"Hall/Fame" Santos; Charm; Veitch
 

Hall of Fame inductees announced...

Jockeys: Jose Santos and John Sellers..

Trainers: Henry Forrest, Frank McCabe and John Veitch..

Horses: Mom's Command, Silver Charm and Swoon's Son..

Silver Charm!!!!!!!!

Good picks on the horses, at least the two I've heard of before.

so glad that mom's command is finally getting in!!
congrats to all of them!!

Swoon's Son won 30 of 51 career starts and made over 970K back in the 1950's.

I've never seen any film of his races.

from tbheritage:

Swoon's Son b.c. 1953
(The Doge - Swoon)
Sound and solid, winner under all conditions, he was U.S. Champion Handicap Horse of 1957 and Champion Sprinter in both 1957 and 1958 . Won 30 of his 50 plus races (10 times second) in 4 seasons of racing, major wins included Arlington Futurity, American Derby, Equipoise Mile (twice), Wright Memorial Stakes (twice), Balmoral Turf Handicap. At stud, he got Chris Evert (leading filly of 1974), Swoon's Song (stakes winner and dam of Swingtime, among other stakes winners), and 20 other stakes winners from 330 foals.

in doing searching for swoon's son, i found this--is this right?????


To the man on the street, the most important race to win is the Kentucky Derby. Sports writers who don't know which end of the horse has teeth all become experts on the first Saturday in May, just as they become gymnastics experts every 4th years during the Olympics.

To the racing professional, there are more important races. One is the Belmont Stakes, because the 12-furlong distance is a quarter-mile longer than the Derby and requires that much more stamina (which is always a prime selling point in a stallion). Also, far more Belmont winners than Derby winners become divisional champions.

The Belmont used to be known as the "Test of a Champion" and was regarded as a stallion making race. This was a long time ago. Now, it's the 12 furlongs of anonymity.

Used to be that a top class horse would be asked to run 12f on dirt several times in his career. Now, unless they go to grass, none of the Belmont runners will ever see 12f again.

as for the inductees, Congrats to all. I'm especially pleased to see Veitch get it.

edit. im wrong again

What does everyone think about Santos getting in?

He's won quite a few big races, so I guess he deserves it, but there's plenty of riders out there I'd prefer to him.

He can thank Funny Cide - without him, he part of the long list ain't gettin' in anytime soon...

i guess i'd need to see who's not, but should be....haven't a clue who has been 'on the bubble'...

He was one of only five jocks to lead the nation in earnings for four straight years.

Pincay, Shoemaker, Baeza, and Bailey are the other four to accomplish that.

Winning the Kentucky Derby with a very good ride on Funny Cide and winning the Breeders Cup Classic with a great ride on Volponi made him pretty close to a cinch to get in one year soon.

Well.....not always. Funny Cide, who ran third in the '03 Belmont, just competed in a 12f dirt race within the last couple of weeks.

I think Tiago has a definate future in grass marathons.

I'm pretty sure that Silver Charm will be the first OBS April 2yo sale grad to make the Hall of Fame.

There's been other Derby winners to come from that sale (at least Lil E Tee) and other Dubai World Cup winners from that sale (Roses In May) but, I highly doubt any other Hall of Famers came from out of there.

It's basically Ocala's 3rd string 2yo in training sale....pretty much a big ole fire sale.

Johnny Sellers
 

Johnny Sellers, 69, was born in Los Angeles and was raised in Oklahoma. He rode from 1955 through 1977. The peak of his career was the decade of the 1960s when he finished in the top ten nationally in purse money won five times in a span of six years. He led the nation in victories, 328, and was second in purses in 1961, the year he rode Hall of Fame Carry Back to victories in the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness.

Sellers won many of the major stakes in the United States, including the Belmont, Alabama, Travers, Blue Grass, Kentucky Oaks, Florida Derby, Garden State, United Nations Handicap, San Juan Capistrano, San Luis Obispo, San Felipe, Sunset, Hollywood Derby, Carter, Del Mar Invitational and the Whitney. Sellers was moved by the news of his election to the Hall of Fame.

