Fri Feb 22 15:42:17 2008

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Finalists announced for Racing Hall of Fame

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Saratoga Springs, NY (Sports Network) - A total of 12 finalists, including seven thoroughbreds, have been nominated for the 53rd class of the Racing Hall of Fame.

Three of the best jockeys in recent history -- Randy Romero, Edgar Prado and Alex Solis -- are also among the finalists.

Romero, retired since 1999, registered earnings of more than $75 million with 4,294 wins in better than 26,000 mounts. In his 26-year career, Romero won three Breeders' Cup races and was the regular rider for champions Go for Wand and Personal Ensign.

Prado gained international acclaim in 2006 with his Kentucky Derby-winning ride aboard Barbaro and his actions two weeks later in the Preakness Stakes when Barbaro suffered a career ending injury.

The 40-year-old Prado is a native of Peru and has compiled more than 6,000 victories and earnings of better than $202 million. He was the winning jockey of the 2002 and 2004 Belmont Stakes -- both times preventing Triple Crown sweeps by War Emblem and Smarty Jones, respectively.

Solis has earned more than $205 million in 4,534 victories through the end of 2007. He won the 1986 Preakness Stakes with Snow Chief and has captured three Breeders' Cup races.

The two trainers named finalists are two-time Kentucky Derby winner Carl Nafzger and the late Robert Wheeler.

Nafzger won the 1990 Run for the Roses with Unbridled and last year's Kentucky Derby with 2006 two-year-old male champion Street Sense. The 66-year-old Texas native is approaching 1,200 wins and has earnings of better than $50 million.

Robert Wheeler passed away at the age of 72 in 1992. He trained 1959 co- champion three-year-old filly Silver Spoon. Wheeler won the 1959 Santa Anita Derby with Silver Spoon and again in 1960 with Tompion.

The three contemporary male horses nominated as finalists are Best Pal, Manila and Tiznow.

Best Pal was owned by Mr. and Mrs. John C. Mabee and won the 1991 Pacific Classic, 1992 Santa Anita Handicap and 1993 Hollywood Gold Cup. He finished his racing career with $5.6 million in earnings.

Tiznow is the only two-time winner of the Breeders' Cup Classic, taking the event in 2000 and 2001. He was named 2000 Horse of the Year as a three-year- old and was 2001 champion older male. Owned by Cecilia Straub Rubens, Tiznow earned better than $6.4 million with 12 wins in 18 starts.

Manila won the 1986 Breeders' Cup Turf, which helped him to that year's Eclipse Award as champion male turf runner. He won 12 of 18 lifetime starts for $2.7 million for owner Bradley Shannon and trainer Leroy Jolley.

The four female finalists are Silverbulletday, Sky Beauty, Inside Information and Open Mind.

Silverbulletday was the 1998 champion two-year-old filly and Eclipse Award winner in 1999 as top three-year-old filly. Owned by Mike Pegram, Silverbulletday earned just over $3 million with 15 wins in 23 lifetime starts.

In 1993 Sky Beauty captured the Alabama Stakes along with a sweep of the New York Triple Tiara series. Trained by Allen Jerkens, the filly was voted 1994 champion older thoroughbred female. She won 15 of 21 career starts for $1.3 million.

Inside Information was the 1995 champion older filly or mare for owner Ogden Phipps. Trained by Shug McGaughey, Inside Information won the Breeders' Cup Distaff in 1995 and finished her career with $1.6 million in earnings with 14 wins in 17 races.

Open Mind, owned by Eugene Klein, was the 1988 champion two-year-old filly after winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Filly, and the 1989 champion three- year-old filly. Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, Open Mind won 12 of 19 lifetime starts for more than $1.8 million.

The finalist with the highest number of votes in each category will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Monday, August 4 in Saratoga Springs.