Veitch, 62, was introduced by his cousin Michael, who is a well-known racing journalist and a Hall of Fame trustee. Michael Veitch said his cousin "treasured the sportsmanship" of the 1978 Triple Crown, in which Alydar finished second to Affirmed in all three legs.

The erudite Veitch said he was "privileged to train for two of racing's great dynasties," who gave generously to "the long and honored tradition of the turf."

"There's no greater animal in the world than the Thoroughbred," said Veitch, who in his current job as chief steward for the state of Kentucky has been an outspoken advocate for integrity in racing from trainers.

"The primary goal of my life always has been and always will be whether I succeed or fail to make my mother and father proud of me," Veitch said. "They would be proud of me today."

Like Santos, Veitch received a standing ovation when he finished.

Santos and Veitch were elected from a group of contemporary nominees. The contemporary horses voted in this year were the filly Mom's Command and Silver Charm.

Mom's Command won 11 of 16 starts, including the Acorn Stakes, Mother Goose Stakes, Coaching Club American Oaks, and Alabama Stakes at age 3. She was introduced by Ed Gray, a racing writer who was working for the Boston Herald when Mom's Command's raced.

Gray said Mom's Command's sweep of New York's four major races for 3-year-old fillies, culminating with the Alabama, "left no doubt that she was a horse for history."

Peter Fuller, owner of Mom's Command, was too ill to attend the ceremonies. His son, Peter Jr., and daughter, Abby - who rode Mom's Command - accepted, along with Ned Allard, who trained Mom's Command.

"It's a huge honor to be here," Abby Fuller-Catalano said. "I never got to win the Derby, but this is even better."

Mom's Command was euthanized earlier this year, on Feb. 3.

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Silver Charm, trained by Bob Baffert, won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Dubai World Cup during a sensational career that saw him win 12 of 24 starts. Gary Stevens, who rode Silver Charm to his three biggest wins, presented Silver Charm's plaque to Beverly Lewis, who owned Silver Charm with her late husband, Bob.

"When people ask me who's the most famous horse I've ridden, I tell them it's got to be Seabiscuit," Stevens said, joking, referring to his role as George Woolf in the movie "Seabiscuit." "But my favorite horse has got to be Silver Charm."

Silver Charm was not a flashy work horse, Stevens said, "but in the afternoons, he would rise to the occasion." His narrow win in Dubai showed, Stevens said, that "he had too much heart, and too much class, like his owners, Robert and Beverly Lewis."

Beverly Lewis called Silver Charm a "horse that was very determined."

"He'd wait until the last second," she said, "and then stick his nose out."

Silver Charm is currently at stud in Japan.

The eight inductees this year were the most since nine were inducted in 1978.