Romero, Azeri, PG, Best Pal make Hall; Vets add 3 inc. Pierce
 

Jockey Romero, Three Horses to Hall of Fame
By Ron Mitchell

Jockey Randy Romero and three horses--Azeri, Best Pal, and Point Given —have been elected into the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. for 2010.

The induction ceremony will take place Aug. 13 at the Fasig-Tipton sales pavilion in Saratoga.

Under a new voting format undertaken by the Hall of Fame committee for this year, candidates were no longer segmented by category. Voters could vote for up to four of the horses and individuals listed on the ballot, and the four with the highest number of votes were elected. As a result of the new process, neither of the two trainers who were among the finalists—Gary Jones and Robert Wheeler—were elected to the Hall of Fame this year.

As the only jockey elected to the Hall this year, Romero will be inducted on the basis of a career in which he won 4,294 races from 26,091 from 1973-99. With a career win rate of 16%, Romero’s mounts earned more than $75.2 million. Included among his 122 graded stakes victories were Breeders’ Cup World Championship wins with top distaffers Go for Wand and the undefeated Personal Ensign. With 342 total stakes wins to his credit, Romero won titles at 10 tracks, including Belmont Park, Arlington Park, Gulfstream Park, Keeneland, and Fair Grounds.

Point Given? Really?

Ridiculous.

Bob insisted...

Lookin At Lucky is a lock. :rolleyes:

It's his success as a sire that propelled him in. :rolleyes:

Meanwhile, Awesome Again isn't in and he deserves to be in over Point Given.

Finally, both Randy Romero & Best Pal get in! :)

How exactly is Romero qualified?

Really glad Best Pal finally made it in, and Point Given deserved it too

It's close, but I can see why he got in. 3 BC wins, probably 50 G1 wins, rode some of the biggest names of the 80's, and over 4,000 wins overall- but most of all he's become kind of the poster child for jockeys struggling with health issues.

I like the guy but I don't know if I would have voted for him. Strictly on merit, John Velazquez should get in over him (1 Belmont, 6 BC's, almost 5,000 wins, 6th on the all time money list).

I don't even know if Azeri should be in.

She should 100% be in.

I can live with it. Point Given not so much. Here is Azeri.

At 4:
Won Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), Santa Margarita H. (G1), Apple Blossom H. (G1), Milady Breeders' Cup H. (G1), Vanity H. (G1), Clement Hirsch H. (G2), Lady's Secret Breeders' Cup H. (G2)
2nd La Canada S. (G2)
At 5:
Won Apple Blossom H. (G1), Milady Breedrs' Cup H. (G1), Vanity H. (G1), Clement Hirsch H. (G2)
2nd Lady's Secret Breeders' Cup H. (G2)

At 6:
Won Apple Blossom H. (G1), Go For Wand H. (G1), Spinster S. (G1)
2nd Humana Distaff H. (G1), Personal Ensign H. (G1)

She was the best filly of the decade before Rachel and Zenyatta came along. Point Given was the best of nothing. I'm not even sure he was the best horse of that class, I might vote for Congaree over him.

I agree on that. Older campaigns still matter to me.

Azeri is 100% deserving.

Point Given retired after the Travers and never even faced old horses. Give me a break. I don't deny he is absolutely talented enough to belong....but that isn't the criteria....unless I missed it and Danzig is in the HOF.

Sympathy vote...much like Turcotte

i agree on all points. point given didn't do enough to get in, it's ridiculous that he was even on the ballot.

It is a sympathy vote for Romero. You really can't knock it because the guy is, like Phil said, the poster child for little people who are heavy.

they need to get rid of annual voting. every year now we'll get inductees who really don't belong. no one should get in unless they really deserve it. annual choices means a watered down event most years going forward, with one possible deserving nominee, and others getting in because someone has to.

I don't care much about hall of fame and award show deals. If it helps bring new people to the sport, fine. Other than that it's an attention whore fest.

The true greats will stand the test of time.

Yeah, 11 Grade I's, pfft.

She never wowed me sorry. On second look I endorse and said so. Ribolettas best races dwarf Azeri badly, yet Riboletta isn't even close to in. Pfft yourself Joe.

...come on randall.

riboletta had some good races, but her resume doesn't stack up to azeri's. i think she had half the grade one wins that azeri garnered. azeri had one heck of a win streak going as well. no question azeri belongs.

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/hor...aul&id=5231069 Speaking of the Hall of Fame, here's an article talking about Billy Turner's absence. Here's an interview with Billy: http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/spor...5/post_24.html

I've heard his drinking discussed in the past with regards to Seattle Slew and the relationship with Slew's owners. I thought some of you might have a more informed opinion about how it affected him as far his HOF status is concerned, if it did at all. Or was it more that losing Slew affected things? They seem to be intertwined a bit. I just know given what it takes for a horse who's good enough to with the Triple Crown to actually do it, it's no small thing to be their trainer, and surely it's grounds to get him on the ballot at the very least.

Just wait til Smarty Jones is put in! ;)

I agree with you, if Point Given is in, it opens it up to every Tom, Dick or Harry or in this case perhaps Alex Afleet to get in also. Fantastic way of lowering the bar.

Thankfully that won't be happening.

However, I still remain hopeful that one day the Hall will recognize Dynever.

Based on the last six weeks trainer Rudy Rodriguez should be eligible for the hall.How can a guy with zero experience win at 30% while veteren trainers like Gary Sciacca go zero for the month of May? Not one winner in a month.What a great job the drug testers are doing in N.Y...

Please, oh wise one, tell us about all the success other racetracks are having in this area.

I'd be willing to make a friendly wager on that one.

If Point Given got in... Smarty Jones is getting in.

There is no love affair with Servais vs. the constant adulation that Baffert gets.

I would make a friendly or unfriendly wager. He got zero support this year. The day horses that win two legs of a Triple Crown and never race again make the Hall of Fame is the day all sanity leaves this sport.

That would have been a fun race to watch if they could have hooked up....I think Point Given was better but the two styles would have made it a good race.

Will Rogers Downs in OKlahoma

He was on the ballot this year? I didn't know that.

However, I don't see how PG's overall record is much better that SJ's.

What do you think of Ghostzapper's chances?

He was eligible to be on the ballot this year.

If only Smarty had taken down Burning Roma in the Haskell by a head, he too would be worthy.

The hall of fame voters probably will consider the fact the Ghostzapper was on steroids, morphine, EPO or any other drugs that the great Bobby Frankel was using at the time.