Vic Zast

There has been some behind-the-scenes bitchin’ and moanin’ about Bob Baffert’s Hall of Fame eligibility. Tuesday is the due date for nominators to cast their ballots for which horses, trainers and jockeys should be put to the vote.

One West Coast nominator, former Los Angeles Times turf writer and multiple Eclipse Media Award winner Bill Christine, began the brouhaha by pointing out that the hall requires trainers to be actively involved in training thoroughbreds for at least 25 years. He argues that in eight non-consecutive years between 1979 to 1989, Baffert started only 164 thoroughbreds, never more than 69 in one year – not enough to qualify him for nomination. 

During his early career, Baffert served primarily as a quarter horse trainer.  But from 1979 through 1984, he started the occasional thoroughbred.  In some years, he saddled fewer than a dozen thoroughbreds – five in 1979, one in 1980, 10 in 1981 and five in 1984.  Most notably, from 1985 through 1987, he concentrated solely on quarter horses.

In 1986, Baffert trained Gold Coast Express, the last of his four quarter horse champions.  Four years later, he gave up his quarter horse operations entirely, abandoning the business in 1991.  By 1992, he had his first Breeders’ Cup champion — the Sprint winner Thirty Slews.  He’s had four other Breeders’ Cup winners since, including two in the mud at the “Black-Eye” Breeders’ Cup at Monmouth.  In four different years, Baffert has trained winners of two of the three Triple Crown races. Whenever he becomes eligible for the Hall of Fame, he’ll be elected on wings.

Ironically, one of Baffert’s most famous thoroughbreds — Point Given — is almost certain to be green lighted for nomination tomorrow.  Point Given won the Preakness, the Belmont and the Travers — in fact, four $1 million Grade I stakes in succession — before suffering an injury that led to his early retirement. When Point Given’s end came, Baffert said, “It’s a big blow for not only us, but for the racing community.”

It couldn’t have been that big of a blow, however, for Prince Ahmed bin Salman of The Thoroughbred Corp. The prince could have raced “The Big Red Train” as a 4-year-old by showing a little patience. But instead he sent Point Given to the breeding shed.

Point Given’s career-ending injury was a slight tendon strain.  It would have healed without surgery in six months. The beautiful chestnut colt — a true crowd-pleaser — was injured in the Travers at Saratoga and could have been back on the racetrack in the spring.

That aside, Point Given won nine of his 13 lifetime starts. But he failed in the Kentucky Derby, finishing fifth.  He never faced older horses.  He never won on the turf.  He never made the Jockey Club Gold Cup or the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Macho Uno defeated him in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Point Given is one of several horses including Smarty Jones, Fusaichi Pegasus and Barbaro with accommodated Hall of Fame credentials, which is the euphemistic way to say “relaxed.” And, yet, for many voters and racing fans, a failure to elect him would be unimaginable.

Sooner or later, the composition of equine inductees in the Hall of Fame will reflect a mishmash of diluted accomplishments. With the sport spiraling into meaninglessness in the 4-year-old division, the standard of excellence in racing is seeking a new status, like college football and basketball -- the best players being freshmen and sophomores. There is a reason why there’s a 25-year career requirement for trainers and jockeys.  Up until now, the body of work of an equine nominee meant something.

No doubt, the voters are experts who know a great horse when they see one. If arguments emerge from their selections, they undoubtedly will stem from subjective differences. At least in the case of horses, the definition of greatness is shifting to short bursts of brilliance as opposed to a steady stellar resume. In this context, a squabble over how many years Baffert has saddled thoroughbreds seems unimportant.

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