2024 HoF

[Flanders]

Contemporary inductees: Gun Runner, Justify, Joel Rosario
Pre-1900 Historic Review Committee inductees : Aristides, Lecomte, jockey Abe Hawkins
Pillars of the Turf Committee inductees: Harry F. Guggenheim, Clement L. Hirsch, and Joe Hirsch

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing ... ll-of-fame

[stark]

Congrats to JoEl today, but......

I think it's crazy to get into any HOF while your career is still active.

Eligibility should be after a couple of years on the sidelines, football and baseball is 5 years and that works just fine.

[BaroqueAgain1]

Jockeys tend to have more dangerous jobs than baseball or even football. Honoring a great rider....before he/she may be unable to enjoy the honor....seems suitable for horse racing's HoF.

[stark]

Jockeys tend to have more dangerous jobs than baseball or even football. Honoring a great rider....before he/she may be unable to enjoy the honor....seems suitable for horse racing's HoF.

What if the jockey has a few tumultuous years that overshadow his early career, drinking problems off the track, failure to ride to the wire, missed assignments, suspension for aggressive behavior off the track, should he really be given a lifetime achievement award like the HOF?

[Curtis]

Jockeys tend to have more dangerous jobs than baseball or even football. Honoring a great rider....before he/she may be unable to enjoy the honor....seems suitable for horse racing's HoF.

So is the reason trainers can be inducted while active because they some day might die in their barn? If Baffert weren’t in already, would his speech be sponsored by Otomax?

[Curtis]

Jockeys tend to have more dangerous jobs than baseball or even football. Honoring a great rider....before he/she may be unable to enjoy the honor....seems suitable for horse racing's HoF.

What if the jockey has a few tumultuous years that overshadow his early career, drinking problems off the track, failure to ride to the wire, missed assignments, suspension for aggressive behavior off the track, should he really be given a lifetime achievement award like the HOF?

Did they play George Harrison’s “Wah-Wah” before CNak’s speech? And for as smart of a guy as Kent is, he never seemed to grasp that if you didn’t like his horse to win you had to factor in his stiffing his mounts the last 50 yards into Exacta and Trifecta handicapping. Cashing tickets is tough enough.

[Gemini]

Jockeys tend to have more dangerous jobs than baseball or even football. Honoring a great rider....before he/she may be unable to enjoy the honor....seems suitable for horse racing's HoF.

So is the reason trainers can be inducted while active because they some day might die in their barn? If Baffert weren’t in already, would his speech be sponsored by Otomax?

Jockeys ride the horses that might not be sound and that might get loaded up with who knows what BY the trainers. I’m sure Victor Espinoza is so glad he got on for Bobby Abu Dhabi’s last work out.

[Gemini]

I will also add my regular lament that Game On Dude never got the respect he deserved. That gelding was so good, for so long, and turned in some tremendous performances, especially the 2014 Santa Anita Handicap where he beat both Classic winner Mucho Macho Man and 3yo champ Will Take Charge. Only because he didn't do well enough in the BC Classics, he got passed over when he should have earned an Older Male Eclipse sometime during his career.
I really hope he gets the votes for the HoF.

G1 wins at 2, 3, and 4 from 7-10f on two different surfaces, two of them at 3 against elders (including one of this year's nominees, and an extremely rare accomplishment on its own), beat a future HOTY (and Hall of Famer) on the square in one of the best matchups of the modern era. The fact that he achieved so much yet is still viewed as such a sad snakebit "what-might-have-been" story speaks to how good he truly was. As Curtis said, he would definitely be in the HOF (and in more discussions of the best of the best) with a win in that Classic, which is kind of wild, because after the race it was generally agreed-upon that he had no chance to win it and did well just to run fourth. Racing is such a fickle game...

Imagine how it feels to be a fan of Congaree.

[Curtis]

Jockeys tend to have more dangerous jobs than baseball or even football. Honoring a great rider....before he/she may be unable to enjoy the honor....seems suitable for horse racing's HoF.

So is the reason trainers can be inducted while active because they some day might die in their barn? If Baffert weren’t in already, would his speech be sponsored by Otomax?

Jockeys ride the horses that might not be sound and that might get loaded up with who knows what BY the trainers. I’m sure Victor Espinoza is so glad he got on for Bobby Abu Dhabi’s last work out.

I get that but that reasoning doesn’t work given that trainers also get in long before their career ends.