“I have tears in my eyes right now,” he said. “That’s for real.”

Sellers recalled being nominated in the Contemporary Jockey category in 1987. “That was the year Walter Blum won, and he deservedly should have,” Sellers said. “That was as close as I got. It was very neat, just even to be nominated, but this is incredible.” Sellers is a bloodstock agent and lives in Hallandale, Fla.

Henry Forrest
 

Henry Forrest was a native of Covington, Ky., and trained from 1937 until his death in 1975 at the age of 69. He saw every Kentucky Derby from 1921 until his death and trained the Derby and Preakness winners Kauai King in 1966 and Forward Pass in 1968.

During his career, Forrest trained for both Calumet Farm and Claiborne Farm. He finished in the top 10 nationally in races won in a season eight times and twice was in the top 10 nationally in purse money won. At the time of his death, he held the career record for victories at Keeneland, 153, and Churchill Downs, 271.

Forward Pass finished second in the Derby, but was declared the winner when Peter Fuller’s colt, Dancer’s Image, was disqualified for testing positive for a banned substance. In the Preakness, Forward Pass won by six lengths over a 10-horse field that included Dancer’s Image. He was second in the Belmont and the Travers. The colt also won the Florida Derby, the American Derby, the Hibiscus, the Everglades and the Blue Grass and was voted the champion 3-year-old in two polls.

"This is absolutely wonderful,” said Forrest’s daughter, Jennie Watkins. “His life was dedicated to racing. He was in the horse business his entire career and achieved what is the ultimate goal: to train a Kentucky Derby winner, and not one but two. It was his life. I think this is such a tribute to him and his memory this many years later to have such a wonderful thing happen.”

Frank McCabe
 

McCabe was a distinguished trainer in a career that spanned the later part of the 19th century and the early decades of the 20th century. He was born in Patterson, N.J. in 1859 and became an assistant to trainer James Rowe, who was a member of the first Hall of Fame class in 1955. When Rowe ended his relationship with the Dwyer brothers, who were prominent owners at the time, in 1884, McCabe became their trainer. He trained Hall of Famer Hanover, winner of the Brooklyn Handicap, Belmont Stakes, Withers and United States Hotel. McCabe trained three consecutive Belmont winners: Inspector B. 1886; Hanover, 1887; Sir Dixon, 1888.

During that same period, McCabe trained Tremont, who was unbeaten in 13 starts as a 2-year-old in 1886, and was considered a champion. McCabe’s other Hall of Fame horses were Kingston, a 1955 inductee, who won 89 of 138 starts, including 30 stakes and retired as America’s leading money winner at $140,195; and Miss Woodford, who was also handled by Rowe. Miss Woodford, elected to the Hall of Fame in 1967, won the Ladies Stakes, Alabama, Monmouth Oaks and Pimlico Stakes. She was the first horse bred and raced in America to earn more than $100,000.

McCabe, who died in 1924, also won the Travers with Inspector B., Sir Dixon and Sir John.

Swoon's Son
 

Swoon’s Son was a top stakes horse during a four-season career in the 1950s. Bred and owned by Kentuckian E. Gay Drake, a charter member of the Thoroughbred Club of America, Swoon’s Son won 30 of 51 starts. When he was retired to stud in 1958, he was the fourth-leading money-winner in the world at $907,605.

For most of his career, Swoon’s Son raced in the Midwest, primarily at tracks in Chicago and Kentucky. He was trained by Lex Wilson and ridden in all but one race by Dave Erb. Swoon’s Son won 22 stakes, including the Arlington Futurity and Bashford Manor at two; the American Derby, Arlington Classic and Clark Handicap at three, and the Equipoise Mile Handicap at four and five. Notable horses that Swoon’s Son defeated were Preakness winner Fabius, Kentucky Derby-Belmont winner Needles, plus Round Table and Bardstown.

