SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Lemon Drop Kid, winner of the 1999 Belmont Stakes, and trainer Neil Howard are among the new nominees to the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame.
Announced Monday, the list of 87 horses, trainers and jockeys were nominated by Hall of Fame voters, fans and people who work in the racing industry.
Besides winning the Belmont, the third leg of the Triple Crown, Lemon Drop Kid won the 1999 Travers at Saratoga and was champion older horse in 2000. He won more than $3.2 million during his career.
Howard has trained winners of 70 stakes races during a 30-year career, including 2003 horse of the year, Mineshaft, and 1990 Preakness winner Summer Squall. Howard’s horses have won more than $39 million in purses.
All the nominees have been active since 1980. Horses, jockeys and trainers who haven’t competed in 25 years may be considered by the Hall of Fame’s historic review committee.
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Other eligible nominees this year include jockeys Mark Guidry, Eddie Maple and Jose Santos, and trainers John Campo, Gasper Moschera and John Veitch. Female horses eligible include Sharp Cat, Silverbulletday and Sky Beauty while male horses include Best Pal, Criminal Type, Silver Charm and Unbridled.
The inductees will be announced in late May and enshrined Aug. 7 at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, across the street from Saratoga Race Course.
Despite vigorously denying he gave one of his horses an illegal performance-enhancing mixture, trainer Doug O'Neill was suspended 45 days — a ban that won't take effect until after his superstar colt, I'll Have Another, tries to win the Triple Crown.
Slideshow: I'll Have Another one win away from becoming the first Triple Crown winner since 1978.
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Preakness prepping Fans party on the infield ahead of the 137th Preakness Stakes at Pimlico in Baltimore. more photos |
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Triple Crown winners The horses that have won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont in the same year. |