[Gemini]

So is the reason trainers can be inducted while active because they some day might die in their barn? If Baffert weren’t in already, would his speech be sponsored by Otomax?

Jockeys ride the horses that might not be sound and that might get loaded up with who knows what BY the trainers. I’m sure Victor Espinoza is so glad he got on for Bobby Abu Dhabi’s last work out.

I get that but that reasoning doesn’t work given that trainers also get in long before their career ends.

Isn’t it 25 years though? I’m not sure what length of time would be fair.

[Curtis]

Jockeys ride the horses that might not be sound and that might get loaded up with who knows what BY the trainers. I’m sure Victor Espinoza is so glad he got on for Bobby Abu Dhabi’s last work out.

I get that but that reasoning doesn’t work given that trainers also get in long before their career ends.

Isn’t it 25 years though? I’m not sure what length of time would be fair.

I don’t know, I hate politics and that’s what these things have become. There were a couple of west coast based trainers; Bob Wheeler and Tommy Doyle, that are of worthy consideration. Wheeler finally made it in after being on and off the ballot over the years. Doyle still is not in. Fernando Toro, the jockey, took forever. None of these guys have gotten better or worse over the years. They either are or they aren’t.

[stark]

I get that but that reasoning doesn’t work given that trainers also get in long before their career ends.

Isn’t it 25 years though? I’m not sure what length of time would be fair.

I don’t know, I hate politics and that’s what these things have become. There were a couple of west coast based trainers; Bob Wheeler and Tommy Doyle, that are of worthy consideration. Wheeler finally made it in after being on and off the ballot over the years. Doyle still is not in. Fernando Toro, the jockey, took forever. None of these guys have gotten better or worse over the years. They either are or they aren’t.

..........and it won't be long before Doug O'Neil is in, FWIW.

[Slewfan2]

No one has been passed over, without any justification, more than Gulch.

It’s disgraceful with what this horse accomplished that he wasn’t in a long time ago, and now he’s got to wait until 2026 for another chance

This resume is incredible...not just sprints, but he ran fantastic races against very good horses usually going longer than he was best suited

Gulch was a throwback, and looking at this, it’s embarrassing that he’s not already in

2 year old:

Tremont
Saratoga Special
Hopeful
Futurity


3 year old

Bay Shore
Wood
Met Mile

4 year old

Portrero Grande
Carter
Met Mile
BC Sprint

Other placings

3rd Gotham
3rd Belmont
2nd Whitney
2nd Woodward

3rd Oakland Handicap
2nd Californian
2nd Tom Fool
2nd Whitney
3rd Iselin
2nd Vosburgh

[Curtis]

Isn’t it 25 years though? I’m not sure what length of time would be fair.

I don’t know, I hate politics and that’s what these things have become. There were a couple of west coast based trainers; Bob Wheeler and Tommy Doyle, that are of worthy consideration. Wheeler finally made it in after being on and off the ballot over the years. Doyle still is not in. Fernando Toro, the jockey, took forever. None of these guys have gotten better or worse over the years. They either are or they aren’t.

..........and it won't be long before Doug O'Neil is in, FWIW.

Doug was able to time it just right so Mario Gutierrez was Super Mario as opposed to Stupor Mario—there really is a fine line—twice on the First Saturday in May. He also trained a horse that could drag Kevin Krigger around to win a G1. The HoF should name a wing after him.

[stark]

Slightly off topic.....

Maybe now they can vote Pete Rose into the HOF?

Certainly saw him at plenty of racetracks over the years including the OTB in Ventura, Ca.

Speaking of my local OTB, it was quite the spot for the stars.

Not only Pete Rose, but Mickey Rooney too.

But the real regulars, up the road from Malibu, were Martin Sheen and son Emilio Estevez.

All had one one thing in common as fans approached them, NONE wanted to talk about their careers, but ALL of them welcomed any conversation about who you liked in the upcoming race.

RIP

[Slewfan2]

Slightly off topic.....

Maybe now they can vote Pete Rose into the HOF?

Certainly saw him at plenty of racetracks over the years including the OTB in Ventura, Ca.

Speaking of my local OTB, it was quite the spot for the stars.

Not only Pete Rose, but Mickey Rooney too.

But the real regulars, up the road from Malibu, were Martin Sheen and son Emilio Estevez.

All had one one thing in common as fans approached them, NONE wanted to talk about their careers, but ALL of them welcomed any conversation about who you liked in the upcoming race.

RIP

RIP to Pete

But no, he’s not in the HoF for a reason