Drake’s grandson Jack Jones now operates the family’s Mineola Farm near Lexington, Ky. where Swoon’s Son was bred. Jones was a witness to Swoon’s Son’s success. “I was eight, nine, 10 years old at the time, but I’ve got fond memories of his racing career, as well as having been with Lex Wilson and Dave Erb,” Jones said.

“I’m just overjoyed with his election. I’m just sorry that my grandfather wasn’t alive to see this happen. I know it was his pride and joy and crowning achievement in all the years that he bred and raced horses along with his full brother Dogoon. They were running simultaneously during that period.”
Drake died in 1974.

Steve,
Thanks for these bio briefs. They're interesting reads.

From the HOF press release today.. Had Mike Kane from the Museum on to kick off the show... Thought people would like learning about the less recent inductees!

Caught a bit of the show around 4:30 or so. That was Peter Fuller on? That was a great filly, Mom's C.

Yup.. Fuller was super... Listen to the full interview on archives...

I still cant understand why all four of the fillies nominated could not be inducted at once. They are all surefire hall of famers and I cant understand why we only elect one horse per catagory if there are others that are deserving.

I never saw him ride but there is not much in the brief bio that Steve posted that leads me to believe Jonh Sellers should be in the hall. As for Santos, his career peaked 15 years ago and anyone who has watched him ride in the last 10 years certainly wasn't thinking hall of fame. Swoon Song while seemingly a nice horse also does not seem be screaming for induction.
Silver Charm was a no brainer and John Veitch trained 4 champions in addition to Alydar in a time where trainers did not have 200 horse stables so I guess he should be in too.

Inside Informaion and Manila are both very deserving.

Manila might be the best turf horse of all the greats I've seen film on....he also has accomplishments to back the talent up---with a 14-11-3-0 record on turf---and a perfect 5-for-5 record in Grade 1 turf races.

Manila beat the deepest Breeders Cup Turf field of all-time, and Inside Information obliterated what was very likely the deepest Breeders Cup Distaff field of all-time...running a faster figure than Cigar did in his BC Classic win later on in the card...albeit, that race came over a sloppy track.

Both no brainers..

Wouldn't it be a better system to vote for all the horses that you feel are hall of famers rather than vote against the nominees that are put up next to you? If a horse has Hall of fame credentials then they should be in. If all the nominees are deserving then so be it. As for the people canadates....

Of course many of the voters spend as much time and effort as do the drunks at the Yankee game punching out their all star ballots.

I agree with you.

I think we need more horses going in and less people.

Even a good case could be made for a horse like Best Pal, who was tremendously popular out West.

* He was a Multiple Grade 1 winner at age 2.

* Won the Pacific Classic as a 3-year-old after a 2nd place finish in the KY Derby earlier in the year.

* Won three Grade 1's at age four---including the highest Beyer figure ever published for a Santa Anita Handicap winner.

* Won the Hollywood Gold Cup at age 5...and actually ran 2nd in a Grade 1 race on turf.

* Was a multiple stakes winner at age 6...including a 2nd place finish in the Pacific Classic.

* Won the Grade 2 San Antonio at age 7, including a 2nd place finish in the Santa Anita Handicap.

Racked up over $5.6 million in earnings, all in America, throughout the 1990's.

He is probably worthy. I really thought that all of the modern horses should be in

The one who I thought was probably the least worthy was Silverbulletday.

While she totally cleaned out and dominated her own division....the fact that she never was able to score a Graded Stakes win against older fillies and mares...and had quite a few cracks at her elders...should probably be enough to keep her out.

Moms Command
Looking at her pp's, there were some nice betting scores early in her career.
44-1, 19-1 and 17-1

Please allow the editorial lattitude, with help from the Hall of Fame Museum --

Jose Santos, 46, the rider of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Funny Cide, was born in Chile and recorded his first victory there in 1976.

