Handicap, San Antonio Handicap, La Brea, San Felipe, and
Norfolk.
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