He arrived in the United States on January 3, 1984 and quickly established himself as a prominent rider. He was the nation’s leading rider in earnings for four consecutive years, from 1986 to 1989, and was the Eclipse Award-winning jockey in 1988 when he set a record for purse earnings of $14,856,214. Through December 31, 2006, Equibase statistics show Santos had 4,076 victories in North America with purse earnings of $186,936,820.

In addition to Funny Cide, he has been the regular rider or frequent rider of champions Manila, Meadow Star, Criminal Type, Chief Bearhart, Fleet Indian, Fly So Free and Rubiano. “It’s a great honor just to be nominated and to be elected to the Hall of Fame is even bigger,” Santos said. “I know the history of the Hall of Fame in the United States, that it is all of the best. To be joining them, I don’t have words to express myself.” Santos is recovering from injuries he sustained in a spill at Aqueduct in February and is considering a return to riding.

In North America through December 31, 2006, Santos had won 331 graded stakes and a total of 608 stakes. Santos has won the Jockey Club Gold Cup three times, the United Nations Handicap four times; he has three wins in the Personal Ensign, the Spinaway, the Pegasus, the Carter Handicap and the Withers, and two wins in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, the Arlington Million, Coaching Club American Oaks, Cigar Mile, Caesar’s International, Florida Derby, Flower Bowl, Futurity, Hawthorne Gold Cup, Haskell, Jerome, Man o’ War, Matron, Metropolitan, Turf Classic and Whitney. Santos has won a total of seven Breeders’ Cup races. In 2006, he won six stakes with Fleet Indian.

In addition, as pointed out -- Jose Santos is one of only five jocks in the history of the game to lead the nation in earnings for four straight years.

He is a member of that club with Laffit Pincay, Willie Shoemaker, Braulio Baeza, and Jerry Bailey.

The rules, requirements, etc. on eligibility is a topic within itself. Comparing who should or should not have gotten in is natural. Liking one and not the other is also natural.

However, when looking at one's career and speaking to whether or not one is deserving of this great honor, of course it is important to look at merit, performance, accomplishments, recrods, stats, etc. We all know and understand that. Be that as it may, it is far more important to understand -- that while taking those things into consideration -- that we also understand the importance that one's career needs to be looked at in totality, as an entire career, across a spectrum of accomplishments and acheivements.

Even before I came to know Jose, and before he became a client, I was a fan of his, of course from afar. However, since then, I have come to know Jose Santos -- the man, as well as Jose Santos the jockey. In this type of discussion, pros and cons, of course we all know that we all have our flaws and faults. We all have our good days and bad. Fortunately, for many of us, we are not in an industry where we are under the microscope of the public eye. We are not subject to the scrutiny and watchful eye of the masses and the public. And that's OK, it's part of the game for those that are.

It has not only been an honor and privilege to have come to know Jose Santos -- but far more important, to also consider and call him a friend.

Congratulations to all of the inductees!!!

Eric

Congrats to the champ! :D

Did anyone expect a son of the fairly average at stud Silver Buck would end up with a $6.9MM earner who won 3 of the 5 biggest races in the world, close seconds in the other two, and a multitude of other big wins? Silver Charm was a GREAT racehorse and I challenge anyone to dispute that.

Better question is, why is he NOT in? He was Lava Man before Lava Man.

Here's link to tonight's first hour.. Mike Kane of the HOF followed by Peter Fuller: http://www.attheracesandbeyond.com/stream/52907a.mp3

Fuller is a great listen...

Well....He was a multiple Grade 1 winning 2yo....and Lava Man was running in maiden claiming races at the fair circuits at that time in his career.

Best Pal will have a hard time getting into the Hall of Fame because he never won any major stake races East of Arkansas...and he notoriously didn't fire his best races on Breeders Cup day.

But he was as honest and hard hitting as race horses come. Based on his career versus Lava Man's as of today....I'd certainly take Best Pal.

Lava Man is going to have to win in the East---and even if he does---the fact that many voters might think he was a "move-up" by a trainer without the greatest repute in the game...that might hurt his chances as well.